DOCSLIB.ORG

Essai Sur La Notion De Roi Chez Les Yoruba Et Les Aja-Fon

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Essai Sur La Notion De Roi Chez Les Yoruba Et Les Aja-Fon ESSAI SUR LA NOTION DE ROI CHEZ LES YORUBA 1 ET LES AJA-FON DU MÊME AUTEUR : Les Dogon. Paris, P.U.F., 1957. (Monographies ethnologiques africaines, Institut international africain de Londres) UNIVERSITÉ DE PARIS Faculté des Lettres et de Sciences humaines ESSAI SUR LA NOTION DE ROI CHEZ LES YORUBA ET LES AJA-FON (Nigeria et Dahomey) Thèse de 3 e cycle présentée par Montserrat PALAU MARTI Paris, décembre 1960 Ouvrage publié avec le concours du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Ç) by Éditions Berger-Levrauli, Paris, 1964 Tous droits de traduction, reproduction, adaptation réservés pour tous pays. PRÉFACE L'originalité et la diversité des formes politiques tradi- tionnelles de l'Afrique noire ont attiré l'attention des ethno- logues plus que tout autre ordre de recherches. Et la royauté sacrée a bénéficié d'un intérêt tout particulier, au détriment des anarchies, des chefferies et autres systèmes, cependant plus répandus dans le continent noir et d'une nouveauté, pour nous, autrement singulière. Car le souverain sacré nous l'avons eu, et ils l'ont encore en Angleterre. Peut-être la royauté bénéficie-t-elle justement de son œcuménisme, je dirai presque de sa banalité. Notre histoire nous la rend familière; en pays exotique, elle est une des références connues, à laquelle nous pouvons nous raccrocher pour ne pas sombrer dans l'étrange, qui est l'étranger. Et puis le prestige des rois n'a fait que croître avec leur raréfac- tion : il suffit de voir les titres de France-Dimanche. Enfin, pour les sociologues, il y a le souvenir de Frazer, de son roi thaumaturge et de son « rameau d'or ». Pour les africanistes, il y a Frobenius et ses hypothèses mirifiques, lourdes et riches comme un drame wagnérien. Ce ne sont évidemment pas ces séductions populaires et faciles qui ont amené Mlle Palau Marti au « Roi-Dieu ». Attachée au musée de l'Homme, elle a publié notamment un volume de synthèse sur « Les Dogon ». Ceux-ci n'ont pas de roi, ce sont même des anarchistes et leur société ne tient que par l'extraordinaire richesse de leurs mythes, de leurs rituels, de leurs représentations collectives, si abon- damment et merveilleusement révélée par Marcel Griaule. J'imagine donc que notre auteur, ayant mesuré la primauté des conceptions cosmogoniques dans une société sans état, a voulu vérifier l'importance de leur rôle dans des monarchies fortement organisées. Une preuve a contrario, si j'ose dire, de la religiosité consubstantielle à la plupart des conceptions noires. Le « Roi-Dieu », son existence, ses tabous, sa cour, le caractère figé et sacré de son étiquette, se retrouvent en un très grand nombre de régions du continent noir, sous des formes très voisines, parfois, pour nous, effarantes. Les rois des régions nilo-tchadiennes ne devaient pas se montrer et parlaient derrière un voile. Le roi de Kaffa ne devait pas porter ses aliments à sa bouche; trois hauts fonctionnaires avaient pour office de lui enfourner les aliments, comme à un bébé. Nous verrons dans ce livre bien des rites aussi extra- ordinaires. Mlle Palau Marti a choisi les royaumes de l'ouest nigérien et du Dahomey qui forment une région ethnologique assez homogène, célèbre autrefois par ses bronzes et ses sacrifices humains, et dont les histoires se sont fréquemment entremêlées, soit par la parenté, soit par la guerre, soit par des relations cultuelles ou dynastiques. La royauté est ainsi étudiée à Ifè, Oyo et Kétu les trois grands centres yorouba historiques, puis au Bénin et dans les trois royaumes adja-fon d'Alada, de Porto-Novo et du Dahomey. C'est l'ancienne « côte des esclaves », bien connue par les traitants du xvine siècle, les explorateurs du xixe et les ethnographes du xxe. Mlle Palau Marti a pu réunir ainsi de nombreux textes suggestifs dont elle a fait une analyse critique très complète; elle a elle-même recueilli des matériaux sur le terrain. Après cet exposé, viennent l'interprétation et la synthèse; c'est l'objet de la deuxième partie. La structure politique, les rituels, les pratiques de cour sont analysés et mis en relation avec la société, la religion, la conception-du monde exprimée par les mythes et les tra- ditions. Le roi apparaît finalement comme la clef de voûte de la nation, sa représentation et en même temps la conti- nuité et le symbole de l'univers. A la fois microcosme et