A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Graduate Studies CHARLES TEMITOPE ADEYANJU in Partial Fulfilment of Requirements Master Of
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TRANSNATIONAL SOCIAL FIELDS OF THE YORUBA IN TORONTO A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Graduate Studies of The University of Guelph by CHARLES TEMITOPE ADEYANJU In partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Arts February. 2000 O Charles Ternitope Adeyanju. 2000 National Library Bibliothbque nationale du Canada uisitions and Acquisitions et "9.Bb iogmphic Setwices services bibliographiques 395 Wdlington Street 395, rw Wellington OttawaON KlAûN4 OttawaON K1A ON4 CaMda Canede The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence dowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or seil reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfom, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic fomats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othenvise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. TRANSNATIONAL SOCIAL FIELDS OF THE YORUBA IN TORONTO Adeyanju, Charles T. Advisor: University of Guelph, 2000 Professor Schryer, Frans Untii very recently. the word "immigrant" had evoked images of people who had corne to stay, having been transplanted from their original home in order to make for themselves a new home to which they would pay allegiance. This thesis questions the assumptions that minorities and migrants demonstrate an exclusive loyalty to one nation- stare. This is examined by exploring the mode of social connections and frequency by which one of the most salient African ethnic communities in Toronto, the Yoruba (the pedigrees of Oduduwa from the Federd Republic of Nigeria), maintain ties on various levels with their "home community" in this penod of globaiization. Yoruba migration is linked to their enmeshment in global capitalism. beginning with colonialisrn which extracted natural resources for the development of the European industridisin, and later neocolonialism which caused the pervasive peneintion of global capital in the form of loans. and the collusion of intemal social forces with the Western transnational corporations, leading to the pauperization of the mass of the Nigerian population. [t is argued that the crus material exploitation of Nigeria, both in the colonial and postcolonial periods is not enough to explain the Yoruba migration and their transnational practices but should be viewed in conjunction with the "dependency cornplex" caused by the colonial and neocolonial domination of their "psyche". The Yoruba believe that a smam that forgets its source will in no time dry up. With this 1 would begin my acknowledgments by thanking my parents-Pa Patrick Oso Baranje-Adeyanju and Chief Victoria Olurerni Adeyanju for giving me the first, and the most important fom of education-eko île which stressed honesty. hardwork and self- pride. Without ail these qualities instilled in me early in life. 1 would never have accomplished this educational height. Special eulogy goes to my mother for her prayers and supports throughout the program. Thank you mum, 1 am proud to be your son, and indeed very pteful for allowing me to corne to this world through you! There were those who brought me up in conjunction with my parents and contributed to rny early informal education. They are my sisten-Mrs. Stella Bola Akinduyo. Mn. Mercy Adenike Fajana; my brother Gerald Oso Adebanji Adeyanju: My uncles-Messrs George Aionge and Gabriel Alonge, Bishop Francis Alonge and Chief BOB Alonge; and my aunts-Mrs. Aduni Kolade and Dr. Bisi Olujoungbe. Special thanks to my younger sisten whose lives 1 was a part of as kids. and ever since they have been supponive-ûlubunmi Adeyanju, Adejoke Arnodi in Nigeria and 0rnowa.de Osidein in Toronto, Canada. 1 cannot but specially thank Omowande and her husband, Mr. Olayinka Osidein, because without their encouraging, supponing and sharing jokes with me always, and in using their aputment for the collection of the data in Toronto, the project would have taken longer time to complete. Of course. I will never forget Omowande's usual sumptuous "mongele pounded yam with egunsi soup". My thanks also go to al1 my nephews and nieces in Nigeria, who persistenily remember me in their prayers and look up to me as one of their role models. Particular thanks to my assiduous advisor, Dr. Frans Schryer for dl the assistance, including suggestions. encouragements. discussions and comments which no doubt has contributed to the success of the project. Other cornmittee members-Dr. Rozena Maart and Dr. Glen C. Filson contributed irnmensely through their constant guidance. Rozena not oniy heiped with the development of a particular section in the project but dso supported me moraily. Thank you Rozena! Glen was a great help from the beginning to the end of the project. His meticulous examination of facts, comments. painstaking corrections. suggestions and discussions were very helpful and the constructive criticisms quite challenging! 