CONFLICT, WAR, DISPLACEMENT AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN PARTS OF OSUN STATE, SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA By BENJAMIN ADISA OGUNFOLAKAN (Matric No. 68943) B.A. Archaeology (Moscow, Russia) M.A. Archaeology (Moscow, Russia) M.Sc. Archaeology (Ibadan, Nigeria) M.Phil. Archaeology (Ibadan, Nigeria) A thesis in the Department of ARCHAEOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY, Submitted to the Faculty of Science in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Of the UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY i CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1: Introduction This study entails archaeological and anthropological investigations in parts of northeast Osun. It also touches on aspects of previous archaeological works carried out in the study area. The work examines the concepts of conflict, war and displacement in the light of archaeological and anthropological evidences from the area. Before now, most archaeological works done in southwestern Nigeria were concentrated on Ile-Ife, Benin, Old Oyo and Owo focussing mostly on art works in bronze, terracotta, and wood. Other themes especially conflict, war and displacement vital to the areas‘ history and archaeology have been neglected. To understand this neglect, and other related issues in parts of Osun Northeast of Osun State, Nigeria, series of archaeological works were carried out since 1992 by the author. The first phase of the research work which took the author to Ila-Orangun, Ila-Yara, Oyan, Asi, Asaba, Iresi and Ajaba (Kajola) was meant to expose the archaeological potentials of this part of Osun northeast for future intensive archaeological investigation (Ogunfolakan 2006). The second phase was a continuation of the previous exercise with visits to other notable towns and villages in Northeast Osun such as Oke-Ila, Ila-Magbon, Para-Oke, Otan-Ayegbaju, Ire, Ikirun and revisit to Iresi which had earlier on been visited. This second phase was also aimed at exposing the archaeological potentials of these towns and villages. Also a potsherd pavement site at Ajaba earlier identified during the first phase was excavated. This excavation was meant to identify the material content, orientation, pattern and design of the pavement, so as to relate it to other known pavements in other part of Yorubaland (Ile-Ife, Ila-Oranguun, Iragbiji, Otan-Ayegbaju, etc (OgunfolakanUNIVERSITY 2007). It was also OFmeant IBADANto assess the relationship LIBRARY between the pavement and a sacred grove ‗igbo‘aiko‘. The sacred grove was later revealed as part of the abandoned settlement. Its investigation forms one of the bases for the study. In realising these goals, both archaeological excavations and anthropological investigations were carried out in Ajaba an abandoned settlement earlier identified during the previous works in the study area. A refuse mound earlier identified within 1 Ajaba abandoned settlement was excavated. The mound was identified during archaeological survey of the area. It is expected that the study would throw more light on the culture history of Northeast Osun in particular and Yorubaland in general. It is also expected that this investigation would contribute to the emerging body of archaeological and anthropological data with regard to the peopling of this part of Yorubaland. Archaeological investigation in the study area started only in the 1990s when the author and other colleagues reconnoitered the area (Ogunfolakan 1994, 2007, Akpobasa 1994). Initial investigations into the archaeology of northeast Osun were generally targeted at exposing the archaeological potentials of the area as earlier stated. The first two phases of the project was able to reveal quite a large array of cultural entities in the area. Chapter One introduces the subject matter of this study and examines the issue of conflict, war displacement and archaeology of Northeast Osun State, Nigeria. It further went in-depth into the geographical background, location climate, geology, relief, drainage system, soil, vegetation, history of the region, and previous archaeological works carried out in the study area. Previous archaeological works around the study area were also highlighted. Chapter Two provides the theoretical framework for the thesis. Migrational factors such as conflict, war and displacement, trade, religion, personal adventure and other parameters of people‘s movement were discussed. The theoretical prop for the study, historical archaeology, ethno-archaeology, geo-archaeology and settlement archaeology are the discussed. Chapter Three examines the archaeological surveys carried out in the study area. These include the 1994 pioneering as well as current archaeological works in the area by the author. This chapter thus discusses the preliminary reconnaissance surveys carriedUNIVERSITY out in towns and villages (Oyan, OF Ila -IBADANOrangun, Ila-Magbon, LIBRARY Ila-Yara, Para-Oke and Oke-Ila), Iresi, Ikirun, Iragbiji and Ajaba) were also investigated. There were potsherd pavements in almost all of these towns and villages most especially, in