CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
The Yoruba stretch on the West from
around the area of Badagry to Warri and Inland until they almost reach the Niger
around latitude 9oN. Indeed,
certain parts of the Niger
formed the boundary between it and Nupe.
Around latitude 5oN, they spread Westwards cutting across the
whole of Dahomey
and reaching into the East of Togo. From
the coast, the country rises gradually from low-lying swampy regions with thick
undergrowth to forest belt and finally semi or derived Savannah, which in Port Novo (Ajase) reaches
almost to the coast. The weather is
fairly stable, with two clearly defined seasons in the year, the rainy season
and the dry season. The Yoruba must be
one of the largest homogenous groups among Africans. Those of them living in Nigeria are currently numbered around fifteen
million, when those in Dahomey
and Togo
are added, they are more.1
The Yorubas are composed of several
clans of which the chief are the Oyos, the Egbas, the Ifes and the Ijebus,
while others of less importance are the Owus, the Ijeshas, the Ekitis and the
Ondos. The inhabitants of Lagos, the
chief town of Nigeria are also of Yoruba origin.2
As far as it is known, the Yoruba
didn’t in the past come under one centralized political authority. Rather, they existed (and still exist) in
different groups and organized themselves, in the pre-colonial period, in
separate kingdoms of varying levels of centralization and degrees of
autonomy. However, they were bound
together as a people by a number of factors.
Firstly, in their tradition of origin, common descent from Oduduwa, a
mythical personage who they regarded as their eponymous ancestor, secondly the
ruling dynasties of most of their kingdoms derive origin and the provenance of
their beaded crown and symbol of authority from Ile-Ife popularly acclaimed as
the citadel of Yoruba culture and civilization and also a centre of dispersal
of the Yoruba race. Thirdly, they share
a common language which is widely understood by the different groups of people
and recognizably the same despite dialectical difference. The Yoruba share a common cultural trait
which makes them form a distinct cultural group in Nigeria.3
The Yoruba origin has two version,
one tradition of origin is a mythical creation which intimates that the Yoruba
were the original inhabitants of the Ife
area. At the dawn of time, the whole
world was a watery waste. On the orders
of his father-the Supreme God, Olorun – Oduduwa climbed down a chain from the
sky. He brought with him a handful of
earth, a cockerel and a palm-nut. He
scattered the earth upon the water and it formed the land at Ile-Ife. The cockerel dug a hole in which Oduduwa
planted the palm nut, and up sprang a mighty tree with sixteen branches, each
the ruling family of an early Yoruba state.
To this day, Oduduwa’s chain is preserved among the sacred relics of the
Yoruba.4
Another tradition indicates that the
Yoruba people were produced by inter-marriage between a small band of invaders
from the Savanna and the indigenous inhabitants of the forest. The story is that Oduduwa was the son of
Lamurudu, sometimes described as a ruler from the east, sometimes as a prince
of Mecca. When Islam was introduced into his homeland,
Oduduwa refused to forsake the religion of his ancestors and he and his
supporters were expelled from their native land. After long wanderings, they settled among the
forest people and founded the state of Ife. Oduduwa had seven close descendants. Some traditions say they were his sons;
others call them grandsons. These seven
young men moved out to found the ruling families of seven new Yoruba states.5
The Yoruba were also expert in their
art, as far back as the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, they were expert in
the use of wood, ivory and terracotta or baked earth, and hundreds of thousands
of their carvings and models are still extant in Yorubaland. The art of the Yoruba is closely connected
with their religion, for most of their art pieces were produced for the
temples. In the first place, like most
African peoples, the Yoruba believe in the existence of an Almighty God whom
they call Olorun and in a future state.
Hence they worship the dead, believe in a future judgment and in the
doctrine of the transmigration of the soul.6 The Yorubas were also known for their cloth
weaving, dyeing, iron smelting and trading.
