Psychological Implications of the Use of Indigenous Knowledge in Aiding Agricultural Production among the Yorùbá of South Western Nigeria by Oláléye Samuel Káyòdé, Ph.D. [email protected] Department of Religious Studies, University of Ìbàdàn̩ , Ìbàdàn̩ , Oyo State, Nigeria Abstract This paper is based on the interview of ten herbalists, ten Babaláwo and twenty farmers and thus asks can one conclude that the love of money, material gain, poverty or yet to be identified via indigenous knowledge enhance farm produce for a better yield; what are some of the factors responsible for this act; what are the psychological implications on the farmer, his/her family and safety on the path of the consumers of such produce; and what is the position of Ifá towards the use of this indigenous intelligence in food production? Hence, it was revealed that there is no place where Ifá recommended the use of magic to enhance crop production, and to a large extent, the love of money, greed and material gain contribute a lot to the reason people indulge in such an act. The paper concludes that the outcome or end product of many of these methods is that it is not advisable to indulge in such an act of planting crops with magic. Keywords: Psychology, Religion, Indigenous knowledge, Yorùbá and Farm produce Introduction To a large extent, since science and technology came into existence, they have contributed immensely toward agriculture and crop production in the world. They have made tremendous efforts to improve the life of humanity and have provided food to cater for the large number of the people living in the world through concerted efforts and research work in different directions. Today, there are high breed crops and livestock to further boost food production. 72 Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol.12, no.7, December 2018 They are done not only for the love of humanity but also for economic gains by the nations, groups, companies and individuals involved in the production of these crops. In the same way, African people, particularly the Yorùbá, have had their own ways of boosting their economic power through crop productions in agricultural setting even before the advent of white people on the soil of the Black nations. One of such means is the indigenous knowledge through the use of magic and medicine otherwise known as indigenous intelligence. They are called different names by different localities. In some parts of the Yorù báland, it is known as akó , è dạ ̀ , oko sı̣́sạ ́ and asanko. It is known and called ká dò ko in Yorùbá speaking areas of Kogi State where this research work extended to. Despite the fact that the knowledge usually involves the spiritual and rituals which normally have negative implications on the farmers that used the system and the fact that there are other scientific means like fertilizer of different categories of crops and soil that can be applied in this modern time, some farmers still continue in the old tradition. To know the reason why the act is still on, ten herbalists, ten Babaláwo and twenty farmers were interviewed. Their responses were content analyzed. The paper is divided into six major sections. The first section traces the origin of agriculture as a profession in Yorù báland from picker of fruits to a more settled life. The second section looked at the disposition of Ifá toward the use of indigenous knowledge to aid the production of food for people. Application and the use of the knowledge to produce crops occupied section three. Here, some crops were selected and discussed extensively in the areas of two crops that are available in the country which is the food and cash crops. The positive and negative implications of these crops planted through this knowledge was also discussed in the next segment followed by the psychological implications that await the users and the consumers; at the same time, there is a discussion of the implications for the person his/her spirits were used in for the cases of the ones involving human parts or spirits. The concluding part discussed the findings, which included greed, poverty, social status, peer influence, and material gain, and the opinion of the writer on the