The South-Western part of Nigeria is full of a group of people called the Yorubas. This people are rich in culture and tradition which includes Naming ceremony.

Naming ceremony comes after the birth of a child to a family. This is the period of naming the child an showering the child with blessings and prayers.

The process of naming in traditional setting includes using plants and animal product for prayers and blessings for the child thereafter giving the child names that befits him and tells about him, "Ile ni a nwo ki a to so omo loruko"; that is what happens in the family of the child during the time it was given birth to is used to name the child.

This article wants to emphasise on the importance the animal and plant products used during naming ceremony. This products are mainly used for prayers and they include;

Palm Oil: This is from oil palm and is used to pray for a child for endurance to solve life's problems. Yorubas will say "Epo in iroju obe"; that is the soup endures with palm oil.

Kola nuts: The seeds of the two popular kola nuts; Cola accuminata (abata) and cola nutida (goro/gbanja) from the family of sterculiaceae. It is used to pray for the child to deflect misfortunes from them an to attract prosperity to the family the child enters. "Obi ni bii iku, obi ni bii arun da nu"; that is kola nuts deflect death and illness. If the seed is not available, the leaves can be used as substitute.

Bitter Kola: This is from Garcinia kola. It is the popular Yoruba "Orogbo or Ogbo". "Ogbo lo ni ki o gbo laye" that is long life. It is used for prayers that the child may grow old thereby overcome premature death, that the child will also be strong, hale and hearty.

Alligator Pepper (Atare, Ataye): This is from "Aframomum meleguela". It is used to pray for the child that they will be blessed with many children because fruit have many seeds. "Atare kii di tire laabo, sososo ni ile atare nkun".

Smoked Fish (Eja gbigbe): This is uses to pray that the child may be healthy. This is because smoked fish hardly decay. Hence, it is used to pray for good health of mind and body.

Sugar Cane (Ireke): This is a plant that its juice is sugery and sweet. "Aye re a ladun" that is the child life will be sweet and full of good deeds.