Gst 122: NIGERIAN PEOPLES AND CULTURE - CHAPTER ONE

GST 122: Course Outline

CHAPTERS:

1.       Nigerian History in Pre-Colonial Times – Southern Nigeria
2.       Nigerian History in Pre-Colonial Times – Northern Nigeria
3.       The Dynamics of the Evolution of Nigeria as a Political Unit
4.       History of Western Education in Nigeria
5.       Culture Areas of Nigeria
6.       National Economy: Balance of Trade and Economic Self-Reliance
7.       Education and National Development in Nigeria: A Historical Perspective
8.       Social Justice, Individual and National Development
9.       Moral and Political Rights of Citizens
10.   Religion in National Development
11.   Environmental Sanitation and National Development  

12.  Past Questions

 

INTRODUCTION

NIGERIAN HISTORY IN PRE-COLONIAL TIMES – FOCUS ON: SOUTHERN NIGERIA

In this chapter, I will love to intimate you with the ‘people’ and ‘history’ of Southern Nigeria. This pre-colonial period witnessed major epochal developments in the history of the people. It was during this period that major empires such as OYO, BENIN and IGBO States arose in the area.

The essence of this study is to expose and discredit something known as the ‘Hamitic Hypothesis’ – the theory that every notable thing that took place in Africa, south of the Sahara, was brought about by a group of individuals known as – the hermits. The hermits are a branch of the Caucasian [white] race and this theory spoken of was propounded by a certain – C. G. Seligman.

This racist view was borne out of unbelief. The hermits did not believe that Africa could invent massive and spectacular developments as demonstrated in civilizations and structures such as:

·   The pyramids of Egypt

·   Nubia

·   Kush

·   Napata

·   Meroes

·   Axum

·   The Great Wall of Zimbabwe

·   NOK

·   Ife

·   Benin and

·   Igbo Ukwu

 

All of the above and more were built and developed by the Africans. The hermits did not believe that Africans could have invented something as beautiful as ‘agriculture’ without any form of external help. The invention of the use of iron without help from the Europeans also was a major problem. These Europeans did not accept that the great empires and the complex systems of government they met in the continent were autonomously evolved by the Africans. The hermits alleged that their ancestors [early Europeans] who visited the African Continent in time past must have initiated these developments.

Some evidence in support of the independence and ingenuity of the people of Africa include:

·   Researches by African Scholars

·   Researches by some impartial/objective European historians etc.

·   Written records

·   Archaeology

·   Cultural history or ethnology

·   Historical linguistics

·   Physical anthropology and Oral tradition

 

Fun Question: Which continent of the world is known as ‘the center of civilization’ or ‘a form of garden of Eden’? and why?

 

Researchers like Walter Rodney (1972) in his book titled ‘how Europe underdeveloped Africa’ were able to prove that when the Europeans arrived Africa, both continents were developmentally equal. We also have Arab scholars, geographers and historians who did detailed study into the history of early peoples of West Africa from 8^th century to fifteenth century so as to provide some insight. They include:

·   Leo Africanus

·   Al-Bakri

·   Magrizi

·   Ibn Khaldun

·   Al-Umari

Some Europeans that wrote about Nigeria include:

·   Pachero

·   Pereira

·   Ruy de Pina

·   De Barros

·   Hubbard

·   Dappa

·   Nyendeal

 

All of these writers wrote about Benin in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries respectively.

 

Some of the explorers who wrote about Nigeria include:

·   Richard and John Lander [the Lander brothers]

·   Clapperton

·   Henry Bath

·   Mary Kingsley

·   Richard Deham

·   Frederick Horneman [it was he who erroneously stated that the Niger flows into the Nile]

Other sources of Nigerian history include works written by some Nigerians who had acquired knowledge of the English Language. Such writers include:

·   Samuel Johnson

·   Olaudah Equiano

·   Jacob Egharevba

 

The works by these persons helped to expose the lies contained in the writings of the Europeans.

 

MAJOR CULTURES IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF NIGERIA

The IFE Culture: What you must know?

·   Ife is one of the main cultural centers in Southern Nigeria

·   The Ife culture was influenced by the NOK

·   The Ife Culture subsequently influenced the Benin and Igbo Ukwu cultures respectively

·   This civilization dates back to the 6^thcentury B.C. and 100 A.D.

·   The main features of this civilization was ‘iron working’ and ‘craft specialization’.

·   The Ife Art include: terra cotta and brass, wood carving and potshed pavement, bronze mouldings showing human heads as well as those of animals.

·   The Ife brass heads are made up of copper and zinc and the terra cotta heads have vertical facial marks.

·   The Ife Culture and Civilization were disclosed in the works of archaeologists such as: Leo Frobenius, Oliver Myers and Frank Willet.

 

The Benin Culture: What you must know?

·   It derived the knowledge of brass-casting from Ife.

·   Benin art work eventually became more popular than Ife art

·   The Benin Kingdom was the first in Nigeria to have contact with Europeans

·   The Binis [people from Benin Kingdom] were highly skilled in craft-work.

·   The main art work of the Binis include: bronze and brass heads and figures, stools and vessels.

·   It also was involved in potshed pavement just like Ife.

 

CLICK ME TO READ ABOUT THE BENIN KINGDOM NOW

The Igbo-Ukwu: What you must know?

·   Igbo-Ukwuwas a town about 40km south-west of Onitsha in Anambra State.

·   The main attribute of this culture include: Bronze, pottery decorated in high ornamental style, vessels, beads and objects made of copper such as wristlets, bells, bracelets and earrings.

