Browsing by Author "ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus"

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    Challenges of Integration and De-coloniality in Africa: The Nigerian Experience
    (Langaa Research and Publishing CIG, Mankon, Bamenda, 2016) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus; ABOYEJI, Oyeniyi Solomon
    Nigeria, prior to its imperial mid-wifing, was a multi-national expanse of land with its plurality of states. In spite of the marriage of inconvenience and artificial imperial tinkering that coerced disparate ethnic nationalities together into a mega nation through the British administrative stance of miserliness, in the spirit of nationalism and optimism it was hoped that someday, they would either forget or understand their differences to the effect that they would accept themselves for what they really are and foster integration among the various heterogeneous groups. However, after a century of forced integration, following the 1914 amalgamation, and decades of experimented federalism, some have argued that Nigeria is still in the process of becoming or worse still, failing to become a nation. With all optimism, Nigeria is perhaps, at its best a tomorrow or futuristic nation. A century following stringent attempts at national integration, one great monster that has proved so impregnable to the problem of national integration in Nigeria is regionalism. What is more, Nigeria has become a terrorism-infested nation, having been enlisted by the U. S. A. as one of the 14 countries to be recognised as terrorist states world-wide. (Afinotan, 2010:302). Meanwhile, this same U.S. and its agencies, notably the CIA, and international banking organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, were set up and master-minded by the USA and its Western Allies to perpetrate all manners of malevolence against African and particularly Third World countries. This chapter, therefore, delves into the challenges of de-coloniality and integration in Africa with particular reference to Nigeria in the light of the organised crimes, such as terrorism. The study reveals that this could not be unconnected with the activities of organisations known collectively as the 'corporatocracy' which are behind the new global empire. It is, therefore, necessary to state that until the battle against neo-colonialism in Africa is fought and won, the attainment of a laudable integration and de-coloniality is, at best, a fool’s paradise. The chapter, which adopts the historical, narrative and analytical approach, and which relies extensively on personal observation, published works and the media, attempts the trans-disciplinary approach to modern historical studies.
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    Constitutional Experimentations and the Military Factor in the 19th Century Yoruba Power Politics
    (Department of of History and Strategic Studies, Dutsinma, Katsina State, 2019) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus; ABOYEJI, Oyeniyi Solomon
    The thrust of this paper bothers on the inherent constitutional experimentations and the military factor observable in the Yoruba power politics during the revolutionary 19th century. The paper adopts the historical research method, which employs the use of available primary and secondary sources of historical analysis. Findings in this study show that evidences abound on the emergence of new forms of political organisations throughout Yorubaland in the 19th century. Ijaiye under Kurunmi, Ibadan under Basorun Oniyole, Oyo under Alaafin Atiba, Ekiti (-parapo) under Prince Fabunmi and Ogedengbe, Egba, Abeokuta under Sodeke, Oke-Odan and Iwo under Balogun Ali, among others, provide us with clear examples of such experiments in political engineering. This was in the general spirit of the constitutional experimentations that pervaded the political space during the turbulent century. The paper concludes that although the 19th century was indeed an epoch of cataclysmic changes not only in the area around the Niger that came to be known as Nigeria but the West African sub-region in general. By and large, Yorubaland during the 19th century was particularly bedevilled by three distinct upheavals from three distinct quarters. The militarization of politics in the 19th century as against the politicization of the military in the 20th century speaks of the political dynamism within the same political space.
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    “Constitutional Experimentations and the Military Factor in the 19th Century Yoruba Power Politics”
    (Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State, 2019) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus; ABOYEJI, Oyeniyi Solomon
    This thrust of this paper bothers on the inherent constitutional experimentations and the military factor observable in the Yoruba power politics during the revolutionary 19th century. The paper adopts the historical research method, which employs the use of available primary and secondary sources of historical analysis. Findings in this study show that evidences abound on the emergence of new forms of political organisations throughout Yorubaland in the 19th century. Ijaye under Kurunmi, Ibadan under Basorun Oluyole, Oyo under Alaafin Atiba, Ekiti (-parapo) under Prince Fabunmi and Ogedengbe, Egba, Abeokuta under Sodeke, Oke-Odan and Iwo under Balogun Ali, among others, provide us with clear examples of such experiments in political engineering. This was in the general spirit of the constitutional experimentations that pervaded the political space during that turbulent century. The paper concludes that although the 19th century was indeed an epoch of cataclysmic changes not only in the area around the Niger that came to be known as Nigeria but the West African sub-region in general, by and large, Yorubaland during the 19th century was particularly bedevilled by three distinct upheavals from three distinct quarters. The militarisation of politics in the 19th century as against the politicisation of the military in the 20th century speaks of the political dynamism within the same political space.
