Culture Advocates Launches Yoruba Card Game To Revive Language

• Cultural icon Ìṣọ̀lá (Oluwasẹun Oladàpọ̀ Oliyide) launches KÍLOWÍ, a Yoruba card game promoting language preservation
• The game combines fun, competition, and creativity to help players rediscover forgotten Yoruba words and tones
• KÍLOWÍ, now played globally, was inspired by the Yoruba game show ṢoGbédè and designed for both homes and classrooms

Abuja, Nigeria — A new Yoruba card game known as KÍLOWÍ has been launched by cultural icon and language enthusiast Ìṣọ̀lá (Oluwasẹun Oladàpọ̀ Oliyide) as part of efforts to revive and preserve the Yoruba language through fun and engaging play.

Unlike grammar classes or language textbooks, KÍLOWÍ transforms learning into a lively and competitive experience that helps players reconnect with Yoruba expressions buried deep in their memory.

“It’s a game built on Yoruba logic,” Ìṣọ̀lá explained. “At first glance, KÍLOWÍ is simple. One Yoruba word appears at the top of each card, followed by four clues you cannot use and a final ‘sound hint’ that serves as a lifeline for teammates.”

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Players are tasked with making their partners say the Yoruba word without using the forbidden clues. According to Ìṣọ̀lá, the process often triggers forgotten vocabulary and cultural memory.

“You must reach into your true Yoruba vocabulary,” he said. “Not the English-influenced version, but the one filled with childhood expressions, idioms your parents used, and tones that once came naturally.”

During play, participants describe words in creative ways, saying things like, “It’s what your grandmother would say when…” or “It’s the sound you hear when…”. This often leads to bursts of laughter, tension, and moments of rediscovery.

“Educational tools are usually slow and repetitive, but KÍLOWÍ is the opposite,” Ìṣọ̀lá said. “It moves fast, demands quick thinking, and rewards creativity. When you’re laughing and your heart is racing, your mind opens wider. You’re not studying Yoruba; you’re unlocking it.”

Each card also carries a tone hint, reminding players of Yoruba’s musical rhythm. “A single syllable can change meaning depending on whether it rises, falls, or stays mid-level,” he explained. “By using tone as a clue, the game brings back the melody and poetry of Yoruba.”

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The creator said the game was designed for both Yoruba families in the diaspora and at home who worry about language loss among younger generations.

“Yoruba cannot be preserved through pressure or correction-heavy teaching,” Ìṣọ̀lá said. “Parents and children learn together, siblings compete, and even non-Yoruba speakers join without fear. It’s inclusive and joyful.”

Beyond entertainment, KÍLOWÍ promotes vocabulary recall, tone awareness, cultural bonding and emotional connection. “Culture is not preserved through seriousness alone,” Ìṣọ̀lá added. “It is preserved through delight. That has always been part of Yoruba culture.”

Originally featured as a final challenge on Ìṣọ̀lá’s Yoruba game show ṢoGbédè, the game quickly gained popularity. “People wanted to play at home,” he said. “So KÍLOWÍ became its own product, shipped globally and now recognised as one of the most innovative Yoruba learning tools of this generation.”

Reflecting on his goal, Ìṣọ̀lá concluded: “KÍLOWÍ was not created to save Yoruba. It was created to activate it. Word by word. Round by round. Laugh by laugh. Yoruba doesn’t need rescuing. It just needs remembering.”

Source: Legit.ng