“The Yoruba caravan system” shows that despite inter-state warfare and
competition, Yorubaland was integrated through commerce and long distance trade
was important to the economy of Yorubaland despite the pervasive insecurity in
the region during the nineteenth century.7
The Yoruba political system was a
centralized one in which the headship was retained in the king. The government in each Yoruba city was an
intricate system of power relations, a complex web of checks and balances. Although, the executive and judicial
functions were often invested in the Oba and his council alternative. Institutions were often established to check
the powers of the Oba and his council.8 By the end of the 16th century the
political organizations of most of the Yoruba kingdoms were probably complete
and broadly similar. Each kingdoms
consisted of a capital town, a number of subordinate towns, villages, markets,
and farmlands. Each of the major
kingdoms whose rulers claimed descent from Oduduwa ruled a clearly recognized
(probably not too well-defined) territory.9
The nineteenth century Yorubaland
witness protracted internecine wars.
These wars were accompanied by monumental changes, first was the
emergence of refuge towns and the second was related to the first, it was the
evolution of new forms of government in these refugee towns. These demographic and political changes took
place in the first half of the century, and were sequel to the fall of the Old
Oyo Empire. The wars leading to the fall
of Oyo brought about a large-scale migration of people from war-torn areas to
relatively peaceful places. Consequently
a number of towns in the south became hosts to these refugees who moved in
large groups and carried with them their corporate identities. The refugees founded new settlements as
well. Ibadan,
Ijaye and Abeokuta
were notable examples.10
Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of this
research project include:
1.
To examine as starting point the origin of the Yoruba.
2.
To examine the growth and development of the Yoruba in
the pre-colonial period.
3.
To examine the nature of relations among the Yoruba in
the pre-colonial period.
4.
To look at the various Yoruba sub-groups and the basis
of their relations.
Scope
This research study intends to give
a detailed analysis of the pre-colonial relations among the Yoruba. Although, it is claimed that there existed a
series of autonomous but independent mini-states in parts of Yorubaland before
the coming of Oduduwa migrants.
The origin of the Yoruba will mark
the starting point of this research work.
The work will terminate in the 19th century with the collapse
of the Oyo Empire and the rise of new states.
Also, this study will cover the
political, social and economic relations of the Yoruba people. This will enable us to understand the
relations among them.
Methodology
The method of research used in this
study is based on relevant data and information obtained from one main
source: The secondary sources. These secondary sources are consulted in
universities and public libraries. They
are textbooks and journals, they are used to obtain standard and accurate
information for an analysis of the pre-colonial relations among the Yoruba.
Literature Review
There are several literatures that
have tried to provide an understanding of the Yoruba people starting from their
origin to the coming of the Europeans.
These literatures deal on relevant aspects of the Yoruba. There are however, certain literatures that
give account of the origin of the Yoruba.
I.A. Akinjogbin and E.A. Anyadele, “Yorubaland up to 1800”.11 According to them, there are two traditions
of origin, the migration version which says that the Yoruba originally came
from the north-eastern area of Africa, variously supposed to be Egypt, Yemen,
ancient Meroe and Arabia, and settled in Ile-Ife after a journey. The other version, which is increasingly
becoming more known in scholarly circles, relates that Ile-Ife was the centre
from which the world was created. Both
stories have one point in common.
Oduduwa is remembered in both as a leader.
In the aspect of economic
development of Yorubaland,.. Akinjogbin, “the economic foundations of the Oyo
Empire,12 among the foremost industry of the Yoruba, was cloth
weaving, which appeared to have reached a very high degree of craftsmanship by
the beginning of the eighteenth century, possibly earlier. Also, dyeing and then carving which took the
form of making drums, mortars, pestles, door post and panels, also carving of
images. Also, there was the iron
smelting and iron industry it was equally widespread and basic to most of the
industries. There are a number of
relevant literature on the Yoruba political system. These include, S.A. Akintoye, Revolution and Power Politics in Yorubaland
1840 – 189313 and Adu Boahen, Topics in West Africa History14. S.A. Akintoye asserts that the Yoruba
political system varied from place to place.
That it is expected that in a country as extensive as that of the
Yoruba, differences in environment and historical experience would result in
the political institutions varying from area to area. He also said that it is reasonable to suggest
that political institutions varied from time to time in each place, both in
their structures and relative importance in the whole system. Adu Boahen, in his book titled, Topics in West Africa History, examines
the central administrative system of Oyo, the Alafin who was the ruler, ruled
with the advice of a council of about seven notables known as the Oyomesi, led
by the Bashorun or Prime Minister. The
Ogboni controlled the Alafin and the Oyomesi.
Also, Oyo had unwritten constitution and a system of checks and
balances.