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    “Constitutional Experimentations and the Military Factor in the 19th Century Yoruba Power Politics”
    (Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State, 2019) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus; ABOYEJI, Oyeniyi Solomon
    This thrust of this paper bothers on the inherent constitutional experimentations and the military factor observable in the Yoruba power politics during the revolutionary 19th century. The paper adopts the historical research method, which employs the use of available primary and secondary sources of historical analysis. Findings in this study show that evidences abound on the emergence of new forms of political organisations throughout Yorubaland in the 19th century. Ijaye under Kurunmi, Ibadan under Basorun Oluyole, Oyo under Alaafin Atiba, Ekiti (-parapo) under Prince Fabunmi and Ogedengbe, Egba, Abeokuta under Sodeke, Oke-Odan and Iwo under Balogun Ali, among others, provide us with clear examples of such experiments in political engineering. This was in the general spirit of the constitutional experimentations that pervaded the political space during that turbulent century. The paper concludes that although the 19th century was indeed an epoch of cataclysmic changes not only in the area around the Niger that came to be known as Nigeria but the West African sub-region in general, by and large, Yorubaland during the 19th century was particularly bedevilled by three distinct upheavals from three distinct quarters. The militarisation of politics in the 19th century as against the politicisation of the military in the 20th century speaks of the political dynamism within the same political space.
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    Diplomatic-cum-National Interest Question in the Ekiti-parapo Grand Alliance; 1877-1893
    (Published by the Departments of History and International Studies, University of Ilorin and Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin and North West University, South Africas, University of Ilorin and Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin and South West University, South Africa, 2016) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    This paper examines the question bothering on diplomacy and national interest in the Èkìtìparapò Grand alliance of 1877 to 1893. It is now well-known that issues of most wars were basically diplomatic/political and/or economic regarding questions of Balance of Power (BOP) and enlightened national interest. The alliances and counter-alliances within the Yorùbá nation who regarded themselves as distinct polities surely deserve some attention, especially vis-à-vis the apparent contradiction, since they saw themselves paradoxically as ‘states’ within a ‘nation’. Here, the forbidden marriage of the concepts of ‘statehood’ and ‘nationhood’ became legalised. This pulled the Yorùbá ‘states’ together in an unending chain of wars. This paper focuses on the 19th century alliance system in the Èkìtìparapò/Kírijì War (1877-1893) and the motives behind state involvement. If for Ibadan, it was a 'War of Containment', for Èkìtìparapò, it was a 'War of Independence'. And as U.S., considering the Cold War, had declared neutrality (or non-alignment) in world affairs immoral, it would have been an act of political suicide for any Yorùbá state to have refused to take sides in that Diplomatic ploy. The paper adopts the historic-structural, narrative and analytical approaches, with a combination of primary and secondary sources of data collection. This paper, therefore, postulates that the universal man is essentially a diplomatic being—a political animal. For the Yorùbá, this was demonstrated in a whole century of warfare; its climax being the historic Èkìtìparapò/Kírijì War. It, however, concludes that people often resorted to warfare when all forms of religious-cum-diplomatic means had failed. War is designated as a barbarity that had been waged for ages under strict rules of conduct, for home protection and national civilization; the ‘most decisive act of policy’ for any nation.1 It recommends that both the present and future generations must learn from the intricate game of diplomacy and enlightened national interest of the different Yorùbá states, which only made them an easy prey to the British imperial powers.
