JAMB Yoruba 2019
Questions & Answers

Àwọn akẹ̀kọ̀ọ́ lè yan aṣàyàn A tàbí D nítorí pé wọ́n rò pé ó jẹmọ́ ìmọ̀ tàbí ìdánilójú. Ọ̀rọ̀ 'ìfọ̀rọ̀wérọ̀' nínú gbólóhùn yìí túmọ̀ sí 'ìbáraẹnisọ̀rọ̀' tàbí ìjíròrò láàárín àwọn ènìyàn. Àwọn ìyọkù kò bá ìtumọ̀ yìí mu: 'Ìjìnlẹ̀ ìmọ̀' (A) jẹ́ ìmọ̀ jinlẹ̀, 'Ìkìlọ̀' (C) jẹ́ ìyànju, àti 'Ìdánilójú' (D) jẹ́ ìgbàgbọ́. Ìṣìnkò wọ́pọ̀: Àwọn akẹ̀kọ̀ọ́ sábà máa ń darú pọ̀ mọ́ ìtumọ̀ ìjìnlẹ̀ ìmọ̀.

Ọ̀pọ̀ àwọn akẹ̀kọ̀ọ́ lè rò pé Ọ̀gẹ̀lẹ́ tàbí Fádúpẹ̀ ni, ṣùgbọ́n nínú ìwé 'Aládé Ìlú', Adéọlá ni orúkọ ọba tí ó ṣe ìdàsílẹ̀ ìlú náà. Àwọn orúkọ yòókù kò wà nínú ìtàn náà. Ìṣìnkò wọ́pọ̀: Gbigba pé olórí mìíràn nínú ìwé náà ló dá ìlú sílẹ̀.

Àwọn akẹ̀kọ̀ọ́ lè yan aṣàyàn B tàbí D bí wọ́n kò bá fiyèsí ìtumọ̀ òwe náà dáadáa. Òwe 'Ẹni tí ó bá ṣe ìwà ìkà yóò rí ìyọnu' sọ pé ìwà ìkà yóò mú ìyọnu tàbí ìjìyà wá. Àwọn ìyọkù kò ní ìtumọ̀ yìí. Ìṣìnkò wọ́pọ̀: Yíyan òwe mìíràn tí kò bá ìtumọ̀ ìjìyà ìwà ìkà mu.

Àwọn akẹ̀kọ̀ọ́ lè yan Àbíọ́lá tàbí Adéọlá nítorí wọ́n jẹ́ orúkọ Yorùbá tí ó wọ́pọ̀ gan-an. Ní àṣà Yorùbá, ọmọ tí a bí nígbà tí ìyá rẹ̀ ń ṣe iṣẹ́ adarí ni a máa ń pè ní 'Ọládèjì', tí ó ní ìtumọ̀ pé ọmọ náà wá ní àkókò adarí. Àwọn ìyọkù kò ní ìtumọ̀ yìí. Ìṣìnkò wọ́pọ̀: Fifún ọmọ ní orúkọ àìmọ̀ tàbí ti àì mọ ìtumọ̀ ìbí rẹ̀.

Àwọn akẹ̀kọ̀ọ́ lè yan Ọbàtálá tàbí Èṣù nítorí wọ́n jẹ́ òrìṣà pàtàkì nínú ìtàn àròsọ Yorùbá. Ṣàngó ni a mọ̀ sí 'Ọba Ará' nítorí ìsopọ̀ rẹ̀ pẹ̀lú ààrá àti agbára. Àwọn ìyọkù kò ní orúkọ yìí. Ìṣìnkò wọ́pọ̀: Ìdàpọ̀ àwọn ànímọ́ ààrá àti ìdájọ́ pẹ̀lú àwọn òrìṣà mìíràn.

Distractor check: A student might choose options like B, C, or D thinking they represent grammatical or descriptive terms. Reasoning to the answer: An àlọ́ is correctly understood as a narrative featuring a moral lesson or shared for recreational purposes, which matches option A while excluding the other choices. Common mistake: Confusing storytelling genres with general descriptive or analytical language.

Distractor check: Options A, C, and D might tempt a student because they all use positive comparisons. Reasoning to the answer: The phrase 'Ó rẹwà bí ẹ̀gbin' is identified as a negative description because it pairs a person's beauty with an undesirable entity, whereas the remaining options convey positive qualities. Common mistake: Overlooking the literal meaning of ẹ̀gbin when evaluating figurative comparisons.

