Did you know?
The Yoruba kept professional national historians: hereditary families retained by the King at Ọ̀yọ́ who also served as the royal bards, drummers and cymbalists — living archives on whom all reliable early history depends.
“The National Historians are certain families retained by the King at Oyo whose office is hereditary, they also act as the King’s bards, drummers, and cymbalists; it is on them we depend as far as possible for any reliable information we now possess ; but, as may be expected their accounts often vary in several important particulars. We can do no more than relate the traditions which have been universally accepted.”
More facts — pick your interests and get one every other day.