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    Foreign Influence on Igbomina, C. 1750-1900
    (Unpublished PhD Thesis, submitted to the Department of History and International Studies, University of Ilorin, 2015) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    This study examined about 150 years of the Igbomina history, from mid-18th century, when the unprecedented tranquillity hitherto enjoyed in Igbominaland from inception became interrupted by a series of military encounters with the Ijesa, Benin, Edo, Oyo (17th Century), Nupe, Ilorin, Ibadan (19th Century) and briefly the British (20th Century). The Igbomina entered the most harrowing epoch during the colonial era when she found herself under both local and foreign influence. Primarily, this study examined the nature, style and extent of foreign influence on pre-colonial Igbomina, while its specific objectives include: i) the central role of foreign influence on Igbomina, as it is today, in alignment with the underlying esoteric law of ‘Cause and Effect’; ii) factors responsible for the incessant military molestations of the Igbomina; iii) the short and long term consequences of such relations; and iv) a reconstruction of African History through a more comprehensive documentary historical research, thereby filling a gap in Igbomina history. Both primary and secondary sources of information (oral tradition, personal observation, archival documents, library materials, theses and dissertations) were employed to ensure objectivity, and reflect the multi-cum-inter-and trans-disciplinary approach to modern historical studies. Vis-à-vis the customary problem of authenticity and limitation of oral tradition, this study has straddled into other related fields such as archaeology, linguistics, science, geography, statistics, etc.; realising that traditional historical sources alone, now prove inadequate to provide acceptable answers to all that bugs the mind of man about his past. The findings of the study revealed that: i. Igbomina, as it is today, is a product of three significant factors: Geography, History and the Character of its people; ii. the economic urge was a most vital impulse responsible for the incessant assaults on the Igbomina by foreign powers; iii. the devastating consequences therefrom, even over a century later, yet remained indelible throughout Igbominaland. The enormous physical dislocation evident by 1900 left no single Igbomina settlement on its pre-18th century site; iv. Igbomina is, on its own, an entity. This study has thus contributed to the vast ocean of knowledge in the emerging sub-field of History dubbed as “Igbomina Studies”. The study concluded that although foreign influence on Igbomina might have been very devastating, however, for how long do we over-emphasise how foreign influence has undermined Igbomina; seeing that others have broken loose from same/similar experience? The recommendation of this work challenges the Igbomina to spew out the bitter pill and forge ahead boldly, like their legendary ancestors, to embrace a glorious future in the embryonic Igbomina State.
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    Igbomina and the Dilemma of Promoting Good Neighbourliness: A Historical Analysis.
    (Published by the Historical Society of Nigeria., 2016) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    The nexus of this paper bothers on Igbomina's dilemma of promoting good neighbourliness. It contends that both in the past and present, the Igbomina have constantly fallen casualty of and suffered the boomerang effect of their peaceful disposition. They have often received folks and foes they could have successfully repelled at outset. Findings reveal that Igbomina, today, is a product of three significant factors: geography, history and the character of her people. These made her susceptible to local (Nupe, Fulani/Ilorin, Ibadan) and British imperial onslaughts. This study extrapolates the interplay of history and the esoteric law of 'Cause and Effect'. The paper adopts the historical, narrative and analytical approach, with a combination of primary and secondary sources, media reports and researcher's general personal observations over the years. Concisely, this study elucidates Igbomina's traumatic experience vis-à-vis her many neighbours. It recommends among others, a symbiotic concerted commitment of all communities towards embracing the traditional ethics, and universal principles of good neighbourliness enunciated by the United Nations. It concludes that for the Igbomina, with the unabated Bororo-Fulani infiltration and menace, the past is in the present. This portends a serious danger-signal and the thrust of the present dilemma.
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    International Legal Implication of the Dikko Affair: A Revisit
    (Department of History and International Studies, University of Ilorin, 2014) AFOLABI, Abiodun S.; ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    A revisit of the strained diplomatic Anglo-Nigerian relations, dubbed as the "Dikko Affair", with the ripple effects therefrom, is not a misnomer, especially among members of the academia. This revisit becomes particularly apt and imperative with Dikko‟s choice as the Chairman of the PDP seven-member Disciplinary Committee exactly three decades after the abduction attempt. His choice as Chairman was considered anomalous by many, in view of the long standing stigma against his personality and integrity since 1983. Primarily, this paper re-visited the international legal implication of the 'Dikko Affair', and its implications for his appointment to chair a PDP Disciplinary Committee, referred to as the "Dikko Committee". The paper also reviewed the lessons that could be learnt by Nigerians about the past in the light of recent developments. The paper adopted secondary and internet sources, media reports, as well as the general personal observations of the writers within the Nigerian political terrain. This study revealed that the Anglo-Nigerian relation was strained consequent upon the attempted abduction of Dikko. The appointment of Dikko as Chairman, PDP Disciplinary Committee was considered by stakeholders as anomalous. The connection between the "Dikko Affair" and "Dikko Committee" presented a lesson for Nigerians as current developments will always be seen in the light of the past. The paper found that Dikko's inordinate desire to re-align with the major political power brokers in Nigeria and the Federal Government‟s gross mismanagement of emerging events in the government domain were fundamentally responsible for the destabilisation that arose consequent upon Dikko‟s re-emergence in the Nigerian political scene. The prevalent international legal implication of the Umaru Dikko saga, and the implications of his resurfacing on the Nigeria political surf form the crux of this exposé.
