Ayò Olọ́pọ́n – The Game of the Intellectual

Ayò Olọ́pọ́n – The Game of the Intellectual

Ayò Olọ́pọ́n, often called Ayò, is a traditional game played by the Yoruba people who reside in South Western Nigeria. Known as the “game of the Intellectual”, this game requires a lot of mathematical skills. 

Ayò Olọ́pọ́n is played with a rectangular carved wooden box, containing twelve holes (with six holes on each side), and 48 Ayò seeds (four seeds in each hole). 

Across the country, the game is known by different names. Among the Igbos, it is called Ncho, Okwe, or Nchoro, it is called Nsa Isong and Dara among the Efiks and Hausas. In the Edo language, Ogirise is the name of the game while the Tiv people of Benue call it Teratar dar.

Only two people can play the game, and each player will have six holes on his/her side – 24 seeds for each player. The two individuals take turns to play the game by distributing the seeds from one hole into the other holes in an anti-clockwise direction, which is called sowing. If there are three or fewer Ayò seeds on the opponent’s side, the player collects those.

Read Also: Saki – The Food Basket of Oyo State

The players take turns to play until they exhaust the seeds, or it becomes practically impossible for one of the players to make any move. The goal of the game is to capture as many seeds of the opponent as possible. The player with the most number of seeds wins the game.

However, beyond the joy of victory, Ayò Olọ́pọ́n is an integral part of the lifestyle in most communities. In many towns and villages, it is a common sight to see people gather under shaded trees in the evenings enjoying the game while trying to cool off after the day’s job. At other times, the elderly converge at palm wine joints, engaging each other in the game.

Aside from adults, children and teenagers also enjoy playing the game. In most rural areas, kids of varying ages usually gather in village squares to show their prowess.

Ayò Olọ́pọ́n also offers more than recreational values. This explains why it is an integral part of festivals in some communities. The game is one of the highlights of the Osun Osogbo Festival in Osun State where winners go home with various prizes.

In another vein, Ayò Olọ́pọ́n is a game where the character (ìwà), patience (ìfarabàlẹ̀), insight (ojú-inú), and deep thought (àròjinlẹ̀) of individuals are molded. Those who excel in the game are called ọ̀ta (the knowledgeable ones), and the losers are òpè (the ignorant). The game shows how much premium the Yoruba place on knowledge and competitiveness.

Have you played Ayò Olọ́pọ́n before? Share your experience with us.