Agbada

Yoruba man in Agbada

Agbada is the flowing robe traditionally worn by the Yoruba people across West Africa. It comes with an inner cloth of varying lengths and it also comes with a pair of bottom wear in form of native trousers called Shokoto. It also is worn most times with different caps like fila or abeti aja. Traditional Yoruba beads are often worn with it. The agbada a male attire worn for special events and everyday life, depending on the extravagance of the garment. It is a distinct robe that comes in different styles and designs

A Yoruba man acting in a traditional drama, wearing an Agbada

Yoruba man in a type of Agbada

Many Agbada are made with aso oke or aso ofi fabric, but they can be made in other different fabrics including adire. Agbada is somewhat similar to the boubou/ babanriga, but is different in looks, style, shape, fabrics and materials used and are quite distinguishable. Agbada usually features native Yoruba embroidery as many times alongside the Grand knot native to the Yoruba culture. Agbada is one of the attires of Yoruba men, alongside others like Gbariye, Sulia, Oyala, Kembe. Gbariye is close in looks to Agbada and many times considered a type of Agbada.

History

Agbada is a type of Kaftan, which was brought to Africa, during the Islamic conquest of North Africa, in the 7th century. By the 12th century it was commonly adopted by high and middle class in Moroccan, and Maghreb societies. And by the 16th century it became widespread for the lower-class in those societies. Berber and Arab merchants made their way across the desert to trade salt, cloth, and other manufactured goods in exchange for gold, slaves and other commodities in West Africa during the Trans Saharan trade, this brought the Kaftan or Boubou into West Africa.

Yoruba man in Gbariye

The Journal of Manchester Geographical Society 1885 believes the Agbada was brought to Yorubas by Peuls or Fulani's as a type of "Mohammedan" clothing, the quote below.

high road of Mohammedanism from North and East Africa. Its active pioneers and advance guard on Yoruba have been the Peuls or Fulanis, who have in the past overrun and subjected most of the country on the middle stream, and have so far suc- ceeded in considerably contracting the area of Yorubaland, which, though divided tribally and dialectically, has a common national tongue and a recognised feudal head in the person of the Alafin of Oyo, who is on the best of terms with the govern- ment of Lagos-as are, indeed, all the Yoruba native states

— The Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society: 1885, The Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society, Volumes 5-6,