Inter-Religious Relations among the Yoruba and Hausa Communities in Ogbomosho, Oyo State and its Implications for Peaceful Co-Existence in Nigeria
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Date
2025-02
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Published by Department of Religions and Peace Studies, Faculty of Arts, Lagos State University, Ojo, Nigeria.
Abstract
Abstract
Inter-religious relations, between communities with diverse ethno-religious inclinations, are aimed
at promoting mutual understanding and coexistence, among the Yoruba and Hausa communities
in Ogbomoso, Oyo state. Existing studies on relations among the Yoruba and the Hausa in Ogbo
moso town have focused largely on their economic, political, social and cultural relations with lit
tle attention paid to their inter-religious relations. This study was, therefore, designed to examine
inter-religious relations among the Yoruba and the Hausa in Ogbomoso with a view to identifying
factors that promoted relationship and incidents that undermined their peaceful co-existence. Key
informant interviews were conducted with 40 religious leaders from both religions in the commu
nity. Interreligious Relations Questionnaire on Peaceful Co-existence was administered. The quali
tative data were content-analysed, while the quantitative data were subjected to descriptive anal
ysis. Factors that promoted inter-religious harmony among the Yoruba and Hausa in Ogbomoso
were: commerce, politics, establishment of ethnic communities, inter-ethnic marriage, participa
tion in religious festivals and cultural assimilation. While incidents that undermined the inter-reli
gious harmony between the Hausa and Yoruba in Ogbomoso were: indigenous land rights and col
lection of laada (payment of commission). In Ogbomoso, the Hausa claimed indigenous land rights
that Sabo is an autonomous Hausa community not subject to the Yoruba traditional authority and
collection of Laada from the indigenes resulted in conflict. Majority (75.0%) identified groups in
teract harmoniously. Socio-economic and political factors both contributed to the promotion and
incidents that undermined inter-religious relations among the Yoruba and Hausa communities in
Ogbomoso in Southwestern Nigeria.
Keywords: interreligious relations, Yoruba community, Hausa community, Ogbomoso
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interreligious relations, Yoruba community, Hausa community, Ogbomoso