macrocosme, dualité et unité. La royauté est « un tissu de symboles ». Le Roi est immortel et unique comme Dieu lui- même. Il est le Roi-Dieu. La divinité des empereurs romains n'a jamais été qu'un artifice. Ici elle exprime la religion la plus profonde, conditionnant et modelant l'existence même du corps social. Les temps sont passés; l'Afrique des petites patries tribales est morte; des frontières plus larges ont vu le jour et des nations modernes sont en gestation. Il n'y a plus de Roi-Dieu. Mais cet ouvrage montre ce qu'il a été, une des formes les plus puissantes de cohésion de l'Afrique ancienne, et peut- être du monde. Historiens et sociologues, Africains et curieux de tous continents y trouveront une abondante moisson de faits et une riche matière à réflexion. Hubert DESCHAMPS AVANT-PROPOS Je tiens à exprimer ma reconnaissance aux personnes et aux organismes qui, en France et en Afrique, ont encouragé mes recherches par leur aide morale et matérielle. Je dois remercier le Centre national de la Recherche scientifique tout d'abord, le Musée de l'Homme à Paris, l'IFAN du Dahomey ainsi que V Université d'Ibadan. Parmi les personnes, l'Oni d'Ifè, l'Alakétu et le roi de Porto-Novo se doivent d'être les premiers cités ; après eux, je remercie tous les autres informateurs africains, de modestes personnages souvent, mais combien aimables, combien patients, et non moins efficaces. Il va sans dire que la somme d'informations contenue dans le présent ouvrage provient, pour beaucoup, d'autres auteurs — anciens ou modernes, que j'indique dans la Bibliographie —; je me suis efforcée de faire un tri dans les sources d'information et, surtout, de les utiliser dans un esprit critique. Les conseils et les avis en cours de rédaction m'ont été très utiles et je désire citer, à cet égard, dans l'ordre alphabétique, MM. les Professeurs Balandier, Deschamps, Germaine Dieterlen, Hazoumé, Mercier, Métais, le Dr Pales, M. Serpos Tidjani et, enfin, mon cher maître à la Sorbonne, Roger Bastide dont le dévouement envers ses élèves est aussi proverbial que son attachement pour les gens et les choses d'Afrique. Pour ce qui a trait aux illustrations, l'Institut d'ethnologie de l'Université de Paris a bien voulu autoriser la reproduction de deux planches parues dans le livre de M. Waterlot; les autres documents cartographiques (plans et cartes) ont été exécutés au service de Muséographie du Musée de l'Homme et y ont travaillé MM. Gaillard et Mulette, ainsi que Michèle Robin. Toutes les photographies ont été prises en Afrique par moi-même. Les bibliothécaires ont fait preuve d'efficience et de désinté- ressement, notamment à la Bibliothèque de l'IFAN de Porto- Novo, à la University Library d'Ibadan, à la Bibliothèque nationale de Paris et à la Bibliothèque du Musée de l'Homme à laquelle m'unissent des liens de sympathie particuliers. Paris, novembre 1963 M. P. M. Première partie LES ROIS HISTORIQUES CHAPITRE I INTRODUCTION GÉNÉRALE Le thème du roi a tenté depuis longtemps les chercheurs qui se sont intéressés à l'Afrique. Seligman, Frobenius, Bau- mann, Frazer et autres, se sont penchés sur la question et ont émis quantité d'idées intéressantes sur le roi divin. L'institution du roi divin, puisqu'il s'agit bien d'un roi-dieu, semble se trouver partout en Afrique. Aussi, la tentation de faire une étude générale est grande. L'entreprise est cependant trop vaste et je limiterai ma recherche aux aires culturelles yoruba et aja. Le roi peut se définir comme un symbole, et la royauté un tissu de symboles. L'intronisation d'un roi met en action une grande quantité de rituels, certains exécutés en secret et connus uniquement d'un petit nombre de personnes. Les enquêtes sur la religion, les rituels en général et leur symbo- lisme, s'avèrent toujours longues et difficiles; le plus souvent, l'observateur doit se contenter de noter ce que les informateurs ont bien voulu, ou pu, lui communiquer. Déjà Norris, un négrier anglais qui prit quelque intérêt aux coutumes et à l'histoire du Dahomey qu'il visita à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, disait que « ... la stupidité des naturels est une barrière insurmontable contre les informations qu'exige cette étude ». Et, un peu plus loin : Il n'a pas été facile d'éviter de me servir des mots roi, général, palais & autres termes semblables afin que le lecteur pût me comprendre. Mais [...] il ne faut pas vouloir y attacher les mêmes idées qu'ils présentent ordinairement à l'esprit quand on parle d'un peuple civilisé; & les raisons que je viens de donner, feront trouver moins ridicule d'avoir attribué le nom de roi à un barbare brutal, ou d'avoir donné pompeusement celui de palais à un séjour qui a plul ôt l'air d'un chenil ou d'une écurie. Le même auteur nous décrit en ces termes le palais de Calamina, qui était l'une des résidences du roi du Dahomey (1) : Le tout ensemble a quelque ressemblance avec de longues granges couvertes de chaume, des cabanes pour retirer les trou- (1) NORRIS, Voyage ..., pp. 1-4. peaux, et des hangars pour les charrues, séparés les uns des autres par des murs de torchis peu élevés.