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Understanding the Sociology of Ekiti People Aduralere Oluwagbohunmi, Sociologist

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Understanding the Sociology of Ekiti People Aduralere Oluwagbohunmi, Sociologist International Journal for Social Studies ISSN: 2455-3220 Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 03 Issue 01 January 2017 Understanding the Sociology of Ekiti People Aduralere Oluwagbohunmi, Sociologist [email protected] Abstracts The Ekiti people of South-West Nigeria circumstances. Two of such strange among other things are considered by occurrences will be apprised in this section many as; intelligent, honest, fearless, disciplined and hardworking. Evidently, using sociological lenses. The first is the these attributes are not mere scholarly Ekiti Parapo War (1877-1893); and the gesticulations and accolades bestowed on second is the emergence of Ekiti State as this homogenous group of people but they are time-tested traits rooted in historical the best performing State in the 2016 contexts, and produced through painful National Examination Council’s result. encounter with both nature and human in These two events, as would be shown very the last two centuries. However, despite these spacial and social encounters, they soon, constituted historical events that have unconsciously discovered their have shaped and will continue to shape hidden potentials and created a long how Ekiti people are perceived by others, lasting identity for themselves. Ekiti people have achieved some strange results under and if well understood by Ekiti people strange circumstances, and the thrust of themselves, it will serve as a self-looking this paper is to consider, from sociological glass through which future decisions and point of view, how the social currents that policies will be based. Also, in this shaped past events continued to shape present and future narratives. section, I want to consider the positive functions of crisis and poverty in relation Key Words: Ekiti People, Ekiti Parapo to the emergence of Ekiti as an intelligent War, Academic Performance, Poverty and hardworking people. I am going to and Sociology, show, from sociological point of view that poverty and oppression produced the Ekiti INTRODUCTION identity. The Ekiti people of South-West Nigeria Evidently, sociology appears to be the best are not only unique as homogenous discipline to do justice to these issues people; they have also done some extra- because sociology allows us to understand ordinary things under extra ordinary WHY things happened, and HOW they Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJSS/ P a g e | 72 International Journal for Social Studies ISSN: 2455-3220 Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 03 Issue 01 January 2017 changed over a period of time. Sociology environment; they struggled with poverty is a social science discipline that uses before they became renowned scientific methodology in explaining how intellectuals. Poverty brought out the best human society is organised and the in them. And in responding to these social patterns of interaction that produce social currents, the hidden gold beneath their change within a human group. One of the skulls became their source of defence. major perspectives that sociologist uses to Consequently, this mental power has understand the nature of social change is become their most popular attribute and Functionalism. This perspective sees defining characteristic. human society as an organism that has Generally speaking, Ekiti people are different parts, and each part contributes to regarded as disciplined, highly intelligent, the survival of the whole. Each part determined, hardworking and fearless. perfumes specific function for the system These five qualities, regardless of their to continue to exist. A function is simply educational qualifications/emotional the effect that the parts have on the whole. attachment/cultural exposure and religious The effect may be positive or negative. worldview are the defining characteristics Interestingly, the negative effects are the of Ekitis, and these attributes have enabled catalysts for social change. In producing or them to survive and overcome difficult explaining social change therefore, it moments. Adeshina Adetola, in his grand- should be noted that some of the social breaking book titled “Ekiti Kete: The currents that altered existing Value, The Virtue and The Vision, vividly configurations may not appear to be summarised the first two qualities I listed palatable but eventually they helped in above with the following words: creating a lasting identity. That was the Ekiti story. The social currents, such as “On a general note, Ekiti as a people poverty, crisis, war and oppression that have no respect or sympathy for produced the Ekiti identity did not come as indiscipline. They believe in justice and a pleasant experience. The Ekiti identity, equity, therefore, they are always there like the geographical meaning of the name to make a correction when an error is itself (Okiti) is a product of hardship. The made or detected. Moreover, the zeal people did not just experienced difficulty for educational process and thirst for in relating with the mountainous academic attainment is a unique agenda Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJSS/ P a g e | 73 International Journal for Social Studies ISSN: 2455-3220 Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 03 Issue 01 January 2017 to the Ekitis. Therefore, their unity race. Prior to the violent confrontation of (parapoism) is not only limited to their Ibadan by the coalition of Ijesha and Ekiti, cultural values and self-determination Ibadan had stationed her administrators in but also extended to the academia, thus other parts of Yoruba land. The making knowledge acquisition an administration did not just forcefully integral part of Ekitism.