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The Documentation of Ilorin by Samuel Ojo Bada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2014

H. O. Danmole  and
Toyin Falola
H. O. Danmole
Affiliation:
University of Ilorin
Toyin Falola
Affiliation:
University of Texas at Austin
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Extract

The Rev. (Chief) Samuel Ojo, better known as Ojo Bada of Saki, who died in 1992 at the reputed age of 117, was a very versatile person indeed. A Babalawo (“diviner”) converted to a Baptist pastor and a carpenter who became a schoolteacher, he was also to graduate from a storyteller to the author of over fifty essays, pamphlets, and books. He became a Christian in 1902, received his elementary education from 1907 to 1913, and attended the Baptist Theological Seminary at Ogbomoso from 1924 to 1926. His life after 1926 revolved around the Church, as a founder of several churches and a pastor, and in education as a teacher. He took the chieftaincy title of Bada, following in his father's footsteps in 1937. His title, church, and school duties brought him more contacts with the government, first as a member of the Oyo Divisional Council from 1938 to 1958, later a member of the Oyo Provincial Council from 1959 to 1963, and finally a member of the House of Chiefs from 1961 to 1965. For his community service he received the MBE (Member of the British Empire) in 1963 and became a Justice of Peace in 1965. He devoted his spare time to writing.

Type
Research Article
Information
History in Africa , Volume 20 , 1993 , pp. 1 - 13
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 1993

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References

Notes

1. The brief biography is derived from field work, the biodata supplied at the burial service of Bada at Saki on Saturday May 2, 1992 (collected on Toyin Falola's behalf by Dr. Babalola) and from Bada, S.Iwe Itan Igbe Aye Oloye Rev Samuel Ojo BadaGoogle Scholar (self printed, n.d.).

2. On Avoshe, see Falola, Toyin, “The Minor Works of T.O. Avoseh,” HA 19 (1992): 237–62.Google Scholar

3. In the last two years, Toyin Falola has established strong contacts with Bada's relations, friends and local historians associated with him. With the assistance of Dr. Babalola of Sociology Department, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he has been able to collect a number of Bada's works and conduct preliminary interviews at Saki, Oyo and florin.

4. Ojo, S., Short History of Ilorin (Oyo: self published, n.d.), 8.Google Scholar

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid., 10.

9. Ibid., 12.

10. Ibid., 27.

11. The gazetteers of llorin Province by K.V. Elphinstone and H.B. Hermon-Hodge were published in 1921 and 1929 respectively.

12. Ojo, , Short History, 38–39.Google Scholar

13. The larger project will give more space to all the influences on Ojo's scholarship and thought.

14. Ojo, , Short History, 9.Google Scholar

15. Ibid.

16. Ibid. See also Johnson, S., History of the Yorubas, 199–200.Google Scholar

17. Ojo, , Short History, 13.Google Scholar

18. Ibid., 13.

19. Biobaku, S.O., The Egba And Their Neighbours 1842-1872 (Oxford, 1965), 5–8.Google Scholar

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21. Ibid.

22. Ibid.

23. Ibid.; Hermon-Hodge, H.B., Gazetteer of Ilorin Province (London, 1929), 37.Google Scholar However, many Igbomina traditions do not agree with the claim that the Olupo of Ajase Ipo was the leading chief among the Igbomina.

24. Ojo, , Short History, 14Google Scholar; Johnson, , History, 193–94.Google Scholar

25. Ojo, , Short History, 20.Google Scholar

26. Ibid.

27. Ibid., 20-23.

28. Ibid., 23.

29. Johnson, , History, 259.Google Scholar

30. Danmole, H.O., “The Spread of Islam in Ilorin Emirate in the Nineteenth Century,” NATAIS, II (1981): 1–13.Google Scholar

31. Ibid.

32. On Islam in Yorubaland see Gbadamosi, T.G.O., The Growth of Islam Among the Yoruba, 1840-1908 (London, 1978).Google Scholar Also Johnson, , History, 38–39.Google Scholar

33. Ibid., 38-39, 193.

34. For some details on the contacts of Islam with the Yoruba see Ryan, P.J., Imale: Yoruba Participation in Muslim Tradition (Washington, 1978).Google Scholar