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    Interpreting the Ifè ‘Prima Facie’ with the (Òbà-) Ìgbómìnà Autochthonous Traditions
    (Arewa House—Centre for Historical Documentation and Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Kaduna, Nigeria., 2016-06) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    Demystifying the ‘prima facie’ of the Ifè legend with the antiquity of (Òbà-) Ìgbómìnà autochthonous traditions is the thrust of this paper. After all, it was once generally accepted that the earth was flat until it was refuted as spherical; and that popular 'prima facie', hence invalidated. In a similar comparative analysis, Egypt for long remained uncontended as the Cradle of Man’s Civilization. However, that age-long reference to Egypt as the Cradle of Civilization later became contended and/or paralleled by that of Mesopotamia. The bid to demystifying the apparently popularised ‘prima facie’ of Ife and possibly reconciling it with plausibility provides the drive for this study. The researcher has employed a multi-cum-inter and trans-disciplinary approach, which includes some autochthonous evolutionary mythologies in Ìgbómìnà, inferences from Biblical Accounts, reports of archaeological studies in (Ọ̀bà-) Ìgbómìnà, as well as historical hypotheses, to divert attention to Ìgbómìnàland as the likely actual Cradle of Mankind. The study, therefore, concludes that the real Cradle of Man may be traceable to Ọ̀bà-Ìgbómìnà. In the alternative, however, both the Ife and Ọ̀bà traditions may be reconciled in a way; that man evolved in both or more areas and dispersed to populate the earth therefrom; rather than Ile-Ife alone, as popularly acclaimed. At least three reasons may be advanced, here, for carrying out a research: generating new knowledge, confirming knowledge of what is already known; and updating knowledge. This study has been advanced with the three in view; but at least if only to cause a ripple in the titanic ocean of knowledge.
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    Issues of Promoting Good Neighbourliness in Igbominaland: A Historical Analysis
    (2015-10) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    The nexus of this paper bothers on some dilemmatic issues of promoting good neighbourliness, with particular reference to the Igbomina-Yoruba. It argues that both in the past and present, the Igbomina have constantly fallen casualty of their peaceful disposition and suffered the boomerang effect of their good neighbourliness; being victims of the very people they had showered hospitality and displayed magnanimity upon. They have often received folks and foes they could have successfully repelled, in the first instance. The paper adopts the historical, narrative and analytical approach, with a combination of primary and secondary sources of data collection, media reports as well as researcher's general personal observations over the years. The findings of the study point to the fact that Igbomina, today, is a product of three significant factors: geography, history and the character of her people. These made her susceptible to series of foreign attacks and impostors, from local (Nupe, Fulani/Ilorin, Ibadan) and British imperial onslaughts. This study is an extrapolation of the interplay of history and the esoteric law of 'Cause and Effect' on the Igbomina. How and why the hospitable Igbomina have often been subjected to such a harrowing and protracted ill-treatment by hostile neighbours and aliens they have been magnanimous to, undoubtedly deserve some attention. Concisely, this study elucidates the traumatic experience of the Igbomina vis-à-vis her many neighbours. It recommends among others, a symbiotic concerted commitment of all communities towards embracing the traditional ethics and universal principles of good neighbourliness as enunciated by the United Nations. It, therefore, concludes that for the Igbomina, with the unabated Bororo-Fulani infiltration and menace, the past is in the present. This portends a serious danger-signal and the thrust of the present dilemma.
