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The African Clergy and Historical Reconstruction: The Very Reverend J.B. Olafimihan's Iwe Itan Ofa1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2014

Adeyinka O. Banwo
Adeyinka O. Banwo*
Affiliation:
University of Ilorin, banwo/[email protected]
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Extract

One of the foremost achievements of missionary enterprise in the African region was the training of individuals, particularly clergymen, who came to play pioneering roles in the documentation of the history of their peoples. One of the reasons usually advanced by such chroniclers for taking part in this tedious attempts at historical reconstruction, is basically, to safeguard the history of their people and most especially, the need to prevent their history from being distorted, forgotten or sent into some oblivion. Examples of clergymen or missionary influenced personalities who have performed such tasks in Nigeria include Reverend Samuel Johnson, on the history of the Yoruba, J.D. Egharevba on the history of Benin, and Reverend Samuel Ojo, on the history of Ilorin and Shaki.

These chronicles have their limitations. The writers often serve as public image launderers for the people they write about. As a result, a lot of bias and subjectivism is embellished in what they attempt to project. Historical facts are distorted in this process. The lack of the chroniclers' basic methods of historical research is also evident in their narrative method of historical writing. This approach does not provide any opportunity for proper historical analysis. In spite of the limitations of these chronicles, they have served as very useful sources of primary information for contemporary historians. More importantly, their writings have been able to create a sense of identity and cultural awareness among their intended audience. In other words they have sometimes proved more relevant and acceptable to the intended audience even more than the works of contemporary historians.2 It is with this hindsight that we examine Iwe Itan Ofa by The Very Reverend J.B. Olafimihan.

Type
Research Article
Information
History in Africa , Volume 28 , 2001 , pp. 1 - 13
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2001

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Footnotes

1

“Iwe Itan Ofa” literally means “a text on the history of Ofa.”

References

2 Falola, Toyin; “Alternative History: The world of Yoruba Chroniclers,” seminar paper, Northwestern University, 16 April 1993.Google Scholar

3 For details of his life history see program of the funeral service of the late Rt. Reverend J.B. Olafimihan, October, 1992. Also see Adebiyi, F.R., “A Study of Pre-Colonial Ofa, a Translation and Analysis of a Part of J.B. Olafimihan's Iwe Itan Ofa (The History of Ofa)” (B. A. History, University of Ilorin, 1985), 15–22Google Scholar; Ogundele, A.O. “The Life and Work of Late Reverend (Chief) J.B. Olafimihan, 1909-1992” (B. A. History, University of Ilorin, 1994).Google Scholar

4 For further details see, Olafimihan, J.B.Iwe Itan Ofa (Ofa: Offa Descendants Union, 1949, [first edition=IIO/1), 1–2Google Scholar; Adebiyi, “Study.”

5 Johnson, Samuel, The History of the Yorubas (Lagos, 1921), 565Google Scholar, and Olafimihan, IIO, 2.

6 For details on this see documents on “Ilorin-Kabba-West merger” in the National Archives, Kaduna (NAK).

7 Olafimihan, , Iwe Iten Ofa, (second edition=IIO/2), 132.Google Scholar

8 Olafimihan, IIO/1. 57-89, 110.

9 Ibid., 57-71.

10 Ibid., 16-17, 85-86.

11 Discussion with a local historian Baba Share at Ofa, 12 October 1992.

12 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 63-64.

13 Ibid., 81.

14 Ibid., 3-4, 57.

15 NAK, Ilorin provincial file referred to as (NAKILORPROF) 5/4 A.M. 3737, specimen of the organization of Ilorin town taken from the colonial file by A.L. Milroy.

16 NNAK ILORPROF 5/4 A.M. 3737.

17 Ibid.

18 Ibid.

19 See, among others, Johnson, History; Falola, Toyin, The Political Economy of a Precolonial African State: Ibadan, 1830-1900 (Ile-Ife, 1984)Google Scholar; Hermon-Hodge, H.B., The Gazetteer of Ilorin Province (London: 1929).Google Scholar

20 Olafimiha, IIO/1, 85.

21 Johnson, , History, 76Google Scholar; Olafimihan, IIO/1, 2.

22 Johnson, , History, 520.Google Scholar

23 Olafimihan was probably influenced by the politics of the period. During the 1940s, when the book was published, the struggles against the Native Administrative system headed by the Emir of Ilorin intensified. It was a period when various communities, led by Ofa. tried to regain their autonomy from Ilorin hegemony. Therefore, Olafimihan's acceptance of Ilorin's overlordship in a written historical document in the period might have been seen politically as a misadventure.

24 For a study on Ilorin Talaka parapo see Bello, A. F.; “Politics of Protest: A Study of Ilorin Talaka Parapo (I.T.P.), 1954-1966” (M.A., University of Ilorin, 1986).Google Scholar

25 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 16.

26 Discussion with Baba Share, local historian 20 July 1989.

27 Hermon-Hodge, , Gazetteer, 27.Google Scholar

28 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 16-17.

29 Johnson, , History, 202.Google Scholar

30 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 17-19.

31 Discussions, with Alhaji I. Jawondo, 17 February 1989, and Alfa Isale Asa, Alhaji Salawu 20 february 1989.

32 Discussion with Baba Share, 21 December 1988.

33 For details see Hermon-Hodge, Gazetteer; Banwo, A.O., “Developments in the Political Economy of Ilorin in the 19th Century” (M.A, Obafemi Awolowo University, 1990).Google Scholar

34 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 19-20.

35 Johnson, , History, 222.Google Scholar

36 Hermon-Hodge, , Gazetteer, 97.Google Scholar

37 Johnson, , History, 434.Google Scholar

38 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 28-29.

39 Ibid., 29-30.

40 Ibid., 28.

41 Johnson, , History, 566.Google Scholar

42 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 40-41.

43 Discussions with Baba Share, Alfa Salawu, and Alhaji Javvondo.

44 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 2.

45 Johnson, , History, 191–96Google Scholar; Bekr, Ahmed Ibn Abi, Talifi akbar alqurun minumarabiled Ilorin, p. 3.Google Scholar

46 Johnson, , History, 191.Google Scholar

47 Ibid., 147-48; J.B. Olafimihan. IIO/1, 95-96, Akinjogbin, A.I., “Yorubaland Before Oduduwa,” Ife Journal of History. 1/1, 1–12.Google Scholar

48 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 95-96.

49 Akinjogbin, “Yorubaland Before Oduduwa.”

50 Olafimihan, IIO/1, 99.

51 Danmole, H.O., “A Frontier Emirate: A History of Islam in Ilorin” (PhD., University of Birmingham, 1980).Google Scholar