issue. Origin of Agriculture as a Profession in Yorùbá land The Yorùbá, like other nations around the world in creation at the beginning, relied on nations, fruits and animals for their survival when life started (Adeoye, 1979). In their creation myths, nothing much was said about agriculture besides the fact that Ò gú n was limiting games which was his profession. Humankind was moving from place to place in search of food. Therefore, there was no real settlement then. It was when the knowledge of agriculture started that humankind began to settle at places that brought about formation of communal life on earth today. Ifá in Odù Ò bà rà Mé jı̀ (Abimbola, 1968) explained that Ò bọ ́lẹ ̀bọ ́ọ ̀rọ ̀gùn, one of the numerous sons of Ò rúnmı̀la, started agriculture at Otù u’fè ,̣ a place where the Yorùbá believed the world started. In the Odù , Ifá says: 73 Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol.12, no.7, December 2018 Apá nlá nigi à jé ̣ Afzelia bella is the tree of the witches Osẹ ̀ abigi rerẹ ẹ rẹ ,̣ Baobab tree spreads widely A dı́fá fú n Ò ̣rú nmı̀là Casts divination for Orunmila Ifá nlo ̣ lè é gbé Ò ̣rò ̣ Ifa was going marry Oro Tı́ı́ sẹ omọ ̣ Oló wu nı́yà wó The daughter of Olowu Wó ṇ nı́ ó sá ká ki molẹ ̀ ̣ He was asked to greet the gods Ó jà re ebọ ̣ ni ó sẹ He should please offer sacrifice Ó nı́ apá borụ ́ é e kú He said he who offer sacrifice in part would not die Ló bá rú ı̀dá jı̀ odidi eraṇ He then offered half of a goat Tı́ wó ṇ nı́ ó fi rú bo ̣ Prescribed for the sacrifice Ni Ò ̣rú nmı̀là bá mú ra Then Orunmila prepared Ó gbé Ò ̣rò ,̣ omọ ̣ Oló wu, nı́yà wó He went ahead to married Oro the daughter of Olowu Nı́jó ̣ tı́ à woṇ egbẹ ́ ̣ı̀yà wó ó tú ká , On the day Oro friends left her place, Tı́ ó ye ̣kı́ Ò ̣rú nmı̀là ó sù nti obı̀nrin rè ̣ That Orunmila supposed to sleep with his wife Ni wó ṇ rá nsẹ ́ ̣wá lá ti ò de Ò ̣yá n A message came from Oyan town Wó ṇ nı́ Ò de Ò ̣yá n ti dà rú tá n pá tá pá tá bá yı́ That Oyan town is in disorder Kı́ Ò ̣rú nmı̀là ó má a sá re bò ̣ o. That Orunmila should come quickly Ni Ò ̣rú nmı̀là bá mú ra. Orunmila then prepared Ó korı̣ ́ só de Ò ̣yá n He went ahead to Oyan town Ó sı̀ mú Ò ̣rò ,̣ obı̀nrin rè ̣ló wọ ́ ̣ lo ̣ He took Oro his wife along with him Lá lé ̣ojọ ́ ̣ tı́ wó ṇ d’ó de Ò ̣yá n On the night of their arrival at Oyan town, Ò ̣rú nmı̀là sù n ti obı̀nrin rè ̣ Orunmila slept with his wife Obı̀nrin ná à sı̀ ló yú n The woman became pregnant. Kı́ ó tó di wı́pé wó ṇ kú rò ló dè Ò ̣yá n Before they left the town, Obı̀nrin Ò ̣rú nmı̀là ti bı́mo ̣ The wife of Orunmila gave birth Wó ṇ nı́ orú ko ̣ wo ni à woṇ ó so ̣ omọ ̣ ná à He was asked, what name would they call the child? Ò ̣rú nmı̀là nı́ kı́ woṇ ó sò ọ ́ ̣ nı́ Amú kanló deò yá n. Orunmila said the child should be called Amukanlodeoya Lá ı̀pé ,̣ wó ṇ kú rò ló de Ò ̣yá n Not quite long they left Oyan town Ìgbà tı́ Ò ̣rò ̣ wo omọ ̣ ná à wó n,̣ When Oro wean the child Njé ̣kı́ Ò ̣rú nmı̀là ó tú n sù n tò ọ ́ ̣ Orunmila was making attempt to sleep with her again, Ni wó ṇ bá tú n rá nsẹ ́ ̣pe Ò ̣rú nmı̀là pé ló de Ò nkò A message came from Onko city Ibè ̣ni Ọrò ̣ tú n bı́ omọ ̣ rè ̣ké jı̀ sı́ It was there that Oro gave birth to the second child 74 Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol.12, no.7, December 2018 Wó ṇ nı́ orú ko ̣ wo ni à woṇ ó so ̣ omọ ̣ ná à , They asked what name shall the child be called? Ò ̣rú nmı̀là nı́ kı́ woṇ ó sò ọ ́ ̣ nı́ Amó sù nló nkò è gi.̣ Orunmila said they should name him Amosunlonkoegi Ìgbà tı́ Ọrò ̣ wo omọ ̣ ná à tá n, When Oro wean the child again, Ni wó ṇ bá tú n rá nsẹ ́ ̣pe Ò ̣rú nmı̀là ló tù u’fè ̣ Orunmila was sent for at Otuu’fe Ìgbà tı́ wó ṇ dé otú ù ’fè ̣tá n, When they got to Otuu’fe, Ò ̣rò ̣ tú n ló yú n Oro became pregnant again Ó sı̀ tú n bı́mo ̣ She gave birth Wó ṇ nı́ orú ko ̣ wo ni à woṇ ó so ̣ omọ ̣ ná à They asked what name the child be called, Ò ̣rú nmı̀là nı́ kı́ woṇ ó sò ọ ́ ̣ nı́ Ò ̣bó lẹ ̀ bọ ́ ọ ̀gụ ̀ n Orunmila said the child should be named Oboleboogun Ò un ló sẹ ́ ̣ı̀ran à gbè ̣sı́lè …̣ He was the one that started farming… This is an indication that there was nothing like farming before he started it despite the fact that there had been settlement of people at that time.