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    Nupe Influence and Linguistic Variation in Igbominaland
    (Published by the Department of History and International Studies, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, 2017) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    This paper seeks to examine the influence of Nupe imperialism on the linguistic variation in Igbominaland. For a proper underpinning of the discourse, a brief aspect of the physical and human geography of the Igbomina and Nupe as well as the variation in the imperial experiences of the different Igbomina groups under different overlords are deemed necessary. The study adopts a historic-structural and systematic approach and made use of primary and secondary sources of literature relevant to the issues in contention. Findings, in this study, reveal aspects of Nupe linguistic influence on Igbomina, which includes, among others, language borrowings and dialectic variation. Extant researches create links between words such as Nupe's Soko and the Yoruba deity—Sàngo. Eégún (or Egungún) from gugu, Elu—elo; Ìgunnu, from gunu, as well as titles such as Shaba, Benu, Nakoju, Kpotun, Makun, Olupoun, and Lapene, the related form of Alapinni, are also among examples of linguistic borrowings from Nupe into the Igbomina and Yoruba lexicon. It considers the dialectic classification of Igbomina and also suggests probable factors responsible for the dialectic variation among the Igbomina, said to be progenies of a common progenitor. This includes a rather hypothetical explanation, which claims that the water man drinks affects his tongue. The paper concludes that in spite of being of the same linguistic stock, the Yoruba evidently have various dialectic variations of which the Igbomina can be distinguished. Yet even among the Igbomina may be distinguished the ‘Mo san’, 'Mo han' and ‘Mo ye’ sub-dialectic groupings who were balkanised along historical imperial divides by the Ilorin, Ibadan and Nupe respectively. The paper therefore recommends that, while the hypothetical conundrum posed in this paper might appear rather unscientific on a cursory outlook, it might, at least, provide a working hypothesis for interested researchers in that area.
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    Pax Nigeriana Project: Issues, Challenges and Projects
    (Degel Journal of Arts and Islamic Studies, 2017-06) Aghalino, S. O.; ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    Nigeria is generally perceived as a big brother in Africa. By virtue of this, there is a belief in Nigeria’s manifest destiny to play leadership role in the West African sub-region in particular and Africa in general. This leadership role is taken as given when seen from the perspective of Nigeria’s credentials. Based on content analysis of secondary sources, this paper examines, among other things, issues, challenges and prospects of Nigeria’s quest for leadership in Africa. Nigeria’s quest for Pax Nigeriana, is viewed against the backdrop of her comparative advantages and challenges. We conclude that in spite of the rivalry being propelled by South Africa and other potential African countries, the balance of evidence seems to suggest that the prospects of Pax Nigeriana may be realisable.
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    “Quest for Decoloniality and Challenges of Integration in the Kwara Project: The Igbomina Episode”
    (A Publication of the Faculty of Arts, Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State, 2018) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    The unabated quest for decoloniality and integration, the major crux of this paper, appears a foremost challenge to the stakeholders of the Kwara Project. Fears that the Kwara Project, 'an experiment in political engineering', may someday fizzle out, going by the nostalgia, nepotism and discrimination in Kwara today, particularly by the Igbomina, compares with South Africa's apartheid. Given the option, the Igbomina-Ekiti and Ibolo would gladly align with Osun/Ekiti; Baruten and Kaiama with Sokoto/Kebbi, and Nupe with Nduduma/Edu State, if/when created. A substantial infraction of Asa and Moro LGAs would also gladly join their kith and kilns in Oyo. It therefore becomes clear that only the advantaged seems interested in the Project sustenance, while the disadvantaged, with a strong reminiscence for their homeland, are keen to opt out. The paper, however, concludes that although Ilorin Emirate was established by warfare, conscious efforts to foster a formidable inter-ethnic bond by the forbears in the multi-ethnic cauldron that emerged therefrom has sustained it hitherto. Meanwhile, the highly sought West Merger can hardly provide the desired panacea to the political quagmire, since the merging group(s) eventually become(s) later entrants and a minority group all over again. It recommends, thus, that while Ilorin cannot hold suzerainty over all others in the Kwara Project ad-infinitum, a symbiotic relationship stemming out of the concerted commitment of all towards promoting sustainable integration in the cultural cauldron becomes the only apparent alternative. The paper adopts the historical-cum-narrative and analytical approach, with a combination of primary and secondary sources.