35. Ojo, , Short History, 25.Google Scholar

36. Ibid.

37. Ibid., 26.

38. Ibid.

39. Oyerinde, N.D., Iwe Itan Ogbomoso (Jos, 1934).Google Scholar

40. Ojo, , Short History, 20, 33.Google Scholar

41. Ibid., 26.

42. Ibid., 27.

43. Johnson, , History, 261.Google Scholar

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45. Oyerinde, , Iwe Itan Ogbomoso, 42Google Scholar; Johnson, , History, 263–64.Google Scholar

46. Ojo, , Short History, 28.Google Scholar

47. Ibid.

48. Johnson, , History, 263Google Scholar; Talif, chapter 3.

49. Ojo, , Short History, 31Google Scholar; Johnson, , History, 264–65.Google Scholar

50. Ibid.

51. Ibid.

52. Ojo, , Short History, 30–31Google Scholar; Johnson, , History, 258–67.Google Scholar

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54. Ojo, , Short History, 29.Google Scholar

55. Ibid.

56. Ibid.

57. Ibid., 32.

58. Ibid., 32; Hermon-Hodge, , Gazetteer, 70Google Scholar; Elphinstone, K.V., Gazetteer of Ilorin Province (London, 1919), 17.Google Scholar

59. Ojo, , Short History, 32–33.Google Scholar

60. Danmole, H.O. and Falola, Toyin, “Ilorin-Ibadan Relations in the Nineteenth Century: A Study In Imperial Struggles In Yorubaland,” Transafrican Journal of History 14 (1985): 21–36.Google Scholar

61. Ojo, , Short History, 33.Google Scholar

62. Elphinstone, , Gazetteer, 33.Google Scholar

63. Ojo, , Short History, 32–33.Google Scholar

64. Johnson, , History, 427–38.Google Scholar

65. Ojo, , Short History, 33.Google Scholar

66. Ibid; Johnson, , History, 563–67.Google Scholar

67. Ibid.

68. Danmole, H.O., “The Military in Ilorin Politics: the Career of Balogun Abubakar Karara,” Odu (January 1989): 233–51.Google Scholar

69. Ojo, , Short History, 33.Google Scholar

70. Johnson, , History, 241Google Scholar, refers to Erin as one of the remaining important towns after the battle of Ogele earlier in the century.

71. Johnson, , History, 609Google Scholar; Hermon-Hodge, , Gazetteer, 72–73.Google Scholar

72. Ojo, , Short History, 34.Google Scholar

73. Ibid.; Johnson, , History, 627–28.Google Scholar

74. Ojo, , Short History, 33.Google Scholar

75. Elphinstone, , Gazetteer, 18Google Scholar; Hermon-Hodge, , Gazetteer, 73.Google Scholar

76. Ojo, , Short History, 34.Google Scholar

77. Ibid.

78. Danmole, H.O., “The Frontier Emirate: A History of Islam in Ilorin” (Ph.D., University of Birmingham, 1980), 164.Google Scholar

79. Adeleye, R. A., Power and Diplomacy in Northern Nigeria, 1804-1906 (London, 1971) 199, 222–25.Google Scholar

80. National Archives, Kaduna, Ilor Prof. 15/11, Lugard to Dwyer, September 1900 (Reply).

81. Ibid.

82. National Archives, Kaduna Ilor Prof. 154/1907 Judicial Ilorin; Hermon-Hodge, , Gazetteer, 76.Google Scholar

83. Ojo, , Short History, 34–37.Google Scholar

84. Ibid.

85. Danmole, H.O., “Colonial Reforms in the Ilorin Emirate, 1900-1919,” Odu 26 (July 1984): 84–107.Google Scholar

86. Ojo, , Short History, 34–37.Google Scholar

87. Ibid., 38.

88. Ibid.

89. Ibid.

90. Interview with Alhaji Orioko, Ilorin, 1985.

91. Ibid.

92. Ojo, , Short History, 38–39.Google Scholar

93. Ibid.

94. For details on these parties see Sklar, R.L., Nigerian Political Parties (New York, 1963).Google Scholar

95. Ibid., 351; Olafimihan, J.B., Iwe Itan Offa (Ibadan, 1978).Google Scholar

96. Ojo, , Short History, 38–39.Google Scholar