Oral Historical Traditions and Political Integration in Ijebu

Abstract

The Ijebu are a subgroup of the Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria. In precolonial times they established a single kingdom under the Awujale (the titular head) whose seat of government was the town of Ijebu-Ode. Structurally, the kingdom was composed of geographical divisions, each of which was identified by a name. Some of them were characterized by close socioeconomic and political ties effected through the joint control of a political association, the Pampa society, which coordinated commercial, communal, and military activities in the area. Three such divisions form the focus of this paper: Ijebu-Igbo, Imusin, and Ago-Iwoye.The British colonial administration engendered a process of political integration in these three areas as they were each brought under a single ruler; the purpose of this paper is to highlight how Ijebu oral historical traditions were employed to give support to this integrative process., but first, an identification of the areas concerned.The Ijebu-Igbo area is composed principally of five distinct settlements or towns: Okesopin, Ojowo, Atikori, Oke-Agbo, and Japara. Okesopin is accorded primacy as the oldest of the settlements. The term Ijebu-Igbo (forest) is an allusion to the forested nature of this area of Ijebu.The Imusin area, made up of about fifty very small settlements, is subdivided into two geographical groups: the northern group, called Ikatun, and the southern group or Ikasi. The term Imusin means the area of the akee apple (Imu: place or area; Isin: akee apple).

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“…Ijebu‐Igbo is a rural town in Ijebu‐North Local Government Area of Ogun State in Nigeria. The pilot study took place across five settlements/communities (Oke‐sopin, Ojowo, Ati‐kori, Oke‐Agbo, and Japara) in Ijebu‐Igbo town in Ogun State 28,29 . From each of the settlements/communities, a community stakeholder was selected and interviewed.…”

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“…He tried to seize control of the regency council while he was there, sowing the seeds of discontent among the public and laying the groundwork for his safe return to Epe. He died at Epe in 1885 because of his assassination, which some of his followers' thought was orchestrated by the regency council (Oduwobi, 1995). Yoruba culture extended the usage of the title "Oba" to other high-ranking subordinate rulers in addition to the kingdom's monarch.…”

“…The Ijebu Ode Division was renamed as the Ijebu Province in 1921 when it was promoted to the status of province. According to Oduwobi (1995), British political and administrative leaders, including the Resident, District Officer, and Assistant District Officer, worked along with the local government, which was led by the Awujale in their role as Native Authority.…”

“…Oyebajo became king in his early twenties in the year 1891 (Epega, 1934;Ellis & Johnson, 1974). The Akarigbo stool was formally acknowledged by the British after Ademuyiwa Haastrup's efforts, which occurred after the British gained control of Ijebu in May 1892 (Oduwobi 1995). Although the Awujale's influence was momentarily reduced, the Lagos government supported the Akarigbo stool's ascent to the position of supreme authority over Ijebu-Remo.…”

“…In August 1894, the British reached an agreement with Akarigbo Oyebajo that acknowledged the Akarigbo as the highest power and established protectorate rule over Ijebu-Remo. According to Oduwobi (1995), Ikorodu and its surroundings were given up to the British Crown by another treaty in the Ijebu-Remo area. In February 1902, the Central Native Council granted admission to the Akarigbo.…”