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
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
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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
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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
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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. promoting positive attitude towards one another. Apparently, the most important positive function of Ekiti Parapo War was
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POVERTY AND people in sophisticated arrears of EDUCATIONAL knowledge is a living testimony of the ATTAINMENT IN EKITI state as The Fountain of Knowledge.
To say that Ekitis are famous for their Again, it should be pointed out that the intellectual wizardry is an understatement. veracity of Ekiti’s exploits in the academia From producing the first Professor of cannot be subjected to any form of Geophysics in Africa , Professor incredulity. Because they are people bound Olufunmilayo Ojo, aka, Ojo Ugbole to the to the book. Perhaps, the best description first Professor of Electrical Engineering in of Ekiti in this regard was the one rendered Nigeria, Professor V. A Williams; and by Yemi Adebiyi, an Ekiti-born poet and from producing the first professor of novelist: Mathematics in Nigeria, Professor Ekiti, Adegoke Olubummo to the first Professor One family in several caves of Computer Science in Nigeria, Profesor Like cocoa seeds Olu Longe; the state also boasts of One proud voice from many producing some of the most renowned mouths Neurosurgeons in Africa, such as; Full of riches is this land Professor Olukayode Osuntokun (NNOM Stored in the heads Laureate) and Emeritus Professor of Instead on the fields (Cited in Neurosurgery, Adelola Adeloye. The likes Oluwagbohunmi, 2016) of Professors Ade Ajayi, Jide Osuntokun and Michael Omolewa gave Nigeria and Yet, Ekiti did not just emerge as the Africa a sense of history by producing Fountain of Knowledge. In other word, the historical materials that have become epithet, ‘Fountain of Knowledge’ did not reference points. What about Adedayo come on a platter of gold. The emergence Adeyinka, the first Professor of of Ekiti as the intellectual capital pool of Architecture in Sub-Saharan Africa? The Nigeria was a product of painful struggle list is endless! The records of excellence and sacrificial commitment by the and the unusual demonstrations of founding fathers that burnt midnight oil, academic prowess by these giants have trekked long distances to schools; travelled placed Ekiti on the world map. The in woodened Lorries and paid their school academic legacy and dominance of Ekiti fees by their sweats and those of their
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parents. The zeal for educational himself in the academic world. He attainment and thirst for qualitative wanted to have the much admired education define real Ekiti person. When it university education in an comes to education, an average Ekiti man institution of his choice, but he is ready to exchange pleasure for could not meet all the financial knowledge. This spirited determination for obligations required. As such, success was exemplified in the life of Olubummo decided to apply a Professor Adegoke Olubummo, the first rather funny logic: the simple professor of Mathematics in Nigeria, who, economic theory of opportunity as a result of poverty trekked from Nigeria cost. He had to forgo the expenses to Sierra-Leone. of transportation for an alternative of more importance -his tuition “Olubummo was a native of Orin fees and costs of books. So, he had Ekiti who stormed the African to trek to the far away northern academic scene in the 1950s in an city of Kano where he joined the unprecedented manner. In his caravan of traders on a trip to quest for educational knowledge, Ghana. He became a teacher in he left his home, Ekiti, for far one or two schools in Ghana and away Sierra Leone in a very after some years, he joined another strange circumstance. Olubummo set of traders to Sierra Leone. amazed all when he decided to trek What a strange adventure? from Nigeria to Sierra- Leone in Adesina Adetola, 2008).” the early 1940s in search of higher knowledge. In 1942, he was a Ordinarily, poverty would have been a pupil teacher at Methodist Primary roadblock to the success stories of the School, Ifaki-Ekiti after he had academic giants in the state, but the exact attended Wesley College, Ibadan opposite was the case. Poverty for them between 1938 and 1941 for his was a catalyst, and a salient force that Higher Elementary Certificate. He gingered them towards greatness. was nonetheless contented with his Although they were physically poor, they status as a teacher with Higher were not mentally retarded. They were not Certificate in education; he suffering from poverty of the mind that has determined to carve a niche for bedeviled the younger generation. Perhaps,