all of those towns that claimed affinity with Ile-Ife (Ila-Orangun, Iragbiji, Oyan, Ire, Iresi, Ajaba and Oke-Ila). Excavations of some of these pavements are discussed in chapter four. 2 Chapter Four focuses on archaeological excavations at Ajaba and environs. The first was the excavation of a potsherd pavement site within the study area at Asi (Ogunfolakan 1994). The second was at Ajaba (Ogunfolakan 2007). The first and second excavations were meant to identify the orientation of the pavements, the materials and technology for comparison with the known pavements in other parts of Yorubaland. In continuation of the excavation exercise, another pit was opened on one of the mounds earlier identified in the course of archaeological survey of Ajaba. This chapter, therefore, discusses in detail, the excavation of this refuse mound. Chapter Five discusses the analyses of finds. The analyses include the general inventory of both the organic and non-organic materials. The chapter also discusses palynological analyses of soil samples taken from different layers of the excavated refuse pit. In this chapter, geo-chemical analysis of pottery sherds from Osun Northeast and some other parts of Yorubaland was carried out to provide data for comparative analysis. Chapter Six attempts an integration of the analysed data. It also provides an interpretation of the integrated data and offer suggestion for future work around this area. 1.2: Geographical Background: Ajaba is located in Northeast of Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria (Fig. 1.1). The abandoned site is within the present day Ajaba town at a junction linking the northern and southern part of Osun State, on one hand and Igbomina and Ekiti land on the other. Ajaba is along Iresi-Ila-Orangun road. It also links Oke-Ila and other satellite villages within Ila-Orangun region while it links the south via Edemosi to Esa-Oke in Ijesa land. It is a market town that enjoys patronage from different part of the country as traders from both the northern and eastern part of the country patronize this market on weekly basis for farm products (Plate 1.1). The present site is to the westernUNIVERSITY side of the present town ofOF Ajaba (Fig.IBADAN 1.3). In discussing LIBRARY the geographical background of Osun northeast it is necessary to note the location of the study area, its climate, geology and geomorphology, relief, drainage system, soil and vegetation. 1.2.1: Location: Osun State where northeast Osun is situated is located towards the northeast of Southwestern Nigeria. The northeast area of Osun State lies between latitude 7o50‘ 3 Figure 1.1: Nigeria showing Osun State (Ogunfolakan, 1994) UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 4 Plate1.1: A typical market day in Ajaba (Kajola). UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 5 and 8o05‘ N and longitude 4o40‘ and 4o50 E of the equator. The area covers six Local Government Areas namely Odo-Otin, Ila-Orangun, Boripe, Ifelodun, Boluwaduro, Ifelodun and Ifedayo (Fig. 1.2). Ajaba is a small town at the boundary of two Local Government areas in the study area namely Boluwaduro and Ila-Orangun Local Governments Areas. It is along Iresi/Ila-Orangun road. It also links Oke-Ila and other satellite villages within Ila-Orangun environ while it links the south via Edemosi to Esa-Oke in Ijesaland. Interestingly, Ajaba is a ‗resurfaced‘ ancient town as it grew and is still growing on an ancient settlement abandoned some centuries ago. According to oral information, it first developed as a market place in the middle of the last century (1950s) where all the neighbouring villages came on weekly basis to sell their goods. Today, Ajaba has returned to her ancient status of a beaded crown king‘s town with a market in front of the Oba‘s palace. The present study site is located to the western side of Ajaba town (Fig. 1.3). 1.2.2: Climate: The study area has the climate characteristics of the savanna and tropical rain forest region of Nigeria. To the south of the study area is a tropical rain forest region while the northern part is predominantly of the savanna type. For that reason arable farming is practiced more in the northern part of the study area than in the southern part of it. The annual temperature averages between 26oC and 27°C, while the average rainfall ranges between 114.3 mm to 139.7 mm annually (Adeoye, 1988). It is humid throughout the year. Highest humidity is witnessed around late February and early March. Osun northeast experiences two seasonal climatic variations similar to those of other West African rainforest regions. The two seasons are determined by two airwaves; one is the rain bearing moist Atlantic ‗monsoon‘ wind that travels from the southwest and the second one is the dry Northeast Trade wind that comes from Arabian Desert and sweeps through the Sahara. The raining season begins in March and UNIVERSITYlast till early November. In August,OF theIBADAN rain becomes weak LIBRARY with light drizzles which the local people refer to as oda ‗August break.‘ This is the period that allows one to clear and prepare the farmlands for dry season planting.