JAMB Recommended Textbooks For Yoruba 2026/2027 | Someone may be curious about what Yoruba in JAMB entails. For many students, Yoruba is more than a school language subject; it is the language they grew up speaking at home, in the market, in Church/Mosque, during festivals, and in everyday conversations, while for others, it is a language they merely admire, respect, and want to understand better.
Whichever side you belong to, have in mind that Yoruba remains one of the most beautiful languages to study, and it is as well one of the easiest subjects to pass in the UTME especially if you know what to read, and read it.
You do not have to be a perfect speaker or flawless writer to score up to 70 or 90 in Yoruba in UTME. What you need is understanding, structure, and the right resources, and that is exactly what we are here to provide you with.
After reading this article, you will gain tips that will help you to prepare confidently for the UTME examination. We bring to you the official JAMB recommended textbooks, tell you what JAMB usually tests so as to know what to look out for, and give you practical study strategies that have helped thousands of candidates score high over the years. Follow on tightly.
JAMB Recommended Textbooks For Yoruba 2026/2027
Below is the list of official Yoruba textbooks recommended by JAMB for UTME 2026/2027:
- Alawiye – J. F. Odunjo
- Àkọ́kọ́ Ẹ̀kọ́ Nínú Èdè Yorùbá – Adeboye Babalola
- Ìgbà Ẹ̀rí – Afolayan
- Olókun-Èṣin – Fagborun
- Akọ́tán Àṣà Yorùbá – D. O. Fagunwa
- Irìnkèrindò Nínú Igbo Elegbèje – D. O. Fagunwa
- Àṣà àti Ìṣe Yorùbá – Adeoye
- Yoruba Grammar and Composition – Bamgbose
- Akọ́kọ́ Iwe Kika – Olatunji
- Orin, Èwi àti Àrọ̀ – Various Yoruba Authors
These books were carefully selected to cover all areas of the Yoruba language: grammar, literature, comprehension, oral tradition, tone marking, vocabulary, writing, and cultural studies.
What Should Candidates Expect In JAMB Yoruba?
- Grammar (Ede Yorùbá): This is the backbone of the exam. Expect questions on nouns, pronouns, verbs, tone marks (ami ohùn), elision and vowel harmony, tenses, negation, sentence types, nominalization and question formation. In this aspect, even fluent Yoruba speakers may miss it because they speak correctly, but they do not know the Yoruba grammar rules.
- Comprehension (Kìkọ̀wé ati Kàwé): You will be given passages to read and answer questions from them. In comprehension, JAMB tests your understanding of meaning, contextual interpretation, explanations of proverbs and the ability to understand the writer’s intention
- Literature (Ìwé Kíkà): This covers areas like drama, prose, poetry and so on.
- Oral Literature (Àṣà àti Òwe): This is a special area unique to Yoruba. Questions may come from proverbs (òwe), riddles (àlọ́-àpagbà), chants (orin), praise poetry (òríkì), folktales, Ifa narratives, and marriage and naming rites.
- Tone Marks (Ami Ohùn): Yoruba is a tonal language, which means tone marks change meaning. Many JAMB questions will test your knowledge of tone identification, tone contrast and correct tone usage.
How To Study Yoruba Effectively
- Begin with grammar: This is because, grammar constitute 40–50% of the exam. In this, you will learn verb tenses, tone marks, pronouns and sentence types, rules of elision (ìfarapa) and so on.
- Read at least two (2) literature Books Deeply: Do not rush through them. Enjoy them like normal stories. Be able to recall characters, traits, themes, plot, and key events.
- Study Proverbs: Yoruba proverbs are known for their deep meaning. JAMB loves to test the knowledge of its candidate on their interpretation.
- Listen to Yoruba Media: Watch Yoruba news and movies, listen to radio or podcasts. Hearing the language been spoken could be of more help than you think.
- Practice Past Questions: If possible, do at least 7–10 years of Yoruba past questions. This will help you observe patterns instantly.
- Practice Yoruba writing: Make it a priority to practice a few sentences daily in writing. It helps with tone marks, spellings, and grammar
READ ALSO: JAMB Syllabus for Yoruba 2026/2027
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do I need to know all the recommended textbooks?
Answer: No. You are advised to select 3–5 strong ones and study deeply.
2. Is Yoruba difficult in JAMB?
Answer: Not really. It becomes easy once you understand grammar, tone marks, and literature themes.
3. How many questions come out in Yoruba in JAMB?
Answer: You will be expected to answer 40 questions in Yoruba during the examination.
4. Do I need to memorize proverbs?
Answer: Yes, however, not all. You basically need to learn the common ones and understand how they are been used.
5. Is tone marking compulsory?
Answer: Yes. It appears in almost every JAMB Yoruba exam.
6. Can non-Yoruba speakers pass the exam well?
Answer: Absolutely! Many non-Yoruba speaking candidates have aced the subject in the past. The reason is because grammar and reading comprehension are rule-based. When those rules are known and followed, even a non-Yoruba speaker can perform exceptionally in the examination.
7. Does JAMB test Yoruba history/culture?
Answer: Yes, they do so through oral literature and cultural texts.
Conclusion
Studying Yoruba for JAMB doesn’t have to be stressful, and as a matter of fact, you do not necessarily have to be a native Yoruba speaker or have it as your first language to score well in the examination. In fact, non-native speakers often outperform fluent speakers who study casually.
With the recommended textbooks, what to expect in the examination among the other guides provided for you in this article, you can score high in this subject. Yoruba is a language of beauty, rhythm, respect, storytelling, and deep cultural wisdom which is equally reflected in the examinations. You don’t need to memorize everything neither is it a matter of compulsion to be flawless. You require structure, consistency, and the right books.
Best of luck!