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    “Religion and the Economic Ethics of the Pre-colonial Igbomina, Eastern Yorubaland: A Lesson for the Present”
    (A Publication of the Faculty of Arts, Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State, 2019) ABOYEJI, Oyeniyi Solomon; ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    Economic activities and religious beliefs were, to a large extent intertwined. From ages, religion has been part of every society and the life of an average man revolves around his religion which dictates his code of conduct to cultural, socio-political and economic matters. Hence, since man inhabited the planet, it has been one long struggle for survival between him and nature. The reality of the basic needs of life-food, cloth and shelter indeed made him to inevitably see necessity as the mother of invention, as well as the need to set up some guiding principles in his day to day transactions in all his cultural institutions. This is the case of the Igbomina who had evolved from very primitive origins and has made a staggering leap to the present. This paper does not only examine the central place of religion or the influence of the Supreme Deity in determining success and failure of Man in all human endeavours but also surveys the correlation between religious doctrines and the practical ethics of the economic activities of the Igbomina. The paper adopts a historical and analytical approach with a combination of primary and secondary sources of data collection. The study concludes that in every aspect of an Igbomina, religion dominates and dictates his actions, reactions and inactions. Again, even though he/she is exposed to western education and culture vis-à-vis his economic and socio-political impetus, religion still often provides ethics, implying that traditional thought is still the source of his basic world view. On this note, the past lies like a nightmare upon the present (Karl Marx).
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    Religion and the Economic Ethics of the Pre-Colonial Igbomina, Eastern Yorubaland: A Lesson for the Present
    (Faculty of Arts, Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State, 2019) ABOYEJI, Oyeniyi Solomon; ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    Abstract Economic activities and religious beliefs were, to a large extent intertwined. From ages, religion has been part of every society and the life of an average man revolves around his religion which dictates his code of conduct to cultural, socio-political and economic matters. Hence, since man inhabited the planet, it has been one long struggle for survival between him and nature. The reality of the basic needs of life-food, cloth and shelter indeed made him to inevitably see necessity as the mother of invention, as well as the need to set up some guiding principles in his day to day transactions in all his cultural institutions. This is the case of the Igbomina who had evolved from very primitive origins and has made a staggering leap to the present. This paper does not only examine the central place of religion or the influence of the Supreme Deity in determining success and failure of Man in all human endeavours but also surveys the correlation between religious doctrines and the practical ethics of the economic activities of the Igbomina. The methodology was based on revision of relevant literature, reliance on archaeological sources, archival materials and oral interviews. The study concludes that in every aspect of an Igbomina, religion dominates and dictates his actions, reactions and inactions. Again, even though he/she is exposed to western education and culture vis-à-vis his economic and socio-political impetus, religion still often provides ethics, implying that traditional thought is still the source of his basic world view. On this note, the past lies like a nightmare upon the present (Karl Marx).
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    The Roles of Hunters in the Formation of States in West Africa
    (Department of History & Diplomatic Studies, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, 2014) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus; Adebayo, P. F.
    Thousands of years ago, all humans were believed to have subsisted by hunting and fruits-gathering, with little or no agriculture. Man, had thus found it both convenient and rewarding, from primordial times, to co-habit in social groups. He has immensely multiplied his predisposition to earn a living from nature; hunting and survival (i. e. the preservation of his existence from possible extinction) being two significant factors. A better appreciation of the importance of hunting among early humans, as now believed by many scientists, reveals that early humans both scavenged and hunted. Warriorhood, militarism and belligerency also came as a gradual transmogrification from the humble background of hunting. Being vulnerable to his immediate and older neighbours, the primitive hunting man grew as a child of necessity; necessity, being the mother of invention! Many of life’s great discoveries came as accidentals—fire, farming, iron metallurgy, etc., ditto also for hunting. However, these accidental discoveries were often borne out of the necessity of the ages. Necessity, the mother of invention, has moved hunting from its humble beginning of just enriching diets, providing security (via the development of social groups) and preserving humanity from possible extinction by antique dangerous monsters (via the evolution of the hunting man), to making man become more sedentary by launching him into the eras of agricultural revolution and iron technology! Notable hunters such as the biblical Nimrod, described as “the first potentate on earth” and a “mighty hunter in the eyes of God who built empires such as Babylon, Erech, Accad and Calneh in Shinar; one Ojo Isekuse of Ilorin; Timi of Ede, the Olu-Ode, a notable archer—one of Sango’s two famous warriors, Kurunmi of Ijaiye; Soun Ogunlola of Ogbomoso; Sodeke of Abeokuta, etc. remain notable as reputable legendary hunter-warriors in the history of states formation and empire-building in West Africa. Such were responsible for the founding of settlements all over West Africa! Today, the contributions of the hunter to civilization and states formation can, perhaps, at best, be better encapsulated in this discourse than could just be imagined from a cursory observation!