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Evolution of Ibadan As the Largest Metropolitan Area in Nigeria
    THE EVOLUTION OF IBADAN AS THE LARGEST METROPOLITAN AREA IN NIGERIA By: ESV. TOMORI M.A. anivs, rsv. mnim MD/CEO Macos Urban Management Consultants E-mail: [email protected] ` Established For Urban Management Capacity Building and Good Governance 1.0 URBAN TRANSFORMATION HISTORY 1.1 Introduction Urbanization and city creation predates colonialism in many African countries. Apart from Egypt, where urban civilization dates back to 5,000 years, several cities in other African regions have centuries old Histories. Early urban development has been recorded during the Sudanese Empire of 800A.D. the Mali Empire of 1500A.D. and Songhai Empire of 1800A.D. These important historical artifacts, the cities, flourished as a result of their location along the trans-Sahara trade routes, emphasizing their importance as catalysts in socio-economic inter-relationships. Powerful local rulers enhanced the evolution of these early cities into effective nodes of human development and as engines of economic and social growth. Some of the prominent ancient pre-colonial cities of the region include: Bamako, Gao, Timbuktu, Ouagadougou, Agades, Begho, Benin, Ibadan, Ile-Ife, Ilorin, Kumasi and Oyo. The implications of urbanization are not appreciable from demographic numbers alone (World Bank in Cities in Transition, 2013). The urban transformation affects the physical concentration of people, patterns of land use, social structures and interactions, and the nature and scale of economic production. Each of these dimensions of change affects the lives of individuals and the requirements for resources and governance. This urbanization creates significant opportunities for national development, and for reducing poverty for all citizens. But realizing the potential gains from the urban transition depends on how well cities and towns manage growth and meet the challenges of providing responsive governance and ensuring services for all firms and households.
    [Show full text]
  • A Re-Assessment of Government and Political Institutions of Old Oyo Empire
    QUAESTUS MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH JOURNAL A RE-ASSESSMENT OF GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF OLD OYO EMPIRE Oluwaseun Samuel OSADOLA, Oluwafunke Adeola ADELEYE Abstract: Oyo Empire was the most politically organized entity founded by the Yoruba speaking people in present-day Nigeria. The empire was well organized, influential and powerful. At a time it controlled the politics and commerce of the area known today as Southwestern Nigeria. It, however, serves as a paradigm for other sub-ethnic groups of Yoruba derivation which were directly or indirectly influenced by the Empire before the coming of the white man. To however understand the basis for the political structure of the current Yorubaland, there is the need to examine the foundational structure from which they all took after the old Oyo Empire. This paper examines the various political structures that made up government and governance in the Yoruba nation under the political control of the old Oyo Empire before the coming of the Europeans and the establishment of colonial administration in the 1900s. It derives its data from both primary and secondary sources with a detailed contextual analysis. Keywords: Old Oyo Empire INTRODUCTION Pre-colonial systems in Nigeria witnessed a lot of alterations at the advent of the British colonial masters. Several traditional rulers tried to protect and preserve the political organisation of their kingdoms or empires but later gave up after much pressure and the threat from the colonial masters. Colonialism had a significant impact on every pre- colonial system in Nigeria, even until today.1 The entire Yoruba country has never been thoroughly organized into one complete government in a modern sense.
