Gbadu is a term that refers to a traditional West African board game, specifically from the Yoruba people of Nigeria and Benin. The game is also known as Ayo in Yoruba, which translates to "play" or "game." In Hebrew, it can be translated as ג'באדו or איו. The game is played on a wooden board with 12 holes on each side, and it is similar to other mancala games found across Africa and the world. Gbadu is a two-player game that involves strategy and skill, with each player aiming to capture their opponent's pieces. The game holds cultural significance and is often played during social gatherings and festivals. In French, it is sometimes referred to as Jeu de Gbadu, and in Spanish, it may be called Juego de Gbadu.
Gbadu is a god in the Dahomey mythology of the Fon people, who are now based in Benin, Nigeria, and Togo. She is one of Mawu-Lisa’s daughters, and just like her parents, consists of both a female and male aspect though she is mostly referred to with female pronouns. Gbadu is described as the female counterpart to Fa.