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they were too poor to remain in poverty mother. On my return from the and education was the only way out of church, I used to clean my shoes, poverty. Most of these professors, erudite wash them, apply white Nuggets, scholars and legal icons were from rusty dry them and keep them till the and poor backgrounds. The situations and next Sunday.” conditions under which they studied were Perhaps, the name of Professor Adelola so pathetic and dehumanizing. Adeloye wouldn’t have appeared in this book if not for his excellent performance Professor Niyi Osundare described his and special interest that Rev. Mason had ugly experience this way: for the poor students of that era. Poverty “The first line in my preface to almost blocked them from getting to the ‘The eyes of the Earth’ is ‘farmer top. Adelola Adeloye described his born, peasant bred’. My father was experience thus: “I found it impossible to a farmer; my mother was a cloth get my school fees of 17 Pound per year weaver’. My father had a library, paid in 1948. We struggled to pay only a that library was full of yams. I part of it.” While making a special case heard my mother sing as she for him to be awarded scholarship, Rev, worked on the loom which leaned Mason, the Principal of Christ’s School at against the wall. I watched threads that time also lent credence to the inability and threads of cotton become of Adelola’s parents to pay his school fees. pieces of fabric. That was actually In a special letter sent to Inspectorate of how the first uniform I wore to St. Education, Ibadan, Western Nigeria, on Luke’s School in January 1953; December 8, 1949, he wrote: “I would like that was how it was made. It came to recommend a boy whom I consider to from my mother’s loom and went be, both in character and ability, one of the straight to my Uncle’s machine.” best boys in the school. Owing to lack of (Cited in Oluwagbohunmi, 2016). adequate financial support, it is unlikely, The Founder of Afe Babalola University, unless help is forthcoming, that he will be Aare Afe Babalola, put his own this way: able to return to school next year. His name is Rufus Adelola Adeloye. He is a “We did not wear shoes to school. native of Ikole-Ekiti. His father is a small But on Sundays I wore the white farmer. He has found it extremely difficult tennis bought for me by my
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to pay his fees ever since the boy began except good teachers. They were reputed school here.” (Adeloye,2013). for borrowing text books.
Similarly, if not for scholarship, it would The story of Professor Olufunmilayo Ojo have been very difficult for these giants to (aka Ojo Ugbole) is a good example here. become what they have become today. In Similarly, the likes of Aare Afe Babalola support of this observation, Adelola and Professor Samuel Aluko studied as Adeloye threw more light: “The Native private students. What this means is that, Administration helped as much as was they had no physical class, no physical financially within their means with classmates, no school libraries, no scholarships and bursaries. Mason teachers, and by extension, no formal judiciously used the funds to keep the Ekiti schooling. However, they were baptized children in Christ’s School. Some 50 boys with Ekiti Spirit (strong determination for were assisted in this manner in 1949 to the success and a fighting habit of being the tune of 780 Pounds Sterling and another best in whenever place or field they found 60 boys benefited with the 870 Pounds themselves). Despite these constraints and Sterling raised in 1950.” harsh conditions, they did not only excel; they outshined their contemporaries. They On his part, the first Professor of were all operating at more than 1000 per Architecture in Nigeria, Adeyinka cent on the intellectual scale. It should be Adeyemi, enjoyed scholarship throughout noted that, instead of blood, three social his school days. He declared: “I enjoyed currents were flowing in their veins; the scholarship throughout my days in Values, Virtues and Ekiti Spirit. They were school as an architectural student, and up disciplined, they were committed and they till now, I have never spent my money on were baptized with Ekiti Spirit. Today, study; it was always one type of when the music of Africa’s excellence sponsorship or the other.” These erudite beats in the wind, their names echo its scholars were the generations of Ekiti lyrics. students that trekked thousands of kilometers before they could be educated. Now, let us look at the response of Ekitis, It should be noted that these giants of particularly, politicians and government history lacked almost all the material officials to the 2016 NECO’s rating that infrastructures for educational success placed Ekiti as the number one performing
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state in the federation and its sociological the serendipitous performance of the implications. students.
