Browsing by Author "Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed"

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    African Cultural Development and the Challenges of Globalisation
    (Pyla-Mak Press and Publishers Limited, 2019) Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed
    Africa 's economic, Social and political development ere closely tied to her cultural settings. which have been contributing to the continents progress since the precolonial period However. the increasing influence of globalization has continued to place heavy challenges on the continents cultural progress. Globalization, it has been argued, seeks to integrate people around the world so that economic, social and cultural barriers and restrictions are removed to facilitate smoother commercial and social relations among nations. The advocates of this phenomenon however fail to consider the cultural diversities and unequal levels of development among societies around the world with perticuler regard to Africa. Thus. the gains of globalization have largely been lopsided. with the advanced countries obtaining greatest benefits while the less-developed countries. mostly in Africa. play the followers role. It is on this premise that this paper examines Africa 's performance in the international system before globalization: the impact of the trend on the continents cultural progress: and how she can benefit from the global community without losing her unique cultural identities in order to remain relevant in the global environment These include African communal social values like respect for elders, greeting. dressing, language, songs and dances. respect for human dignity and regard for sacred institutions in the society. Also very important are the continents economic potentials which were anchored on traditional productive systems in agriculture. indigenous industries. intra and inter regional trade and commerce. The historical research method was adopted in the study with the use of relevant source materials. The paper concludes that African countries should strengthen their cultural indices and productive capacities to become strong participants and take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the global trend Through this. the continent would achieve greater relevance and benefits in the global setting. rather than a dogmatic enlistment in the jamboree, which could turn Africans to mere consumers and spectators in the increasingly competitive international environment.
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    The Development of Technology in Nigeria
    (Department of History and International Relations, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria, 2018) Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed
    Nigeria‟s strive for techno-industrial development has remained largely unsuccessful in spite of government constant policy statements assuring the citizens of commitment to technology programme. Since independence, various policies and programmes have been adopted to accelerate Nigeria‟s technological progress for over-all development. These include technology education anchored on the establishment of technical schools, polytechnics and universities of technology; the use of technology transfer through multi-national corporations; and more recently, the use of small and medium enterprises to boost self-employment and self-reliance. However, decades after the implementation of these programmes, technological development still remains a mirage in Nigeria. This paper thus examines potentials of techno-industrial revolution in Nigeria through the emulation of strategies employed by some developed and developing countries. Using both the primary and secondary sources of history, it traces the technological breakthrough in Britain, United States of America and Japan. It argue that Nigeria has huge potentials that can speedily transform her society through a well-established fundamental foundation. It explains further that with abundant water resources, vast arable land, solid minerals, good climate, growing population, indigenous creative ingenuity, and shrewd management of resources, Nigeria have the potential for self-reliance industrial development. It noted that Nigeria‟s pre-colonial and colonial economies were sustained by proceeds from agriculture, which relied heavily on indigenous technology. Like the developed countries, Nigeria has favourable climate, abundant rainfall, well spread indigenous technology and a massive population, which could be utilize to facilitate the much desired techno-industrial transformation. It concludes that result-oriented exploitation of natural resources, strong political will, visionary leadership, appropriate and purposeful technology education and the diversification of the economy, are important pre-conditions for Nigeria‟s technological take-off and sustainable development.
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    Exploring the Dynamics of Ilorin War Weapons in the Nineteenth Century
    (Pyla-mak Press & Publishers, 2020) Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed
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    EXPLORING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRECOLONIAL ILORIN EMIRATE CAVALRY BEYOND WARS
    (Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, 2020) Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed
    Either in Ancient or modern time, movement of men and material is a critical element in the logistic and planning of warfare, and sometimes influences the outcome of encounters. There have been volumes of studies on the Nineteenth century military across the Nigerian area but the tactical military value of the cavalry in battles, with respect to Ilorin, have not been adequately represented in literature. T ors w s n mport nt ompon nt n N r ‟s pr -colonial warfare as it was also a key factor in the commercial, political and social lives of the people. The objective of this study is to explore the significance of the cavalry in Ilorin military encounters, its success, limitation and legacy in the cultural lives of the emirates. The historical research method, comprising of primary and secondary sources which involve oral interviews and the use of the library, was employed in the work. The cavalry, it was discovered, contributed mm ns ly to lor n‟s m l t ry su ss s v nt n t Ogele and Mugbamugba encounters in the early days of the emirate. Besides, groups such as Yoruba, Hausa, Bariba, Nupe, and Kanuri, contributed skillful horsemen to the m r‟s elite force which further increased their solidarity. The cavalry also led to a greater external diplomacy between Ilorin and sister emirates like Gwandu, Nupe, Kano and other distant areas like Adamawa and Borno in the supply of horses. With time, the tending and outfitting of the horses and riders led to the development of cavalry technology among the Nupe inhabitants in the Gambari area of Ilorin and this facilitated social relations among cavalrymen and smiths in Ilorin. Officers like Akesinrin, Ubandawaki and Zarumi Ologbondoroko emerged as leaders of the cavalry contingents during campaigns. A major l y o t v lry n lor n s t nnu l ur r o ors s l t t m r‟s palace to showcase the reminiscence of Ilorin military prowess in the precolonial period.
