An Analytical Study of the Infiltration of Yoruba Traditional Culture on the Practice of Title-Holding among Churches in Ijebu of Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The practice of Title-holding had been extant before the doors were opened for Christianity in Ìjèbúland, an area predominantly inhabited by the Ijebu speaking people of Ogun State, Nigeria to thrive. The acceptance of Christianity (though not that easy abinitio) by the Ijebu, reformed, to a great extent, the socio-political, religious and cultural lives of the people. The Yoruba traditional systems of marriage, naming and burial rites were, among others, influenced and reformed by Christianity. However, a good number of the Ijebu, like other Yoruba tribes which profess Christianity, still retain some of their cultural beliefs and traditions. Consequently, there was an infiltration or fusion of Yoruba tradition and culture on certain Christian practices and rites such as marriage, naming and funeral rites. Such infiltration can also be noticed in title-holding among the people. This paper, therefore, critically analyses the fusion of the Yoruba traditional elements to the Christian practice of the title-holding among churches in Ijebu. The paper adopts the historical approach establishing the institutionalization of title-holding in Christianity. It then x-rays the practice of title-holding among the people. The paper also considers the similarities between the Christian titles and the traditional titles mirrored along the traditional set up among the various sections of the Ijebu.