Iwarẹfa

Yoruba

Alternative forms

• Ìàrẹ̀fà (Ekiti)
• Ìwẹ̀fà
• Ìghàrẹfa (Owo)
• Ùwàrẹfa (Ijesha)
• Èwàrẹfa (Idanre)

Etymology

From Ìwàrẹ (“a high ranking chief of a town”) +‎ ẹ̀fà (“six”), cognate with Edo Igharẹfa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ì.wà.ɾɛ̀.fà/

Proper noun

Ìwàrẹ̀fà

1. A traditional council consisting of the six highest ranking chieftains (Ìwàrẹ) of a Yoruba town, the highest class of chieftains.

   Synonym: Ìwàrẹ

   • The chiefs of the Ìwàrẹ̀fà a range of political and religious functions and serve as trusted advisors to the monarch, and are the leaders of the Ògbóní societies in their respective towns. They are often the most powerful members of their community, and exist in all Yoruba polities.

Derived terms

• Ìwàrẹ̀fà Ọ̀yọ́ (“The Iwarefa council of Ọ̀yọ́, the Oyomesi”)