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    Impact of Convergence of Groups on the Development of Ilorin Military Technology, 1800-1900
    (College of Humanities, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, Nigeria, 2019-07) Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed
    Ilorin's location between the northern and southern fringe of the territories that later became Nigeria placed her in a position to be actively involved two remarkable events of the Nineteenth Century: first as major participant in the Yoruba warfare, and second as one of the frontier emirates in the caliphate system. In the course of the Nineteenth Century, florin recorded waves of migration and settlement of different groups, which speedily transformed her society to a heterogeneous community. This study explores how different groups contributed to the emergence and development of the Ilorin military technology and its impact on the city in the Nineteenth century. It employed the historical research method, which comprised the use of primary and secondary sources. The approach began with the perusal of literature to ascertain the extent of work on Ilorin military history, and it was discovered that more information was exigent on the impact of plurality of groups on her military technology; hence the significance for this study. Furthermore, Ilorin's location favoured the settlement of different groups, whose impact were felt not only in the area of recruitment of soldiers but also in the supply of weapons for prosecuting wars. This was also evident in the activities of blacksmiths, Islamic scholars, hunters, militia and other related groups in different localities in the city. In this regard, the city's weapons were of both physical and spiritual nature, which gave significant roles to the blacksmiths, and Islamic scholars through the use ofQuran as afaith-based instrument of war. Blacksmithing, with time, also became broadened with Yoruba and Nupe engaged in specific aspects of the vocation. The Yoruba smiths,for instance, concentrated on the production of long and short¬range iron weapons such as spears, arrows, lances, swords, and knives while Nupe smiths specialized on cavalry and horse keeping accoutrements. Groups like Yoruba, Hausa, Nupe Bariba and Kanuri contributed to spiritual weapon system. With the emergence of the emirate in the city, the faith-based weapon was developed. This involved the use of texts of the Quran as potent war instrument in attack and defence. This was facilitated by the development of Islamic teaching and scholarship in the town. It can therefore be concluded that Ilorin's heterogeneous nature had a significant impact on her military in the aspects of recruitment, technology of war and tactics, spiritual elements and the naming of compounds.
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    Nigeria's Industrial Policies and the Challenges of Development in the Twenty First Century
    (Universite d'Abormey-Calavi, Faculte des Lettres, Langues, Arts et Communication, 2019) Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed
    The realities of the Twenty First Century development indices have shown the fundamental role of industrialisation in nations' quests to achieve relevance in the highly competitive global environment. For Nigeria, the pressure to industrialize started before independence as the British established some import substitute firms in the country. After independence, the desire for industrialization became more compelling for the country to keep pace with her peers around the world. The study examines the various policy options, which Nigeria has adopted in the pursuit of industrial development, A historic'! approach was adopted in the study comprising of primary and secondary sources. Some of the policies implemented by Nigerian government to accelerate industrial development after independence arc the development plans. the import substitute strategies, the indigenisarion policy. the use of the multinational corporations, technology transfer and more recently, the use of small and medium enterprises. It was discovered that most of the policies gave serious credence to foreign methods without consideration for the peculiariry of Nigerian local environment and efforts. Thus, Nigeria merely became host to the industries while their proceeds were evacuated abroad, This was compounded by political instability and policies inconsistency by the successive administration particularly in the periods of military rule. However, since the late. 1980. the nation has begun a new private driven approach to industrialization. Nigeria's uninterrupted democratic experience since 1999 has given impetus to industrial development because of the rule of law and social justice. This study believes an important factor of success lies in Nigeria's ability to hrst transform her local productive efforts through an all embracing approach. which will include universities, polytechnics, colleges of technology, manufacturers and indigenous craftsmen. This will lay a solid foundation for future industrial breakthrough in Nigeria.