They claimed that the result obtained by the students couldn’t have been as a result A SOCIOLOGICAL APPRAISAL OF of Fayose’s less than two years occupancy THE “SERENDIPITOUS of the government house. They, therefore, EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE” OF traced the success story to the immediate SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS past administration of Kayode Fayemi. IN EKITI STATE IN THE 2016 The politicians without sociological NECO’S RESULT inclination in this school of thought argued The 2016 National Examination Council’s that Fayemi sowed the seed of greatness result rated Ekiti State as the best that Fayose was reaping. They posited that performing State in Nigeria with an the strategic efforts of Kayode Fayemi in excellent performance of close to 100% - renovating about 180 schools, the first in the history of the State and computerisation programme, competency NECO. Rather than a rousing applause test for teachers among other numerous from the stakeholders and educational initiatives of the administration were observers; the result has generated responsible for the 2016 outcome. They unnecessary debate between the ruling claimed that the success did not just party and the opposition party in Ekiti happen overnight but it was a result of State. long planning by Fayemi between 2011 and 2014: To some people, particularly, opposition party in the state there is no empirical “Reacting to the state’s justification for Ayodele Fayose to performance, APC Publicity celebrate the outcome of the National Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said Examination Council’s rating that placed in a statement that the feat was Ekiti as no 1 with a staggering record of attributable to education policy about 96% excellent performance. To the instituted by Fayemi that put life people in this school of thought, Fayose into educational administration and cannot provide evidence-based answers for management in the state. Fayemi gave a laptop per child that
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exposed them to study online and effective supervision and monitoring of eradicate miracle centres while secondary schools, and the unique ways providing incentive to teacher, with which Fayose is celebrating including renovation of schools to Teachers’ Day annually are some of the enhance good learning reasons for the ‘miraculous’ result. environment, and also approved Egunjobi put it more vehemently; special allowances for core subjects “Commissioner for Education, and rural postings of teachers. Science and Technology, Jide Fayemi’s giant strides in education Egunjobi, hinged the performance made Ekiti one of the three states on the efforts of Fayose, in the federation that benefitted highlighted some steps taken that from the World Bank’s $50m State led to the performance, to include; Education Programme Investment improvement in capacity building project (SEPIP). In addition to for core subjects’ teachers in public these, Fayemi’s administration was secondary schools, introduction of continuously organising training 28 monitoring and supervision programmes for the teachers, while teams that did intensive job in 400 motorcycles were distributed monitoring and supervision of to teachers serving in rural areas, teachers and the various even as he distributed 20,000 sets sensitization meetings held with of lockers and chairs to public stakeholders in educational sector schools across the state (Vanguard, gave the state the result. (The Sun, September 17, 2016).” October 6, 2016).” Despite these intervention programmes, The two positions, from political point of when Fayose took over in 2014, Ekiti was view are, indeed, compelling. Before I add ranked 22nd, 28th and 35th in 2012, 2013 the third perspective, which is the and 2014 results of WEAC. The PDP objective of this section, I want to say that administration under the leadership of Ayo the two perspectives lack proof, and if it Fayose responded by saying that the rating lacks proof, it can’t provide insights into was as a result of last year’s Education the origin of this “sudden change”. These Summit, cancellation of free education explanations are mere political system, introduction of examination fees,