(Adesina collect tax from towns and provinces in Adetola, 2008,p9).” Yoruba land; they also harassed and raped their women. The Ekiti people rejected this The other attributes, such as intelligent, oppression and fought back with their hardworking and fearlessness will be lives. Professor Olajide Osuntokun, a examined by looking at some of the foremost historian gave an insightful lead historical events that have shaped the into how the fight began and some of the course of history of Ekiti People. The first warriors that gave Ekiti a place of pride: that will be considered in this section is the Ekiti Parapo War, and the second, is the “In 1876, Falola, the beautiful wife of emergence of Ekiti as the intellectual Prince Fabunmi Abe Adesoye was seized capital pool of Nigeria. in the market by Oyepetun, the Ajele (resident) of Ibadan in front of the Oba’s THE EKITI palace in what is now Okeimesi, but was PARAPO WAR (1877- then called Igbo-Odo. In anger of the 1893) humiliation of local Prince, Fabunmi cut The Ekiti Parapo War (Kiriji War, 1877- off the head of Oyepetun. In response, the 1893) that lasted for about 16 years was ruler of Ibadan, Are Latoisa, who the genesis and empirical/traceable originally came from Ilora-Oyo, sent one evidence of fearlessness and zero tolerance of his top military commanders, Ajayi for oppression by the Ekiti People as a Ogboriefon, to bring him the head of homogenous and indivisible ethnic group. Fabunmi. This was the signal the first The war broke out of the obnoxious and armistice was forced on the combatants by dehumanising policies of Ibadan after her the British, virtually all crowned heads and significant role in the Osogbo war and her princes in what then was called Ekiti victory over the Ijayes which indisputably Parapo were involved. Notable among pronounced her as the successor of the old them, were the Oore of Otun, Oba Okin Oyo Empire and as the head of the Yoruba Baloye Oriade, who was primus inter pares Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJSS/ P a g e | 74 International Journal for Social Studies ISSN: 2455-3220 Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 03 Issue 01 January 2017 among Ekiti Obas; Oloye, Oba Fajembola, the awakening of the sleeping giants in Ajero of Ijero, Oba Olatiloye Oyeyosoye; Ekiti Warriors. The war provided an Prince Faboro and Oba Olayisade unusual opportunity for Ekitis to emerge Odundun of Iddo; the Alara of Aramoko; as warlords among the Yorubas of that era. the Onitaji and the Ologotun. Others were The sophistication and intelligent Prince Adeyela of Ila-Orangun; displayed by the Ekiti warriors during the Apapalaso, the Balogun of Ekan- war is a testimony to the fact that Ekiti Igbomina; Akeoro of Ire; Aje of Egosi; people are not only bound to the book; Sairo of Akure; Aso Ogundana, the their native intelligence is second to none. Elejoka of Ikole; Ajaka, the Balogun of The Ekitis employed the most Omuo; the Balogun of Esa-Oke; sophisticated weapon and strategy to resist Onibonoje led the Ijebu Jesha forces. Ikeji the oppression of Ibadan. The coalition of warriors were led by Olorijeobe. The Ekiti warriors purchased and used large Imesi-Ile forces were led by Kayaoja, number of cannon guns which produced Ajayi and Opiliki and others two the thunderous sound “Kiriiiiji”. numerous to mention. Hundreds of Eventually, the Ekiti warriors won and the thousands of people died either because of obnoxious rule was stopped through direct action or as a result collateral violent resistance of the Ibadan damage. Eventually the Ibadan/Oyo forces administration. What can be deduced from had to withdraw after Ogboriefon died in this historical war from a sociological action and the Alaafin Adeyemi 1 signed point of view is that the crisis turned the on behalf of Ibadan/Oyo to end hostilities sleeping giants of Ekitis to respected with British pressure on both sides warlords. In other words, difficulty (Osuntokun, 2009).” brought out the best in them. From the functionalist point of view, the Next, let us briefly examine how difficulty crisis strengthened their sense of unity and (especially, poverty) produced the indivisibility. The crisis further promoted generation of Ekiti students that their homogeneity not only in maintaining announced Ekiti to the world as the home their geographical entity but also in of erudite scholars.
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