ÌFÀLỌMỌ/ORÒ ÌDÍLÉ (FAMILY RITES) AS A FORM OF DNA TEST IN PRECOLONIAL YORÙBÁ SOCIETY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR MARITAL FIDELITY

Abstract

From time immemorial, parents, especially fathers have contended with the problem of paternity fraud. In recent years, the incidence has grown tremendously and the consequences have been grave, including sudden deaths, murder or suicide when men realize that they have labored their whole lives raising children that are not theirs. These treacheries in homes are revealed through deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test. Contrarily, in most of African countries particularly in the pre-colonial Yorùbá society, they had established mechanisms of detecting bastards in each family. Children are subjected to some family rites (Orò Ìdílé) before and
immediately after their birth. These rites eliminate the possibility of perpetrating paternity fraud and the fear of being found wanting in this regard guides the affairs of married people who lived in this age. This paper is poised to juxtapose Ìfàlọmọ/Orò Ìdílé (Family Rites), which served as a form of DNA test in in the pre-colonial Yorùbá society with what applies in the contemporary society in order to draw implication for marital fidelity. Thus, this paper tries to answer the following questions: what constitutes Ìfàlọmọ/Orò Ìdílé in the pre-colonial Yorùbá society? What were the processes and parties involved in these rites? What are the reasons for paternity frauds? These questions and other similar ones were answered in this paper by conducting interview among 25 people in Yoruba society personally and through telephone with the view of drawing lessons for marital fidelity in the contemporary society. The study found out that Ìfàlọmọ/Orò Ìdílé and DNA test are both used to identify and establish paternity frauds. However, Ìfàlọmọ/Orò Ìdílé has the advantage of removing all possibility of future cries and trauma for the husband over DNA test. The paper recommends that married men and the society should not make childlessness the problem of the wife and undue pressure should not be put on women. Also, any woman with nothing to hide should not be wary of DNA test.