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gesticulations that cannot give us the true same year by the same set of students! picture of reality. Something is still missing. Have the students changed so much within a month? To start with, if truly we (speaking as an Has the incentive failed to perform the Ekiti man now and I want to do that for the magic of motivating the teachers to do rest of this paper) are the Fountain of their jobs as it did less than a month ago? Knowledge do we really need to question Or can we say the rating is faulty? our success story in the business of knowledge production? If success is who Again, can we objectively say that the we are, do we have to question and defend “failed” computerisation project of the the outstanding records in a sector that Fayemi’s era was responsible for this gave us our ethnic identity? If the result is outstanding performance? Without expected, do we have to defend it? I mean, mincing words, I want to say that there is do we have to question why the state that no positive correlation between the was (is?) known for academic wizardry computerisation programme and the should emerge as the best performing State excellent performance of secondary school in the education sector? students in Nigeria. The adoption of computer as a tool for learning is still an However, it seems we need a convincing on-going experiment that has not yielded explanation on why a State that occupied any known positive result in Nigeria, the 10th position in less than a year especially at the secondary school level. miraculously jumped to the first position? The said computers had already been Perhaps, the explanation becomes more withdrawn from the students before the necessary looking at the fact that the result expiration of Fayemi’s tenure because the does not have an objective and students were not using it for academic measurable/consistent connection with purposes. They were using it to watch either the past or with the future. The 2016 videos and games online. And May/June WEAC result that rated Ekiti as consequently, they wasted precious time the 11th performing state also shows that that should have been devoted to learning. the April/May NECO that rated Ekiti as And what do you expect? When you give a the number one performing state is a necklace to a mad man on the road, he may serendipitous performance. 1st in May decide to use it to tie his leg or his stinking (NECO) and 11th in June (WEAC) of the hair; one thing is sure, he will misuse it
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because he doesn’t know its value and the teachers in the state by not meeting up usefulness. Computerisation programme with their demands. For instance, the without a proper sensitisation on the use of Fayemi’s administration incurred the wrath time and internet ethical culture will of the teachers when he subjected them to produce unintended results. That was the competency test. Although the competency case of Ekiti and Osun state that adopted test is a good idea, most of the teachers the 21st century tools without developing a failed to agree with its relevance and 21st mind. Fayemi was very wise to have subsequently described it as a gimmick of withdrawn the gadgets from the students the administration to demote and sack before it destroyed them completely. The some of them. reverse is the case in Osun State. In Osun On the other hand, Fayose is popularly state where the computerisation regarded as “Teachers friendly Governor”. programme is still on-going, a deeper look The teachers’ Day celebration under at the WAEC’s rating shows that the more Fayose’s administration has become a Opon Imon (Computer) they have in Osun phenomenon. But this is not to say that State, the more failure they record in Fayose has lived up to teachers’ WAEC! As important as Computer is to expectation at all time. For instance, Ekiti teaching and learning in the 21st century, if state workers, including teachers were on not well managed, it can become the most strike from January to April in 2016 as a important source of distraction for result of the inability of the state students. The evolution of computer and government to pay their salaries. The its adoption in teaching and learning at teachers were not in the class with the secondary school level constitute what students 16 weeks before their sociologists refer to as ‘cultural shock’. serendipitous performance. Ayo Fayose, Some of these students pay attention to the including his cabinet members also joined ‘wonders’ of the machine more than the the striking workers! The Governor’s ‘positive usefulness’ of the machine office was locked! Both the teachers and Again, the two administrations tried to the ministry officials that are supposed to locate their commitment to teachers as the lead the students to success were at home reason for this excellent performance. for 16 weeks before the examination that However, it should be noted that both of proclaimed the state as the best performing them at one time or the other have failed state in the federation.