    [Show full text]
  • [1] Ui Thesis Olasupo A.A Yoruba 2015 Full Work.Pdf
    i YORÙBÁ TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS WOOD-CARVINGS BY AKANDE ABIODUN OLASUPO B. A. (Hons.) Fine Arts ( ), M. A. Visual Arts (Ibadan), PGDE (Ado-Ekiti) A Thesis in the Department of VISUAL ARTS Submitted to the Institute of African Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY of the UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY MAY 2015 ii ABSTRACT The Yorùbá -Yorùbá N O - - Yorùbá traditional religion and its attendant practice of wood-carving. Existing studies on Yorùbá wood-carving have concen -Yorùbá existed independently for a long time. This study, therefore, identified extant Yorùbá examined areas of divergence in the artistic production of the people. - wood-carvers, priests and adherents of some Yorùbá traditional religion who use wooden paraphernalia in their worship. Direct observation was used to collect data on iconographic features of wooden religious paraphernalia such as ọpón-Ifá (divination board), agere-Ifá (palm-nut bowl), ìróké-Ifá (divination board-tapper), osé-Ṣà Ṣà ‟ ère-ìbejì (twin figurines), and egúngún and gèlèdé masks. The interviews were content-analysed, while the paraphernalia were subjected to iconographic, semiotic and comparative analyses. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Opón-Ifá, agere-Ifá, ìróké-Ifá, osé-Ṣà and ère-ìbejì Gèlèdé ìróké-Ifá, agere-Ifá and osé-Ṣà shared similar iconographic fe by the top, middle and base sections. Their middle sections bore a variety of iii images, while the top and base sections were fixed. In all the three communities, the face of Èsù, usually represented on ọpón-Ifá, was the only constant feature on divination trays. Other depictions on the tray varied from zoomorphic and anthropomorphic to abstract motifs.
    [Show full text]
  • The Warrior and the State in Precolonial Africa Comparative Perspectives
    The Warrior and the State in Precolonial Africa Comparative Perspectives G. N. UZOIGWE The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, U.S.A. Introduction PREPARING this chapter was at once intimidating and challenging -in- timidating because I have no models to draw from; and challenging because it needed to be done. More significantly, it needed to be done by an Africanist historian. For the days, alas, are gone when such subjects were comfortably left to the nutty anthropologists while historians in their lonely and crusty arro- gance, exuded effortless superiority in dusty libraries and archives in a vain attempt to discover the &dquo;truth&dquo; about the past. &dquo;Hard history,&dquo; difficult enough as it is, is a much more straightforward and simpler affair than the &dquo;new history&dquo;. As our mentors were taught so did they teach us. The result is that most histori- ans of our generation are not properly equipped with the disciplines of anthro- pology and sociology as well as the other relevant social sciences which are crucial to African historical reconstruction. For a good Africanist, in whatever field, must be a jack-of-all-trades and master of one. The truth is perhaps that few of us are really master of anything at all - whatever we may claim. It is possible that I am really describing myself and no one else. Whatever is the case, I must begin this chapter with an apology relative to whatever weaknesses it may have. At a recent international conference on the military in Africa held in Accra, Ghana,’ a pet idea of mine received unsolicited support, namely, that a military interpretation of African history ought, at least, to be as rewarding as the economic or any other interpretation for that matter.
