Yoruba belongs to the Yoruba Group of Kwa and is spoken in the southwestern part of Nigeria (Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, and parts of Kwara states) as well as in enclaves in Benin and Togo.
World Almanac (1998) estimates 22 million Yoruba speakers while Grimes (1996) cites a figure of 20 million. UBS (1982) estimates 15 million speakers in Nigeria.
Yoruba is one of the major languages of Nigeria and is an official (national) language.
Oyo-Ibadan Yoruba is generally taken to be the literary standard, thus representing a standardized orthography.
One set of materials would be sufficient. However, Ishekiri, a widely divergent dialect of Yoruba (Voegelin and Voegelin 1977), may require separate materials.
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