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    Strategies and Tactics in Ilorin Military Encounters in the Nineteenth Century
    (Pyla-Mak Press and Publishers Limited, 2018) Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed
    Ilorin's participation in wars of survival, expansion and consolidation in the Nineteenth Century pushed the military to the fore-front of political activities in her society. Even though, there are literature on Ilorin military and warfare in the nineteenth century, aspects of strategies and tactics in precolonial warfare have not been given adequate attention. The objective of this study is to explore the various strategies and tactics employed by Ilorin in prosecuting her wars of survival, expansion and consolidation in the Nineteenth Century. The historical research method was adopted for the study. This comprised of oral interviews conducted with relevant respondents within Ilorin, and the use of secondary sources obtained from the library. It was discovered that Ilorin's long term objective in the early. Nineteenth Century' rested heavily on her strive to be independent of the Old Oyo Empire. and to become one of the dominant forces in Y orubaland. The downward movement of the Jihad mission in the early Nineteenth Century provided a strong platform for the realization of this aim. However, located in Y orubaland and being a southern frontier of the Sokoto Caliphate with the responsibility to expand the influence of the Jihad, Ilorin faced serious challenge of legitimacy which was shrouded in series of wars. This reality essentially dictated her strategies. Ilorin strategies included both internal and external diplomacy, alliances, divide and rule, espionage and knowledge of the opponents while her tactics revolved around cavalry, mob attack, guerrilla war, attack and retreat and siege warfare. These strategies and tactics were dictated by the nature of opposition and the prevailing situation before and during the encounter. For instance, Ilorin made tremendous gains from the dissension among the Y oruba in the wake of the collapse of the Old Oyo Empire. It is therefore concluded that Ilorin's strategy was to use internal and external diplomacy to weaken the cohesion of her opponents as much as possible so that their ability to attack and defend would be feeble. To that extent therefore, Ilorin's offence and defence capabilities were strengthened. This was done through internal solidarity among the various groups within Ilorin especially after the establishment of the emirate, and also through friendly disposition to other sister emirates like Gwandu, Bida, and Lafiagi.
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    Subsidiary Role of Women in Warfare in Ilorin Emirate in the Nineteenth Century
    (Department of History and International Studies, LAPAI, 2021) Alabi, Oladimeji Mohammed
    In many precolonial African societies, war was regarded as an exclusively masculine sojourn. Consequently, studies on precolonial warfare have concentrated on the role of men leading to a paucity of literature on the contribution of women in military activities. The objective of this study is to examine the role of women in precolonial wars in Ilorin, particularly, in the wars of establishment, expansion and consolidation of her emirate in the Nineteenth Century. The historical research method comprising oral interviews as primary sources. and written materials as secondary sources, was employed in the study. The contributions of women to llorin economy has enjoyed considerable attention from scholars, particularly in vocations like agriculture, commerce and indigenous industries in the production of beads, pots and traditional cloth. However llorin women's subsidiary role in military has not been so captured. This is partly due to Yoruba belief, as in much of African societies. that military service was the exclusive domain of the men; and also because of the influence of Islam on llorin. which excluded women from military service. This study however, discovered that the Ilorin women played significant subsidiary roles in facilitating success for the men. These include cooking, preparation of herbs for treating wounded warriors. advising warriors and giving spiritual support in the form or prayers. Women were also used as spies on the enemy and were good tools tor thwarting the plans of the opponents. One remarkable role of llorin women in the military was the delivery of praise songs and chants in appellation of the warriors, particularly the Baloguns. It was common to find women who were versed in the cognomen and agnomen of warriors in llorin, particularly in the compounds of the warriors. Their role was to boost the morale of the soldiers and to caution them on critical issues concerning the prospective mission. The study concluded that even though Ilorin women did not bear arms like the men, their contribution to the emirate's wars of defence and consolidation were quite significant.