    [Show full text]
  • Foreign Influence on Igbomina, C
    FOREIGN INFLUENCE ON IGBOMINA, C. 1750-1900 By ABOYEJI, ADENIYI JUSTUS 97/15CA020 (B.A. (2001), M.A. (2006) HISTORY, UNILORIN) BEING A Ph.D THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN, NIGERIA i FOREIGN INFLUENCE ON IGBOMINA, C. 1750-1900 By ABOYEJI, ADENIYI JUSTUS 97/15CA020 (B.A. (2001), M.A. (2006) HISTORY, UNILORIN) BEING A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN, NIGERIA © March, 2015 ii iii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to the custodian of all Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Might, Counsel, Reverential Fear (Isaiah 11:2) and the Donor of the ‘pen of the ready-writer’ (Psalms 45:1), through our Lord and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My indebtedness for accomplishing this study is undoubtedly, enormous. Contributions within the academic circles, family link and notable individuals/personages deserve due acknowledgement. This is because a man who beats up his doctor after he has been cured is incapable of being grateful. Nature‘s cruelty, to candour, is more bearable than man‘s ingratitude to man. Words are undoubtedly inadequate to quantify the roles of my supervisors, Dr. Kolawole David Aiyedun and Professor Samuel Ovuete Aghalino, to whom special accolades are exclusively reserved. In spite of their busy schedules as Head of Department, Senior Professor and in many other capacities, they never denied me the benefits of their supervisory acumen.
    [Show full text]
  • The Owu Factor in the History of Ibadanland
    The Owu Factor in the History of Ibadanland By: ESV. Tomori Moshood Adijolola OWU-IBADAN PROJECT Anniversary Public Lecture In Celebration of Owu Convention of The Royal Union of owu People (RUOP) Title The Owu Factor in the History of Ibadanland By: ESV. TOMORI MOSHOOD ADIJOLOLA ANIVS, RV, MNIM, ARVA. Former Oyo State Rating Valuation Coordinator (Rtd) CEO/MD Macos Urban Management Consultant Saturday 16th December, 2017 Cultural Centre, Ibadan, Nigeria Published by: OYESILE OLUGBODE DESCENDANTS UNION Ita-Baale Olugbode, Ibadan Nigeria. © Tomori Moshood Adijolola 2017 First Published, 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the author, in who has the copyright ownership. ISBN: 978-31154-2-2 The publication was made possible through the commitment, efforts and finance of Chief ……………………………………. The Mogaji of OyesileOlugbode family compound, Ita-Baale Olugbode, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria Printed by: ………………………………… DEDICATION The Publication is dedicated to Almighty Allah, the founding of fathers of Ibadan, in particular, Oyesile Olugbode family and all Owus living in Ibadan PREFACE The present study is focused on the critical role played by Owu and Owu war in the history of evolution of Ibadan and how Owu war effectively marked the end of a particular phase of Yoruba political development. As Ibadan community evolved and its relationships with the neighbouring Egba, Owu, Oyo, Ife and Ijebu groups were modified, so the traditional hisorty of Ibadan subtly changed to give support to the new status of being the most powerful city in Yorubaland.
    [Show full text]
  • Aduloju of Ado: a Nineteenth Century Ekiti Warlord
    IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 18, Issue 4 (Nov. - Dec. 2013), PP 58-66 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org Aduloju of Ado: A Nineteenth Century Ekiti Warlord Emmanuel Oladipo Ojo (Ph.D) Department of History & International Studies, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, NIGERIA Abstract: For Yorubaland, south-western Nigeria, the nineteenth century was a century of warfare and gun- powder akin, in magnitude and extent, to that of nineteenth century Europe. Across the length and breadth of Yorubaland, armies fought armies until 1886 when Sir Gilbert Carter, British Governor of the Lagos Protectorate, intervened to restore peace. Since men are generally the products of the times in which they live and the circumstances with which they are surrounded; men who live during the period of peace and tranquillity are most likely to learn how to promote and sustain peace while those who live in periods of turbulence and turmoil are most likely to learn and master the art of warfare. As wars raged and ravaged Yoruba nations and communities, prominent men emerged and built armies with which they defended their nations and aggrandised themselves. Men like Latosisa, Ajayi Ogboriefon and Ayorinde held out for Ibadan; Obe, Arimoro, Omole, Odo, Edidi, Fayise and Ogedengbe Agbogungboro for Ijesa; Karara for Ilorin; Ogundipe for Abeokuta; Ologun for Owo; Bakare for Afa; Ali for Iwo, Oderinde for Olupona, Onafowokan and Kuku for Ijebuode, Odu for Ogbagi; Adeyale for Ila; Olugbosun for Oye and Ogunbulu for Aisegba. Like other Yoruba nations and kingdoms, Ado Kingdom had its own prominent warlords.
