by Tony Hemrix

Before European colonial powers imposed the Gregorian calendar, the Yoruba people had their own unique system of timekeeping: Kọjọda. This calendar was not just a way to measure time; it was a sacred structure that aligned each day and month with spiritual entities—the Orishas—and cosmic principles. Even today, while the Yoruba use the Gregorian calendar for daily affairs, Kọjọda remains central to rituals, initiations, and the understanding of destiny through Ifa divination.

A Year Under the Watchful Eyes of the Orishas

The Kọjọda calendar is structured around 13 lunar months, each lasting 28 days (7 weeks of 4 days). This system, based on the moon’s cycles, demonstrates the Yoruba’s advanced astronomical knowledge long before Western influences arrived.

More remarkably, the Yoruba week consists of four days, each dedicated to a major Orisha:

• Ọjọ́-Obatala: Day dedicated to Obatala, deity of wisdom, purity, and the creator of humanity.

• Ọjọ́-Orunmila: Day of Orunmila, the supreme oracle of Ifa, master of destiny and mystical knowledge.

• Ọjọ́-Ogun: Day of Ogun, god of iron, war, and technology.

• Ọjọ́-Sango: Day of Sango, god of thunder, justice, and fire.

This structure was not arbitrary. Every aspect of Yoruba society, from agriculture to business, was aligned with this divine rhythm, ensuring that human actions were in harmony with the cosmic forces governing the universe.

A Calendar Created by Orunmila Himself

According to Yoruba tradition, Orunmila established this calendar when he descended to Earth to teach the art of Ifa divination in Ile-Ife. Unlike Western calendars, which often start from a historical or religious event (such as the birth of Christ for the Gregorian calendar), the starting point of Kọjọda is the creation of the Earth (Aye) according to Yoruba cosmology. By this calculation, June 2020 corresponded to the year 10,062 of the Yoruba calendar.

This system was not merely a way to track dates; it was a philosophical framework that connected the past, present, and future in a continuous cycle of renewal.

Blending with the Gregorian Calendar

With colonization and the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, the Yoruba had to adapt their traditional system. Today, the days of the week in Yoruba are as follows:

• Ọjọ́-Àíkú (Sunday)

• Ọjọ́-Ajé (Monday)

• Ọjọ́-Ìṣẹgun (Tuesday)

• Ọjọ́-Rú (Wednesday)

• O̩jọ́-Bọ́ (Thursday)

• O̩jó̩-Ẹtì (Friday)

• Ọjọ́-Àbámẹ́ta (Saturday)

Similarly, the months of the year have been renamed while preserving their Yoruba linguistic structure:

• Òkùdú (June)

• AgḗmṐ (July)

• Ògún (August)

• OwḖwḖ (September)

• Ṑwawa (October)

• BḔlu (November)

• ṐPḔ (December)

• ṠḔRḔ (January)

• ÈRÉLE (February)

• ḔRḔNA (March)

• IGBE (April)

• ḔBÍBÍ (May)

However, Kọjọda has not disappeared. While it is no longer used for daily timekeeping, it remains essential for spiritual ceremonies, traditional festivals, and initiations into the mysteries of Ifa.

Festivals Aligned with the Cosmos

One of the most fascinating aspects of Kọjọda is its calendar of sacred celebrations, where each Orisha is honored at specific times of the year. The Yoruba New Year is marked by the festival of Orunmila/Ifa, which falls around June 3rd in the Gregorian calendar. This festival, attended by priests and initiates, marks the beginning of a new cosmic cycle, offering a moment to realign the community’s spiritual energy.

In the past, these festivals were grand events with ritual dances, sacrifices, and divination consultations to guide decisions for the year ahead. However, modernization and globalization have influenced these traditions, and in 2020, for example, the global pandemic prevented public celebrations from taking place.

A Different Vision of Time Worth Rediscovering

Kọjọda embodies a radically different philosophy of time from the one imposed by Western civilization. Instead of being a straight line moving from the past to the future, Yoruba time is a continuous cycle of repetition and rebirth, where each event fits into a grand cosmic order.

Today, as many societies rediscover the importance of natural and spiritual rhythms in time management, the principles of Kọjọda offer a fascinating alternative to the linear, industrialized model that dominates the modern world.

Perhaps it is time to stop measuring life through the ticking of a clock and instead observe time through the stars, the moon, and the Orishas—just as the ancient Yoruba once did.