Also, in the social system of the
Yoruba, Adu Boahen, Topics in West Africa History,15 he stated that the
art of the Yoruba is closely connected with their religion, for most of their
art pieces were produced for the temples.
The Yoruba believe in the existence of an Almighty God whom they call
Olorun, and also in a future state.
Hence they worship the dead, believe in future judgment. E.B. Idowu, Olodumare: God in Yoruba belief, 16 he stated also the
fact that Yoruba art is dominated by music.
The Yoruba are a singing people.
In their singing, which comprises songs, lyrics, ballads and minstrelsy,
they tell stories of their past, the circumstances of their present and their
hopes and fears of the future.
CHAPTERIZATION
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
This
chapter provides a brief overview of the Yoruba. It shows that the Yoruba people are one of
the largest group in Africa and that they
originated from Oduduwa.
CHAPTER TWO: HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND OF THE YORUBA
This
chapter examines the history of the Yoruba and how they developed as a people
in the pre-colonial periods.
CHAPTER
THREE: POLITICAL RELATIONS AMONG THE
YORUBA IN PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD
The Yoruba
had a centralized government. This
chapter will examine the Yoruba political system, which was based on checks and
balances.
CHAPTER FOUR:
ECONOMIC RELATION AMONG THE YORUBA
The Yorubas
were known for their economic activities.
This chapter will cover how these activities which were based on
agriculture, trade, iron smelting and cloth weaving, craft.
CHAPTER FIVE: SOCIAL RELATIONS
AMONG THE YORUBA
The Yourba
had a rich art which was closely related to their religion. This chapter will cover their religion and
arts.
CHAPTER SIX:
CONCLUSION
This
chapter summarizes the entire work as enumerated from chapters one to five.
END NOTES
1.
I.A. Akinjogbin and E.A. Anyadele, “Yorubaland up to 1800”, in O.
Ikime, (ed) Groundwork of Nigeria
History, Ibadan:
Heinemann, 1980, p.122.
2.
Sir Alan Burns, History of
Nigeria, (eight edition) London:
George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1972, p.28.
3.
G.O. Oguntomisin, “The Yoruba Kingdom”, in J.I. Elaigwu and E.O. Erim
(eds), Foundations of Nigeria Federalism
Pre-colonial Antecedents, Volume 1, Abuja: National Council on
Inter-governmental Relations,2005 p. 25.
4.
G.T. Stride and B.A.C. Ifeka, Peoples
and Empires of West Africa in History 1000 – 18000, Ibadan: Thomas Nelson Ltd., 1971, pp.
288-229.
5.
Ibid.
6.
Adu Boahen, Topics in West Africa
History, London:
Longman, 1966, p. 92.
7.
Akinwumi Ogundiran, “Toyin Falola and the History of Nineteenth Century
Yorubaland” in A. Ogundiran, (ed) Pre-Colonial
Nigeria Essays in Honor of
Toyin Falola, Trenton, N.J.: Africa World Press, 2005, p. 57.
8.
B. Agbaje-Williams, “Yoruba Urbanism”, in A. Ogundiran (ed), Pre-colonial Essays in Honor of Toyin
Falola, Trenton, N.J: Africa World Press, 2005, p. 228.
9.
I.A. Akinjogbin and E.A. Anyadele, “Yoruba up to 1800”, p. 130.
10.
Toyin Falola, “The Political system of Ibadan
in the 19th Century” in J.F. Ade Ajayi and B. Ikara (eds) Evolution of Political Culture in Nigeria,
Ibadan: Ibadan
University Press, p. 104.
11.
I.A. Akinjogbin and E.A. Anyadele, “Yoruba up to 1800, p. 122.
12.
I.A. Akinjogbin, “The Economic Foundations of the Oyo Empire” in I.A.
Akinjogbin and Segun Osoba (eds), Topics
on Nigerian Economic and Social History.
Ife:
University of Ife Press Ltd., pp. 51-52.
13.
S.A. Akintoye, Revolution and Power Politics in Yorubaland
1840 – 1893, London: Longman Limited, 1971, p. 3.
14.
Adu Boahen, Topics in West Africa History, p. 93.
15.
Ibid, p. 92.
16.
E. Bolaji Idowu, Olodumare God in
Yoruba Belief, London, Longman Group Ltd, 1962, p. 10.