    [Show full text]
  • Samuel Johnson on the Egyptian Origin of the Yoruba
    SAMUEL JOHNSON ON THE EGYPTIAN ORIGIN OF THE YORUBA by Jock Matthew Agai A thesis submitted to the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy November 2016 Declaration I, Jock Matthew Agai, hereby declare that ‘SAMUEL JOHNSON ON THE EGYPTIAN ORIGIN OF THE YORUBA’ is my own original work, and that it has not been previously accepted by any other institution for the award of a degree, and that all quotations have been distinguished by quotation mark, and all sources of information have been duly acknowledged. __________________________ Jock Matthew Agai (Student) ______________________ Professor Phillippe Denis (Supervisor) 30 November 2016 i Dedication This research is dedicated to my grandmother, the late Ngo Margaret alias Nakai Shingot, who passed away in 2009, during which time I was preparing for this research. She was my best friend. May her gentle soul rest in peace. ii Thesis statement The Yoruba oral tradition, according to which the original ancestors of the Yoruba originated from the “East,” was popular in Yorubaland during the early 19th century. Before the period 1846 to 1901, the East was popularly perceived by the Yoruba as Arabia, Mecca or Saudi Arabia. Samuel Johnson (1846-1901) mentioned that Mohammed Belo (1781-1837) was among the first Africans to write that the East meant Arabia, Mecca or Saudi Arabia. He contested the views of associating the East with a Muslim land or a Muslim origin. In contrast to these views, Johnson believed that the East actually meant Egypt. This thesis presents research into Samuel Johnson’s contribution towards the development of the tradition of Egyptian origins of the Yoruba.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lost Tribes of Israel”
    ANTHROPOS 106.2011: 579 – 595 Origin of the Yoruba and “The Lost Tribes of Israel” Dierk Lange Abstract. – On the basis of comparative studies between the ademic African historiography in connection with dynastic tradition of the Ọyọ-Yoruba and ancient Near Eastern the independence of African states around 1960, history, the present article argues that Yoruba traditions of prov- scholars relied more directly on the available tra- enance, claiming immigration from the Near East, are basically correct. According to Ọyọ-Yoruba tradition, the ancestral Yor- ditions of Yoruba origin and they did some com- uba saw the Assyrian conquests of the Israelite kingdom from parative research between Yoruba, ancient Mediter- the ninth and the eighth centuries b.c. from the perspective of ranean and Israelite cultures. On the basis of this the Israelites. After the fall of Samaria in 722 b.c., they were evidence they suggested that the Yoruba immigrat- deported to eastern Syria and adopted the ruling Assyrian kings as their own. The collapse of the Assyrian empire is, however, ed from far away: either from Phoenicia, the Medi- mainly seen through the eyes of the Babylonian conquerors of terranean world, Egypt, or Nubia (Biobaku 1955: ​ Nineveh in 612 b.c. This second shift of perspective reflects the 8 – ​13; Lange 1995: 40 – ​48). If any of these supposi- disillusionment of the Israelite and Babylonian deportees from tions could be shown to be true and present opinion Syria-Palestine towards the Assyrian oppressors. After the defeat to be ideologically biased, it would mean that a cul- of the Egypto-Assyrian forces at Carchemish in Syria in 605 b.c.
    [Show full text]
  • IBADAN HISTORY from LAGELU ERA and the IMPACT of POLITICAL CRISIS in the NINETEENTH CENTURY By: ESV
    IBADAN HISTORY FROM LAGELU ERA AND THE IMPACT OF POLITICAL CRISIS IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY By: ESV. Tomori M.A. anivs, rsv, mnim Email: [email protected] 1.1 Background History of Lagelu Lagelu (a.k.a. Oroo Apatamaja), a war-chief (Jagun Osun) from Dalegu compound, Ajamapo area of oke Eso in Ile-Ife was the founder of Ibadan. He was the grandson of Orunto (or Obalufe), the prime minister of Ile-Ife and Head of Ooni-in-council. His mother was the daughter of Ooni Luwo Gbagida, the only female in Ife history who married Chief Obaloran, a member of the council of Ooni of Ife (Chief (Dr.) M.A. Fabunmi, 1985). (a) Benin Army Invaded Iddo Island When he was still in Ife, a legend had it that he led Ife army as Jagun Osin to assist the children of Olofin Ogunfunminire, the progenitor of the Awori’s with the king of Gbagura referred to as Agura fought against the Benin army who invaded Iddo Island near Lagos founded by the Aworis. The children were; Olumegbon, Oluwa, Onitona, Onitoolo, Elegusi, Aromire, Olooto and Ojora. The Aromires later swam across the Lagoon to Lagos Island in the middle of the 16th century for fishing and farming (Oluremi I. Obateru, 2006). They constituted the “IDEJO” who are the traditional land owners and White Cap Chiefs in Lagos. When a Portuguese expedition led by Ruy de Sequeira landed there, Eko was changed to Lagos in 1472A.D. Thereafter, about the 16th century, during the Alaafin Onigbogi (1530-1542), Lagelu “Oroo Apatamoja”; led a group of men and women and interested people out to found a new settlement, known as EBA ODAN later known as Ibadan.