·   This culture also had models of some animals like snake, ram head and chameleon.

·   The professor who carried out extensive archaeological study of Igbo-Ukwu was Prof. Thurstan Shaw.

·   Radio-carbon dates from Igbo-Ukwu show that the culture blossomed from 1100 B.C. to 850 A.D.

 

Practice Questions:

1.       Who introduced the ‘Trans-Atlantic Slave trade’?

2.       How long did the ‘Trans-Atlantic Slave trade’ last?

3.       Who mistook the ‘Saan’ and the ‘Khoi-Khoi’as the same people?

4.       Who erroneously stated that River Niger flows into The Nile?

5.       ________ is a piece of news arising in situation of tension or unrest, when the usual channels of communication are no longer functioning?

 

THE HISTORY OF MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Outline:

• The Yoruba 
• The Benin (CLICK ME) 
• The Igbo 
• The Itsekiri 
• The Urhobo and 
• The Ijaw

THE YORUBA: 

Main Points

1. The history of the Yoruba people is still subject to controversy and their origin is traced to the "East" because of the similarities between the culture of the Yoruba nation and that of the Egyptians in areas su as: religion, arts, funeral rites and other traditional practices. 
2. It is believed that the Yoruba people probably migrated from Egypt to their present location at about 2000-1000 B.C. This version of their history was put forward by a man named Rev. Samuel Johnson in his work titled 'Hstory of the Yoruba' (1950). 
3. In the journey of the Yoruba people several colonies where established one of which is Gogobir (Gobir) still existing till date in Northern Nigeria. 
4. The party of Yoruba sojourners that eventually arrived Ile-Ife was the one led by Oduduwa who later sent his sons and grandsons to establish other Yoruba kingdoms. 
5. Another account of the history of the Yoruba People has it that Ile-Ife was the center in which the world was created. At a time, the world was covered with water the Almighty God decided to send some of his messengers to the world and these messengers include: Obatala or Orisa Nla or Orisa Alase [which was the leader] alongside sixteen Oye [which stands for 'immortals']. 
6. They were given the following items: five [5] pieces of iron, a lump of earth tied to a white piece of cloth and a cockerel. 
7. Along the line, Obatala supposedly got himself drunk with palm wine and Oduduwa seized the symbol of authority from him and then led the people to the world. 
8. The site where they landed is known as Oke Oramfe in Ife. 

THE OYO EMPIRE

• This Empire emerged in the middle of the fifteenth century. 
• Oyo was founded by Oranmiyan, the son of Oduduwa. 
• By the 16th century, Oyo became a very powerful empire and expanded as far as Dahomey. 
• This empire had a head known as 'the lord of many lands' or as he was traditionally called, Alaafin. 
• Oranmiyan was one of the rulers this empire had and he was described as brave, warlike and possessing indomitable courage. 
• The fourth king of the empire was Sango and he was famed for his very wild disposition, fiery temper and skilled in sleight of hand tricks. He was equally able to emit/release fire and smoke out of his mouth and he was greatly feared. 
• Orompoto, another king of the empire, was a skilled commander in war. He helped restore the lost military fame of the empire and also he was a successful statesman. 
• Dahomey was brought under the authority of the Oyo empire during the reign of a powerful king known as Ojigi. 
• The major source of revenue in the empire was from agriculture and trade in agricultural and craft products. 
• The kolanut popularly called 'hausa kola' is actually produced in Yoruba land. 
• The head of the army in the empire was called Are-Ona-Kankanfo. He was expected to live outskirts of the city and the army was divided into the infantry and the calvary. This helped to bring neighbouring cities under the control of the Oyo empire. 
• The Alaafin is regarded as the 'fountain of authority' and 'companion of the gods'. 
• The powers of the Alaafin are checkmated by the 'council of the Oyomesi'. This council is made up of seven [7] members and the leader being known by the name Bashorun who functioned in the capacity of a 'prime minister'. They were regarded as the king makers. This council has the sole authority to select a new Alaafin or remove any if they manifest tyrannical tendencies. 
• Another powerful arm of Government in the Oyo empire was a powerful cult known as the Ogboni. It was made up of free and prominent members of the society, including members of the Oyomesi. This cult plays a mediatory role in conflicts involving the Oyomesi and the Alaafin. The decisions taken by the Oyomesi were subject to the scrutiny and endorsement of the Ogboni cult.
• The empire also had provincial governors otherwise known as 'Bales'. 
• The provincial governors renew their allegiance to the central government via an annual festival known as 'Bere'. During this festival, the 'Bales' send tributes and other gifts to the Alaafin as a sign of loyalty. 
• The 16th and 17th centuries were the peak of expansion in the Oyo empire as it spread as far as Popo and Dahomey but by the 18th century the empire began to fall. One of the key factors that accounted for this fall was the vastness of the empire and the autonomy granted to the provinces, which they exploited to gain their independence at the slightest display of weakness in the central government. 
• History equally has it that a certain Bashorun known as Gaha usurped the throne by causing the death of four Alaafins in quick succession. Meanwhile, Gaha and his family were eventually wiped out by a certain Alaafin known as Alaafin Abiodun.
• A group of people known as the Egbas were free from Oyo's control and influence by a man named Lasisi. Geze, king of Dahomey also capitalized on this weakness that plagued the Oyo empire to stop the payment of tributes to Oyo. 
• Lastly, in the 19th century, the Oyo empire was attacked and sacked by 'muslim jihadists' operating from Ilorin.