Abstract

The Yoruba people are indeed a cultural people who, over time, are dynamic in their way of life and culture. While modernization has impacted a handful of their traditions, the Yoruba culture endures. The work examines the place of the Afin (palace), which traditionally houses the Oba (king) and his queens in Yourubaland and was the powerhouse for political administration and governance. This work further espouses the changing dynamic from pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial administrative dynamism that has enveloped palace administration vis-a-vis modernization. This paper posits that in the face of modernization and the erosion of pre-colonial administrative dexterity displayed by the Obas, the adaptability of the Yoruba culture to historical changes ensures its survival over time.

Keywords: Palace administration, Yorubaland, Modernisation and Tradition