Distractor check: A student might mistakenly select A, B, or D assuming those character names appeared in the storyline. Reasoning to the answer: Within the text 'Ọmọ Aláṣọ', Professor Ọlúṣọlá is specifically designated as the instructor who taught the children about textile work, leaving the other names absent from the narrative. Common mistake: Confusing secondary character names with the primary instructor.

Distractor check: Options B, C, and D might look appealing if a student misinterprets the emotional tone of the context. Reasoning to the answer: The term 'ìyọnu' translates directly to grief or an emotional state of distress resulting from a specific occurrence, aligning with option A. Common mistake: Equating sorrow with positive feelings like joy or hope.

Distractor check: Students might lean toward options A, C, or D due to familiarity with other prominent Yoruba titles. Reasoning to the answer: The praise poetry 'Ọmọ Àkànbí' is intrinsically tied to the historical heritage of the Ìbarà people, whereas the other choices lack this specific cultural link. Common mistake: Mixing up regional or town-specific praise names.

Distractor check: Options B, C, and D could confuse a student looking for general proverb structures rather than specific thematic content. Reasoning to the answer: The proverb 'Ẹni tí ó bá ṣe ìdẹkùn yóò rí ìtìjú' explicitly dictates that traps or deceitful actions will ultimately bring public shame, distinguishing it from the rest. Common mistake: Failing to match the consequence of shame to the specific trap-setting behavior.

Distractor check: Options A, C, and D might be picked by students guessing based on common birth names. Reasoning to the answer: In traditional Yoruba culture, a child born while the mother is engaged in mercantile activities is designated as 'Àlàbí', signifying birth during a trading period. Common mistake: Confusing trade-related birth names with royal or sequential naming patterns.

Distractor check: Students might guess B, C, or D given the prominence of those deities in mythology. Reasoning to the answer: Ọbàtálá holds the title 'Ọba Ìdílé' due to his foundational role in the creation and establishment of families, setting him apart from the other deities. Common mistake: Attributing familial creation titles to water or river divinities.

Distractor check: Options A, C, and D might catch a student off guard who confuses contentment with grief or faith. Reasoning to the answer: The expression 'ìtẹ́lọ́rùn' signifies joy or a feeling of happiness regarding what one has observed or received, pointing directly to option B. Common mistake: Confusing satisfaction with sorrow or mere expectation.

Distractor check: Options B, C, and D might seem plausible if a student confuses characters across different literary works. Reasoning to the answer: In the text 'Ìrìnkèrindò Nínú Igbó Elégbèje', Ọlúṣọlá is explicitly documented as the young man who engaged in a contest against Àkàrà Ogun, whereas the rest are not part of this specific episode. Common mistake: Misattributing competitive events to incorrect literary characters.

Distractor check: Option B might trick a student who misses the negative imagery, while C and D might also seem standard. Reasoning to the answer: The description 'Ó lẹ́wà bí ìràwọ̀' functions as a positive comparison by utilizing the brilliance of a star to describe human beauty, unlike the unfavorable imagery in the other choices. Common mistake: Accepting any simile as positive without checking the underlying noun.

Distractor check: A student might choose options A, C, or D thinking praise poetry relates to analysis or general history. Reasoning to the answer: An oríkì is defined as a form of laudatory verse deployed to praise individuals, families, or towns, making option B the correct classification. Common mistake: Confusing praise poetry with analytical prose or standard historical narratives.

Distractor check: Options A, B, and D could be selected by students mixing up the domains of various orisha. Reasoning to the answer: Yemọja is revered as 'Ọba Omi' because of her deep association with water bodies and her role as the universal mother, which excludes the other deities. Common mistake: Assigning water sovereignty to deities associated with creation or thunder.

Distractor check: Options A, C, and D might appeal to students looking at emotional vocabulary in isolation. Reasoning to the answer: The word 'ìgbẹ́kẹ̀lé' denotes certainty or the firm conviction that a particular event will transpire, aligning precisely with option B. Common mistake: Confusing trust or certainty with affection or contentment.

Distractor check: Options A, B, and D are characters from other contexts that might confuse the reader. Reasoning to the answer: Within the pages of 'Aládé Ìlú', Àjíbólá is designated as the leader of the merchants, leaving the other names extraneous to this role. Common mistake: Mixing up leadership roles across different books.