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PRE-COLONIAL
RELATIONS AMONG THE YORUBAS' IN NIGERIA
PRE-COLONIAL
RELATIONS AMONG THE YORUBAS' IN NIGERIA
PRE-COLONIAL
RELATIONS AMONG THE YORUBA
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Table of
Contents v
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1
CHAPTER TWO:
Historical
Background of the Yorubas 15
CHAPTER
THREE
Pre-Colonial
Political Relations Among the Yorubas 33
CHAPTER FOUR
Pre-Colonial
Social Relations Among the Yorubas 59
CHAPTER FIVE
Pre-Colonial
Economic Relations among the Yorubas 70
CHAPTER SIX
Conclusion
86
Bibliography
90
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:
To examine
as starting point the origin of the Yoruba.
To examine
the growth and development of the Yoruba in the pre-colonial period.
To examine
the nature of relations among the Yoruba in the pre-colonial period.
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.
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