baalẹ

Yoruba

Etymology

From baba (“father”) +‎ oní (“one who has”) +‎ ilẹ̀ (“land”), literally “Father of the town”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bāá.lɛ̀/

Noun

baálẹ̀

1. In pre-colonial Yoruba society, the head or ruler of a small village or a town. In modern day Nigeria, most baálẹ̀ have been recognized as a king of their own respective village.
   • Examples of modern day monarchs in Nigeria whom were originally baálẹ̀ include the Ṣọ̀ún of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ and the Olúbàdàn of Ìbàdàn, whom both answered to the Aláàfin

   baálórí l'ó nilórí, baálẹ̀ l'ó nìlú, òun sì lọkọ ìlú, ṣùgbọ́n ọba l'ó nilẹ̀ ― The husband owns the house, and the baálẹ̀ owns the village, he is the lord of the community, but the king owns the land (proverb on authority)

Derived terms

• Baálẹ̀ (“a title given to a baálẹ̀”)