Olori, otherwise appearing as Oloorì, is a

title of honour A title of honor or honorary title is a title bestowed upon individuals or organizations as an award in recognition of their merits. Sometimes the title bears the same or nearly the same name as a title of authority, but the person bestowed ...

within the chieftaincy system of the Yorubas of

West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...

. It is typically translated from the

Yoruba language Yoruba (, ; Yor. ) is a Niger–Congo languages, Niger-Congo language that is spoken in West Africa, primarily in South West (Nigeria), Southwestern and Middle Belt, Central Nigeria, Benin, and parts of Togo. It is spoken by the Yoruba people. ...

queen consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...

or, more correctly,

princess consort Princess consort is an official title or an informal designation that is normally accorded to the wife of a sovereign prince. The title may be used for the wife of a king if the more usual designation of queen consort is not used. More informal ...

Usage

Olori is traditionally part of a longer aristocratic title, such as "Olorì Ọba" (lit. ''Princess Consort to the King'', a popular title whose usage has led to Olori's common - though historically incorrect - adoption among the Yorubas as the loose equivalent of the English term for a queen consort) or "Olorì Ọmọba" (lit. ''Princess Consort to the Prince'', although this latter title can also - depending on intonation - otherwise connote the ranking prince in a Yoruba kingdom). In

polygamous Polygamy (from Late Greek , "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is called polygyny. When a woman is married to more than one h ...

families, an Olorì that is the recognized

senior wife Great Wife, otherwise appearing in West Africa as Senior Wife, is an honorific applied to the principal female spouse in African polygynous unions. It is widely used by contemporary royal and aristocratic wives in states throughout the modern cont ...

due to her marriage to the king or prince being the earliest one to be contracted is typically ascribed the attribute of the "Olorì Agba" (lit. ''Senior Princess Consort''). A king's Olori Agba is sometimes given a proper chieftaincy title instead however, usually that of the "Ìyáàfin" (lit. ''Mother of the Palace''), although this title can also alternatively be given to the principal member of the body of

dowager A dowager is a widow or widower who holds a title or property – a "dower" – derived from her or his deceased spouse. As an adjective, ''dowager'' usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles. In popular usage, the n ...

s that the king nominally inherits from his predecessors upon his succession in some kingdoms.

Some women who bear or once bore the title

Charlotte Obasa Charlotte Olajumoke Obasa ( Blaize; January 7, 1874 – December 23, 1953) was a Nigerian socialite and philanthropist. She was the daughter of the merchant R. B. Blaize and the wife of the physician, Orisadipe Obasa. Life A Saro people, Saro, Ob ...

Efunroye Tinubu Efunroye Tinubu ( 1810 – 1887), born Ẹfúnpọ̀róyè Ọ̀ṣuntinúbú, was a powerful Yoruba female aristocrat, merchant, and slave trader in pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria. She was a politically and economically influential figure ...

Keisha Omilana Oloori Keisha Omilana of Ipetu-Ijesha (born Keisha Bolden; March 8, 1986), commonly known as Princess Keisha Omilana, is an American model and entrepreneur. She is the owner of SAXS Magazine. She was the first African-American to be featured in t ...

Kofoworola Ademola Oloori Kofoworola Aina, Lady Ademola MBE, MFR, OFR (née Moore; 21 May 1913 – 15 May 2002) was a Nigerian educationist A writer and advocate for women education and also the president of the National Council of Women's Societies in Nigeria ...

* Mo'Cheddah *

Moremi Ajasoro Moremi Ajasoro (Yoruba language, Yoruba: ''Mọremí Àjàṣorò'') was a legendary Yoruba people, Yoruba queen and folk heroine in the Yorubaland region of present-day South West Nigeria, southwestern Nigeria who assisted in the liberation of t ...

Oronsen Queen Oronsen is an orisha from Yoruba mythology. She was the spouse of Olowo Rerengejen. The annual Igogo festival in Owo is celebrated in her honour. A Series Of Excerpts From The Oral Records Of Owo References See also *Melus ...

* Simi

References

{{Reflist Royal consorts History of the Yoruba people Nigerian traditional rulers Yoruba royal titles