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The question that is begging for answer is; came in the most difficult moment and this how can a State that was unable to pay cannot be seen as an isolated salaries of teachers for four consecutive happenstance; it is merely a repetition of months prior to the examination turns out historical pattern. The explanation for this as the best performing State in the enviable height can be traced to the federation? I mean, how can Ekiti teachers GENEALOGY of Ekiti people. From this being at their best when some of them perspective, I WANT TO ARGUE THAT were reportedly stealing Amala (cassava AN AVERAGE EKITI MAN flour) from their neighbours in order to PERFORMES BETTER UNDER A survive the hardship that visited Ekiti State DIFFICULT TIME. DIFFICULTY between January and May 2016 as a result BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN HIM. As I of the inability of the State to pay salary have argued in the first two sections of this due to dwindling revenue from the article, the name Ekiti was coined from federation account? Okiti, because we are people surrounded by stony lands and mountainous Certainly, the government, whether APC geographical environment. Our forefather or PDP cannot “correctly” and traversed this difficult geographical terrain “objectively” lay claim to this and gave us a settlement. Likewise, Ekitis serendipitous victory. Again, teachers in came into limelight in Yourubaland as a Ekiti would be abusing our sense of justice result of their violent resistance to the if they attempt to claim responsibility for exploitative tendency of the Oyo Empire. this trailblazing record. Unless they want It was this difficult moment that brought us to believe that hunger was a catalyst out the warrior in the sleeping giants of that propelled them to go extra mile in Ekiti extraction, such as Fabunmi Oke delivering this enviable performance. The Imesi. The need for independence made point I am making from a sociological them realise their potential as warlords. point of view is that, the government or its agency cannot absolutely claim Likewise, the academic giants that responsibility for this outstanding illuminated the academic firmament of performance. The only objective Africa were from the poorest home in explanation here is that, like the days of Ekiti. These students lacked access to most old, Ekiti students have done strange thing of the required educational facilities. Yet, under a strange circumstance. Their best they were operating at more than 1000%
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on the intellectual scale. For instance, First Professor of Computer Science in Professor Ojo Ugbole, the first professor Nigeria and Professor Niyi Osundare? I of Geo-physics in Africa trekked from have documented in my book titled “Ekiti Igbole Ekiti to St Andrew’s College, Oyo Kete: One People, Two Generation” how on several occasions because he couldn’t poverty and hard times produced those we afford transportation fare. He had no book celebrate as academic giants in Ekiti State and yet he made distinction in all his today. papers at the college. Professor Adegoke The truth is that an average Ekiti man has Olubummo also trekked from Orin to this innate potential, native intelligence Sierra-Leone in early 40s because he and administrative prowess, but he may couldn’t afford the transport fare. He not give you his best when he is operating ended-up as the First Professor of from his comfort zone. Difficulty reminds Mathematics in Nigeria. Professor Kayode him of who he is; challenges motivate him Osuntokun never saw how a Chemistry to rise above his mates. Funny enough, this laboratory looks like during his secondary spirit (I called it Ekiti Spirit) is a unique school days, yet, he became the second characteristic of most Ekiti people. The Professor of Neurosurgery in Nigeria. He homogeneity is not just in name; it is also published 321 academic papers before he an attitude. EKITI IS NOT JUST A died at the early age of 60 years old and he NAME: EKITI IS AN ATTITUDE. Ekiti was awarded NNOM laureate, the most is an attitude that defines who we are and prestigious academic award in Nigeria. what we can do, particularly in strange and Time will fail me if I dabble into the difficult circumstances. It was this attitude experience of Aare Afe Babalola, a man of excellence that made a class of less than who never whore any shoe for the first 30 students at Christ’s School in early 50s decade of life and who never attended any to produce 9 Distinguished and Emeritus formal school except Primary school. Professors in different field of learning. It What about Professor Adelola Adeloye, a was this strange record and many more renowned Neurosurgeon from Ikole Ekiti; that earned Ekiti the epithet, “Fountain of he had no Chemistry teacher at Christ’s Knowledge.” It should be noted that Ekiti School. Professor Adeyemi Adeyinka, the was not the first in the business of first Professor of Architecture in Sub- knowledge production in Nigeria but when Saharan Africa; Professor Olu Longe, the Ekiti products arrived, they were the best.
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They overcame the frontrunner (Ogun should give the kudos to the students. State) and made education more They have done strange thing under a functional. strange circumstance!