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    A Study of Igbomina Economy in the Colonial Era, 1897-1960
    (Unpublished Master's Dissertation, submitted to the Department of History and International Studies, University of Ilorin, 2004-08) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    In order to fully understand the colonial epoch, it is crucial to think in terms of the economic partition of Africa, which had no fixed or visible boundaries unlike the political partition of the 19th Century. It should be made known that Colonialism was just one aspect of Imperialism. Colonialism was based on alien political rule and was restricted to some parts of the world, whereas imperialism underlay all colonies, extended over the world except where replaced by socialist revolutions, and it allowed the participation of all capitalist nations. Economic partition and re-partition of Africa was going on all the time because the proportions of the spoils that went to the different capitalist countries kept changing. Surplus from Africa was partly used to offer a few more benefits to European workers and served as a bribe in form of wages, better living standard, etcetera, to make the latter less revolutionary. Essentially, vital aspects of how indigenous Igbomina economic resources, and indeed Africa as a continent were siphoned to the benefit of the metropolitan states and to the grave detriment of the colonies compelled me to embark on this academic odyssey. Furthermore, the sum total of Igbomina experience under colonialism, and the footprints left by colonialism in the sand of time, form the prop of this exposé.
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    "The Unresolved Minority Question in an Electioneering Society: The Igbomina Dilemma"
    (Nigeria Police Academy Journal of Humanities, Wudil, Kano, 2018-04) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus
    The thesis of this paper bothers on the dilemma of the Igbomina people and the yet-to-be-resolved lingering minority question, within the electioneering society she finds herself. The long siege on the political will of the marginalised minority peoples, particularly Igbomina, should not be misconstrued as a resort to fate; but a "muted brouhaha" or at best, a bottled explosive! Or is it not a fool that loves his chains even if ornamented with gold? Only timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the boisterous sea of liberty. The paper adopts the historical, narrative and multi-disciplinary approach, with a combination of primary and secondary sources of data collection. The findings in this study point to the fact that despite the myriads of accolades, following the 2015 General Elections, much is yet left to be desired, particularly by the aggrieved minority who seem not to be getting the best from the electioneering society. The paper concludes that the micro-revolution experienced during the 2015 General Elections, which came as a rude shock to the political power brokers, might just be the beginning of a Macro-revolution, from the minority and unjustly 'schismised' people. This paper, on one hand, recommends an urgent attention from a responsive government to the plight of the marginalised minority groups in Nigeria. On the other hand, it challenges the Igbomina and other minority groups to be more spirited in their pursuit of the ideology of the “effacement of man’s inhumanity to man”; for there the victory lies.
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    Veneration of Mountain-spirits in Yoruba Traditional Religion: The Igbomina Example
    (Langaa Research and Publishing CIG, Mankon, Bamenda, 2018) ABOYEJI, Adeniyi Justus; ABOYEJI, Oyeniyi Solomon
    The mountaineering spree that is rife in Christian religious worship today is probably an African heritage of spirituality in religiosity. The height of this belief in most African churches today suggests firmly or tacitly that there is a strong connection between answerable prayers and mountaineering experiences. While some believe in ascending the physical mountains like Jesus did, some believe that one can make a mountain even of a valley like Daniel in the Lion's den or Jonah in the Whale's belly. In other words, wherever a Christian prays becomes his mountain, which could be anywhere, anytime; thus introducing a psychological dimension to the Ori-Oke phenomena. This paper does not attempt to research into the proliferation of Prayer Mountains all over, these days. Rather, it traces this to a general belief rooted in African worldview that every inanimate object, including hills and mountains, possesses spirits that could be beneficial or inimical to humanity. The paper adopts a historic-structural, systematic and analytical approach, with a combination of primary and secondary sources of data collection. Our findings reveal the tolerance of pluralism as one remarkable element of Yoruba religion. As such, one area of common ground between the indigenous and foreign religions, which is also one of the areas of continuity in African traditional beliefs, rooted in Afrel, is the veneration of mountain spirits. Our conclusion is that Christian religious worship has today, been greatly influenced by certain elements of the Yorùbá culture. One of such is the Ori-Oke phenomena in Christianity, which shares similar sacred creed with the Yoruba veneration of mountain-spirits. Examples would be largely drawn from among the Igbomina sub-group of the Yorùbás.