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How did Yoruba develop a standard written form?

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Thematic map of Africa showing the distribution of Niger-Congo language branches. Distinct colors represent language groups such as Atlantic, Mande, Gur, Kwa, Benue-Congo, and Bantu, with Bantu languages covering most of central, eastern, and southern Africa. A numbered key lists prominent languages in each area, and country borders are marked for reference. — Niger-Congo languages Map showing the branches and distribution of the Niger-Congo languages.

The development of a standard written form for the Yoruba language was primarily driven by the work of Bishop Samuel Crowther.

In 1884, Crowther, who was himself a Yoruba speaker, completed a translation of the Bible into Yoruba. This translation served as a foundational text that facilitated the creation of a standardized written version of the language. This standard form was subsequently adopted across the many different Yoruba dialects, providing a unified literary base that has since supported a substantial body of literature, including books, newspapers, and pamphlets.1