It was this Ekiti Spirit that made Ekiti to emerge as the intellectual capital pool of CONCLUDING REMARKS Nigeria. The Ekiti Spirit of old was not a For how long are we going to continue to religious spirit. It was rooted in stubborn be defined by difficulty and strange and spirited determination for success. It is circumstances? Can’t we be proactive a Spirit that never sees second position as instead of being reactive? Historically good enough. It is either first or nothing! It speaking, Ekiti is unique. But was the Ekiti Spirit that turned secondary unfortunately, Ekiti people have not schools of old into academic battle explored the opportunity of their rich grounds and those who won became heritage in promoting her greatness. We academic giants. have not used the knowledge of historical Funny enough, the crown was not for the event and pattern to understand the present genius, but for whosoever that has been and to predict the future. Again, we have baptised with this spirit and attitude of not explored the invisible power that has excellence. Students of old received the defined the curse of Ekiti history. We Spirit in school while their parents, continued to locate the cause in the through the power of expectation and government whereas government has discipline nurtured it at home. The culture contributed less or nothing to the identity of hard work flew from farm to classroom. of Ekiti people as the fountain of The larger society of that glorious era was knowledge. We continued to motivate and a self-looking glass where only excellent encourage the teachers whereas research result can be mirrored and appreciated. has suggested that what motivates the Now that strange circumstance has teachers may not motivate the students. produced strange result like the days of We need to find out, from history, what old, can we now say that Ekiti Spirit has actually motivated Ekiti students of old returned to our secondary schools? I want into greatness. Those little things such as to say that if there is any reason to award day, scholarship and educational celebrate the ‘new’ status, of Ekiti, we grants have become a forgotten history in
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our society. I want to say that whatever the overall interest of the people for brings healthy competition among the common good. This is why secondary school students in Ekiti will society produces its own values automatically restore Ekiti glory on a through existing literature that sustainable basis. And the truth is that the constitutes the literati. The time is ripe for the young generation of environment we live in often Ekiti students to study historical patterns, influence or determine how we act and the most dependable way of restoring or think. We have no choice than to values of old, virtues of excellence and ensure that the values of our Ekiti spirit into education is through the society which forms part of its introduction of “History of Ekiti” into norms and culture are set on tested secondary school curriculum in the state. and trusted gains of social Studying ourselves is the most reliable interactions and manipulation of way of knowing who we are, and what we ideas relevant to system building are cable of as Ekiti people. There is no and social sustainability. Any doubt on my mind that we have left the society that lacks practical, precious values that define us as Ekiti appreciable and acceptable rational people behind. And if we fail to act now, it thought process- that is just, right is question of time; our cemeteries will be and proper values in building social richer in values than our universities and structures and endowing good and public institutions. If our value can only be endurable mannerism among its found in the dustbin of history, then, we individual actors is bound to are dead people. produce misfits, miscreants and misnomers. Such society would be I will end this section by quoting Jadesola chaotic, crisis-ridden, self-centred Babatola on the need to maintain and and bedevilled by leaders and retain those values that define us as a followers whose attitudinal unique people; approaches to life are devoid of “It is only the people that know dependable and commendable what the society appreciates and characters worthy of emulation” values that would align their (Jadesola Babatola, 2015) interest with the society to advance
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References Lecture of Rotaract Club (Ekiti State University). Adetola, A. (2008). Ekiti Kete: The Value, Ekundayo Adeyemi. Nigeria’s First The Virtue and The Vision. A Professor of Architecture. Retrieved from: Documentation of the Making of the http://www.nairaland.com/1383350/ekund Fountain of Knowledge. Lagos, Nigeria: ayo-adeyemi-nigerias-first-professor OpenWay Global Concepts Oluwagbohunmi J.,A (2016); Ekiti Kete: Adeloye, A. (2013). My Secondary One People, Two Generations; Ado Ekiti. School Saga. Ibadan: Book Builders EduLink Publication. Africa Edition The Sun Newspaper (2016); Uproar in Babalola, A. (2008). Impossibility Made Ekiti possible, Ibadan. Babatola, J., (2015). Literary Inquiry into The Nation Newspaper (2009); Free at Construct of Social Values and Tackling of last; Ekiti free at Last Social Deviance, Delinquency and Vanguard Newspaper (2016); Ekiti WAEC Decadence among Yoruba: A Review of records fallout of Fayemi’s education Selected Poems of J.F Odunjo. Being a policy- APC Lecture Delivered at the 2015 Investiture
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