1 cannot but thank the following faculty members: Dr. Belinda Leach and Dr. Marta Rohatynskyj for starting me with the project but could not take me through to the end due to their sabbaticals. Their contributions in the beginning guided me through the whole project. Also thanks to Professor Stan Barrett for his support. tirne and interest throughout the program. A big "thank you" to the office staff, especially Millie MacQueen who usually answered my "too many" questions with patience; and Leo Keating for assisting with computing the data. My childhood friend has never stopped showing interest in me and king concemed about my progress. Olabode Steven Ojo, who has fumished me with some of the reading materials for the project, to whom 1 Say a big "thank you"! Rev. Fr. (Dr.) James Olaogun has always been concemed about my progress prior to my migration, and since my mival in North Amenca, has graciously provided me with some of the reading materials for this project, to which I am etemally grateful! Thanks to Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Peter Olawunmi Obawale for the prayer and encouragement. My thanks also go to Mr. Kabu Samuel Asante for his support ever since my arriva1 in Canada. Without ail your prayen and the cumulus of your good wishes. the success of this project would have not been achieved. Living and studying in North Americü wouid have been bonng ünd meaningless without dl the wonderful friends and acquaintances that 1 have gained over the yexs-they are not only friends, but brothers and sisters. Ms. Janet Ngo not only took pains to proofread the entire manuscripts for this project for common errors but was constructively critical of certain positions, and has always been morally supportive. Janet, you are a rare gem and a good friend indeed, thank you ! Michael Aregbesola, a.k.a. Aworawo (Ph.D. Candidate) and Tayo Alabi (Ph.D.) are not only supportive in terms of my king able to bounce ideas off them, but they are also my great inspirations in the "academy". Saburi Babalola, Victor Aruna, Symonds Botchey, Sherifat Fasasi, Hakeem Fasasi and Mr. Femi Solaja are friends that 1 have known over the yem. Thanks for still being my friends. This research has been made possible through the collaboration of the Yoruba men and women who agreed to be intewiewed for the project. Not only did they give me their vaiuable time, they also prayed for me and wished me well. Words are not enough to express my appreciation for your help. 1doff my hat and Say "thanks so much"; 1 hope 1 have done some of what you had asked me to do. Particularly, 1 would like to specially thank the foliowing membea of the Yoruba cornmunity in Toronto: Mn. Ester Opadiran (erstwhile President of the Yoruba Community Association) for helping me "gain entry" into the community; Mr. Biyi Opdeye (current President of the Yoruba Community Association) who volunteered information to me about the cornrnunity; Mr. Segun Adebajo who took me as a brother and selflessly assisted in introducing me to people in the cornrnunity; Mrs. Margaret Adenike Olarinmoye (mama Seye) did not take the iiiütters çoncrrning the reseuch with ievity, and has also acted like a sister to me ever since; and last but not the Ieast, Dr. Adebusola Onayemi for his encouragement and interest in a project of this nature. It is the Ogberis who solely rely on their extra-sensory perceptions alone. I am not one of them. because 1 believe that those "in the great beyond, rny ancestors. have always been with me. without them, the project would have been a fiasc+thanks to Pa Oso Baranje-Adedipe (of Ejigbo family in Ado-Ekiti) and Madam Oja Adetunbi Baranje- Adedipe; Pa Peter Fadahunsi Alonge (of Omu family in Ise-Ekiti); and Madam Julianah Ajayi Alonge. My ancestors gave me the metd capability and physical dextenty to carry on with my day-to-day activities. Please, continue to watch over me! 1 cannot mention al1 the names of those who have helped owing to lack of space, but 1 humbly express my appreciation to them dl. wherever they are. Dedication This thesis is dedicated to dl the children of comon Nigerians, who are bom innocent victirns, their souk upon generation. sacrificed by the greedy, reckless and larcenous postcolonial Nigerian niling elites. Table