Traditional Institutions In Omu-aran During The Colonial Era

Traditional Institutions In Omu-aran During The Colonial Era

Chapter One

Preface

Omu- Aran is the most vibrant and largest city in igbominaland of kwara state. The city was firstly called “ Omu ” but was latterly changed to Omu- Aran about 1400 when the people moved eventually to the present point.1

The name “ Omu ” was deduced from Omutoto, the woman whose children established the first agreement at Odo- Omu between the 13th and 14th century.2

Indeed, it was largely in recognition of Omu- Aran’s major significance in igbominaland that the city was chosen as the headquarters of the former igbomina- Ekiti original government authority in 1968.

It also came the headquarters of Irepodun original government area when the former Igbomina- Ekiti original government was resolve into two on the 24th of august1976.3

The people speak Igbomina shoptalk or Yoruba language and their customs are in numerous ways analogous to those of the other Yorubas.

Their occupation was largely told by the foliage of the area. therefore, they’re generally growers, producing similar crops as yam, sludge, guinea sludge, cassava, sap and vegetable for consumption. While kola nut, win products, cocoa and coffee in veritably small amounts are profitable crops.4

Omu- Aran is notorious in handcraft similar as handbasket timber, blacksmithing, figure, dyeing, cloth weaving, wood figure and crockery.5

Points And Objects

The end of this exploration work is to bandy traditional institutions in Omu- Aran during the social period.

Objectively, it seeks to examine the impact of social rule on the traditional institutions in Omu- Aran.

The work intends to look at how traditional institutions were suitable to survive and co-occur with the irruption of the Europeans and the arrival of colonialism.

It explores the conditioning of traditional institutions previous to social rule and how British administration obtruded with these institutions. By this, making available to the public and the academic world, an logical exploration work on traditional institutions and their survival in the face of foreign domination.

Compass Of Study

The exploration work covers three ages i.e.pre-colonial, social and post independence. It seeks to make one understand the distinct places played by the colorful indigenous original administration in the area laying emphasis on their elaboration and hierarchical association and sphere of influence. It’s to be noted that Omu- Aran as a total has generated interest from chroniclers, scholars and others but there have been some wrong sundries and interpretations made as regard the original executive set- up of the area and this design seeks to correct similar deformations.

Significance Of Study

Omu- Aran was chosen because of her major significance in Igbominaland, much have been written about Omu- Aran city and Igbominaland in general but experimenters have paid little or no attention to the place of traditional institutions and their part in bringing about social and political development to their area.

Also there have been wrong sundries expressed about leadership among the people of Igbominaland and so I’ve decided to bell the cat and in doing this, I’ll take pains to duly conceptualize and delineate my work.

The substance is to know the traditional institutions that was, how they operated, and their relationship with the people and also to try and know the problems the encountered in dealing with external overlords.

That’s to say that what happed when the traditional way of actuality faced challenges from foreign irruption.

Exploration Problems And Methodology

A exploration work of this nature naturally depends on both oral and spoken sources so the two approaches were employed to enhance a believable and worthwhile bid in the form of this work.

In the course of this exploration, people of different origin and background were canvassed , those whose antecedents are from the area under review. Those who aren’t from the area but work there. Those who are substantiations or seed of substantiations, who could recite with pleasing perfection, the time of appearance of social masters and the effect that their coming had on these institutions.

On written documents, there are no sufficient accoutrements to lay hands on and so accoutrements used include library accoutrements either private or public library, papers, thesis as well as being systems.

Meanwhile, the major problem faced in the course of this exploration isnon-availability of accoutrements as not important had been written on the area.

Also, there was disinclination of the snitchers in giving out information and so they had to be blandished and in utmost cases interview had to be tallied.

Literature Review

colorful written workshop were consulted in the course of this exploration although there aren’t specific written workshop on traditional institutions in Omu- Aran during the social period but there were some books either written on the total of Omu- Aran, Yoruba land or Igbominaland.

On the early history and traditions of origin of Omu- Aran, AfolabiFatai’s book “ Igbominaland land in the environment of Yoruba history ” was consulted. Also consulted on the early history of Omu- Aran was “ the chronicle of Omu- Aran, Oduduwa age to 2002 ”.

On the traditions of origin of Omu- Aran, “ the history of the Yoruba ” byrev. Samuel Johnson; “ Gazetteer of Ilorin fiefdom ” byK.V. Elphinstone, Robert Smith’s, “ fiefdoms of the Yoruba ” were consulted.

On the conditioning of traditional institutions in Omu- Aran during thepre-colonial period, “ Omu- Aran- Ilorin relations ” by AfolayanJ.A, “ Yoruba warfare in the 19th century ” by Ajayi and Smith were consulted.

On the impact of social rule;N.A.K324/1917, Northern and southern parochial boundary, “ power and tactfulness in Northern Nigeria 1804- 1906 ” by Adeleye,R.A. were consulted.

still, as useful and important as the below workshop are, they still leave gaps that are readily filled by learned journals, public domestics and news papers like Atoka Igbomina e.t.c.

AfolabiFatai’s work “ Igbominaland in the environment of Yoruba history ” proved useful on the early history and traditions of origin of Omu- Aran. The work not only exfoliate light on the circumstances girding the founding of Omu- Aran but also talked about the agreement they originally stayed before moving to their present point.

“ The chronicle of Omu- Aran, Oduduwa age to 2002 ” also proved useful on the origin and development of Omu- Aran ahead and after social rule.

“ Yoruba warfare in the 19th century ” by Ajayi and Smith as well as Afolayan,J.A’s “ Omu- Aran- Ilorin relations ” were useful to this work as they proved inestimable on the political terrain in Yoruba land and Ilorin before the arrival of the social masters.

Chapterization

The work is distributed into four chapters;

Chapter one is substantially introductory. It contains mottoes similar as points and objects, compass of study, significance of studyetc.

Chapter two goes deeper into the history of the area; it includes the geographical description of Omu- Aran, traditions of origin, political set- up and executive association.

Chapter three deals with the elaboration and colorful functions of the traditional institutions. This will be anatomized underpre-colonial, social andpost-independence ages laying emphasis on their inter and intra relations within the environment of the study.

Chapter four discusses the impact of social rule on traditional institutions and the chapter concludes with a brief review of the points raised in the work.

Notes And References

1.N.A.K- ILORPROF train 223oA Letters between Government officers 1908- 1918,p. 3

2.O.D.A Memorandum on the grading of Oba Olomu 1978,p. 4

3. Afolabi,F. “ Igbominaland in the environment of Yoruba history ” 2006,p. 223

4. Afolayan,M.O. “ elaboration of Omu- Aran from the foremost time to 1930 ”B.A. history discussion, University of Ilorin, 1980,p. 2

5. Interview with principal Asanlu, Omu- Aran, December 19, 2010