Thinking about it, Oriki (the panegyric) was the only way Yorubas of the late Middle Ages and early modern periods documented the history of each clan/house. Back then, Yorubas didn’t have a writing system, so they relied on oral histories to pass down their past.

The oral histories were then passed down to remind the generations of the clans’ people about their ancestors; what they were known for, how they fought for freedom, their hobbies and their taboos. 

I’m just thinking out loud.