Yoruba activism: Professor J.A. Atanda in focus, By Toyin Falola

Late Professor J.A. Atanda

Yoruba has transversed beyond mere language or the description of a certain set of people with shared origins. It has evolved into an ideology and conceptualisation bloc with cultural specificity that marks those who subscribe to it as distinct from others. This cultural and ideological framework has transcended Nigeria, becoming a global heritage that continues to shape the world’s ideological dispositions. As a result, studying the intricacies of Yoruba culture and its ideological developments over generations has become globally necessary and relevant. As these studies enhance the understanding and extension of Yoruba epistemology with contemporary diversities, they contribute to the gradual expansion of the global value system.

In their well-formulated concept of Omoluwabi, now routinely stated but hardly used, the Yoruba are portrayed as distinguished for their integrity and commitment to doing what is right, avoiding otiose tendencies that could harm the citizens. Their core values and traditions uphold the concerns for an ideal societal system that cares for its citizens and contributes to common goals. The need to create more windows into Yoruba culture and make its concepts and knowledge that are not too colloquial more accessible to ordinary citizens of the world is the driving force behind the Seventh Atanda Lectures and Conference, which will be held from 5 to 7 August at Lead City University, Ibadan. This conference aims to put the Yoruba culture and ideology under the radar and lens to extract an understanding of its activism dispositions over the century.

Today, the world is riddled with complications and challenges, prompting the search for solutions and sparking agitation. Several social ideals have abnormally been undermined by the gradual change in conceptual holdings and the unfair aspirations of some over others, putting many of the underprivileged majority at a disadvantage. This conference seeks to explore the enduring activist ideals of Yoruba culture, which have withstood time and opposition and continue to impose their conceptualizations on many Yoruba individuals. The conference aims to highlight the history, knowledge, concepts, people, and institutions of Yoruba origin – both past and contemporary – that promote social sanity, good governance, peaceful coexistence, democracy, stability, and the welfare of society in general.

How do the Yoruba disagree? Are there constructive dispositions and pointers to rebellious tendencies and disagreements? How do they express their disappointment? These questions form the basis of many other subjects that will be discussed at the conference. Yoruba culture largely depends on figurative expressions and specific anecdotes to pass across some messages against some acts or subjects they disagree with. This is the concept behind the sayings such as “ija lo de, l’orin d’owe (disagreement makes a song inciting) and “orin ni’n s’iwaju ote” (songs are the pointers of disputes). These expressions illustrate the Yoruba approach to nonviolent disagreements and conflicts and how they communicate dissatisfaction to the other party. The right and instinct to disagree have always been part of the Yoruba cultural upbringing, taught directly or indirectly to children as they grow up. These principles are then applied to more complex situations, including intergroup or inter-communal relationships.

The Omoluabi behavioural concept of the Yoruba emphasises respect, peace, and orderliness while also encompassing the ability to disagree with unsettling attitudes and actions within the confines of cultural parameters. This principle is reflected in the approaches taken in the precolonial disagreements among communities of Yoruba origin, such as the Owu War of the early nineteenth century, which saw the alliance of some groups that believed that some fundamental wrongs had been done to the people. This concept also reveals the reasons behind various other civil wars in Yoruba history.

More particularly, the instinct to preserve integrity and communal rights was the basis for the Yoruba resistance and agitation against other ethnic groups that undermined their dominance and sovereignty, as well as values core to Yoruba custom. They were never afraid to fight when needed and were always ready to speak out when necessary. The Yoruba’s activist spirit also manifested in their resistance to colonial conquests during the colonial era. The British took over many Yoruba settlements without resistance, as such actions contradicted the core values of sovereignty and ridiculed the societal ethos held by the Yoruba people at the time. Yoruba leadership was not ready to be second-class citizens, as this ran contrary to their cultural conceptions.

In line with this, the conference will examine subjects like the 1945 workers’ general strike on the cost of living and Herbert Ogunde’s role, resistance to unfavourable levies and taxation during colonial rule, and the tabloid press and protests predominant in Abeokuta and Lagos. These topics will be discussed to understand how these passions were expressed historically and how they are represented in contemporary societies.

Beyond these, the Yoruba concept of protest and resistance has been reflected in many literary expressions, both written and oral. Yoruba drama and books on various aspects of Yoruba culture, occurrences, and concepts often address situations with the original Yoruba convictions of protest. Many literary works and books written, especially during the early periods of Nigerian independence and those reeling into contemporary Nigeria, reflect the Yoruba approach to protests and disagreement with authorities and activities within the confines of the Yoruba traditional approaches.

To maintain these spirits in the face of unpleasant situations, Yoruba culture instils these values in every individual, regardless of gender or age. This is why, at some points, agents of social change within Nigerian history have included women from both elite and low-influence groups that protested despicable situations. One notable example was the women’s protest against the colonial government’s imposition of unreasonable taxes on Egba women, led by Mrs Ransome Kuti.

Throughout Nigerian history, several individuals and groups have epitomised Yoruba activism, championing protests and transformational agitations. Yoruba history is marked by the bravery of figures like Wole Soyinka, whose historical feat has attracted different perspectives on scholarships in contemporary society. During the country’s process of national discovery and development, figures such as Obafemi Awolowo, Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, and Fela Anikulapo raised critical questions and drove change, reflecting the inquisitive and resistant dispositions deeply embedded in the cultural and traditional properties of the Yoruba people.

The spirit of Yoruba activism is evident in contemporary figures such as Sunday Igboho and Omoyele Sowore, whose contributions, criticisms, and beliefs are rooted in the cultural and behavioural models embedded in Yoruba culture. This spirit has also inspired various groups and institutions to speak the truth to power and champion nationalist causes of development. From ancient societal egbes to the Egbe Agba o Tan, Egbe Atunluse, and Egbe Afenifere, which fronted cultural and developmental blueprints of the nation to the Agbekoya movements and the Oduduwa People Congress and many other current protest groups that sought national transformation, the Yoruba conviction of activism has endured through time. Understanding how this activism culture has been transmitted from the past to the present is a crucial subject of conversation among scholars with a deep understanding of Yoruba history.

The Seventh Atanda Conference will unravel the connecting factors of the Yoruba activism spirit, its contributions to nation-building, and its contemporary relevance. This is particularly important given the emerging national and international issues that demand both individual and collective attention. The conference aims to provide solutions to many of these problems through the lens of Yoruba activism. Additionally, it aims to expand the scope of Yoruba epistemology and understand the changes it has undergone in contemporary contexts. Scholars at the conference will examine whether these developments have been progressive or regressive and assess the current relevance of Yoruba culture, especially from the perspective of resilience.

I offer my congratulations to the Atanda family for keeping alive the memory of Professor Atanda; Professor Godwin Emmanuel Oyedokun, the Chair of the Conference Organising Committee and all his team members, the close to three hundred participants, and Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of Lead City University. The programme and book of abstracts are HERE.

Toyin Falola, a professor of History, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin, is the Bobapitan of Ibadanland.