    [Show full text]
  • Ibadan-Oyo Relations
    IBADAN HISTORY FROM THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY TO THE BRITISH COLONIAL PERIOD By: ESV. Tomori M.A. anivs, rsv, mnim Email: [email protected] • INTRODUCTION The ‘Ibadan-Oyo Relations’ described in this paper takes a fresh and unprejudiced look at events as recorded by tradition, old documents and products of conventional studies by eminent scholars including written accounts of Ibadan and other Yoruba local historians. A good number of them witnessed some of the events, which they narrated and also collected firsthand information from those who participated in the events that they described. Historically, Ibadan people had one time or the other settled at different places like other Yoruba “community of ancient people” after the founder had migrated from the cradle, Ile-Ife. It later became a war-camp and rose to the level of city-state, and then an empire in the nineteenth century. Its success in transforming Yoruba hereditary political institutions and adapting them to a new age free, just, and egalitarian society without a hereditary system of leadership during the same nineteenth century was remarkable. Thus, the history of Ibadan could be generally divided into periods. The old settlement established by Lagelu which endured from about 1520A.D. to 1824A.D. it was followed by the transition period when Ibadan became a war camp, or era of civil wars and controlled by the allied armies of Ife, Ijebu, Oyo and Egba refugees between 1824- 1832. Next came the full control of Ibadan by the Oyo-Osun elements of Yoruba subgroups till today. Benito Mussolini on October 21, 1935 opined that: “certainly there would be history without wars, but it would be a much different history than what we know.
    [Show full text]
  • Antropologia Dos Orixás
    Antropologia dos Orixás , A Civilização Yorubá a partir de seus Mitos, Orikis e sua Diáspora. Autor – Ivan da Silva Poli ( Osunfemi Elebuibon ) e-mail – [email protected] [email protected] 1 Livro Antropologia dos Orixás , a Civilização Yorubá a partir de seus Mitos, Orikis e sua Diáspora. Autor – Ivan da Silva Poli ( Osunfemi Elebuibon ) e-mail – [email protected] [email protected] Introdução Ouvimos falar muito,quando resolvemos abordar os Yorubás , da chamada Nagocracia, significando que outros povos da África os quais igualmente nos constituíram através de suas diásporas, não são tratados com a mesma relevância. Contudo, o que vemos na verdade, em relação aos nagôs, e em parte por responsabilidade do estereótipo da Nagocracia, é algo que nomeio de Nagonomia. Este povo tão importante na nossa formação e que tem sua inegável marca em nossa constituição cultural e identitária, na maioria das obras a que a eles se referem, são vistos e observados somente no contexto religioso. Salvo raras exceções como Risério, Lépine, Salami, uma parte da obra de Verger, Abimbola Wande e outros autores da Universidade de Ile Ife e outros raros autores, é como se os Yorubás não pudessem ser objeto de estudos em um contexto histórico ou antropológico. Inclusive os mitos dos Orixás, normalmente são vistos somente no contexto de sua mística, como se não tivessem também um papel civilizatório e pedagógico, que tenham influenciado a sociedades africanas de onde são originários e muito menos os povos que se formaram com a contribuição da diáspora Yorubá, como nós brasileiros. No sentido de prestar uma pequena contribuição, a fim de combater esta imagem que reforça o que, a meu ver, chamo de Nagonomia que realizei este livro a partir de um trabalho de extensão Cultural com o aval do Núcleo de Cultura Extensão da Biblioteca Municipal de Osasco e o Centro Cultural Africano da Barra Funda, em São Paulo.
    [Show full text]