Research is not cheap. It costs money to conduct in-depth research and document it. This is why I have great admiration and respect for foundations, institutions and philanthropic organisations that sponsor eruditions in pursuit of knowledge.
One of my favourite books on Ifá was penned by the American anthropologist - William Bascom. He was able to conduct this research with the help of grants from American and British institutions.
Today we are able to read the product of the research William Bascom conducted in 1937/38 through the benevolence of foreign institutions. I hope one day, our millionaires and wealthy organisations will be able to sponsor similar research into our past history, culture and traditions.
To put this in perspective, in 1986, a group of world-class Yoruba historians met at the Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ University to present their research papers at the centenary conference on the 1886 Kiriji/Ekiti Parapọ Peace Treaty.
After the conference, a decision was made to compile the presented papers into a book - “War and Peace in Yorubaland 1793 - 1893” for posterity. Things however took another turn due to lack of funds!
In the words of Professor Adeagbo Akinjogbin:
“In 1987, Heinemann Educational Books was approached. It demanded thirty thousand Naira (₦30,000) for one thousand copies. Appeals went out to wealthy Nigerians who we thought should be interested in such a project. However, in spite of contributions from such eminent people as Baṣọrun M.K.O Abiọla, Lt Gen. A. Akinrinade (rtd) we could not raise the amount needed. Appeals to governments of Yoruba speaking states and Federal agencies yielded no response. We became discouraged. As in the time of Rev. Johnson one hundred years earlier, the Yoruba appear to show very little interest in their collective history.
The manuscript started gathering dust and would have stayed so but for Emeritus Professor J.F. Ade Ajayi who in 1996 revived our interest in the publication of this work. By then the cost of publishing one thousand copies had risen to one million Naira (₦1,000,000) and we were required to pay half of the amount. Professor Ajayi refused to be daunted. He suggested various ways of finding the money.
In our appeals, we men one very generous Nigerian, Chief Bayọ Kuku, the Ọgbẹni Oja of Ijẹbu Ode. He did not need much convincing. In quiet dignity, he issued a cheque of more than half of the amount required for the publication. With that, Heinemann Education Books (Nigeria) Pls started. We knew then that we must not fail in getting the book published. But no other rich Nigerian showed the same kind of interest as the Ọgbẹni Oja…”
Now, back to Bascom, below is an excerpt from the preface of the book: IFA DIVINATION: Communication Between Gods and Men In West Africa by William Bascom...
“Most of the data for this study were recorded in the city of Ifẹ in 1937-38 on a predoctoral fellowship from the Social Science Research Council; six weeks were spent in Igana during that year. A Fulbright grant in 1950-51 made it possible to spend about three months each in Mẹkọ, Ọyọ, and Ileṣa and to work for a day or two in Ilaro, Ilara, Abẹokuta, Ibadan, Isẹyin, Oke-Iho, Irawọ, Ogbomọsọ, Oṣogbo, Ṣagamu, Ijẹbu Ode, Ondo, and a half dozen towns in Ekiti.
Further research was carried on during a two-month visit at the time that Nigeria received her independence in 1960 and during three months in 1965. This later research was financed respectively by grants from the University of California's Institute of International Studies and the Social Science Research Council.
An invitation from Cambridge University and a Senior Postdoctoral Grant from the National Science Foundation provided a year in England in 1958 to analyze field notes, during which the texts and translations of the Ifa verses were typed and a preliminary draft of the first section was completed.
Ifá divination was by no means the only topic of investigation during these periods of research, but without these grants this study would not have been possible. I am indebted to these institutions, and to Professor Meyer Fortes, a welcome visitor during three years spent in West Africa during World War II, who arranged the invitation to Cambridge.
I am especially grateful to Thomas A. Sebeok and to Michael A. Aronson of the Indiana University Press for facilitating the publication of this study.
The courtesies of government officials and others in 1937-38 have been previously acknowledged (Bascom, 1944: 6-7). By now the list has grown too long to name all those who have given assistance on other trips, but I should particularly like to thank Eoin M. Catto, Mr. and Mrs. John Davies, Mr. and Mrs. A. F. F. P. Newns, Sọba Ọyawoye of the University of Ibadan, and Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first President of Nigeria.
Thanks are again due my friend Aderẹmi, the Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ. for his assistance and cooperation, and to Agbọnbọn, Amosun, Samuel Elufiṣoye, Awodire Awoṣeemọ Ifẹ. and the many other diviners who served as informants. Special thanks go to the diviner from whom most of the Ifá verses were recorded, but who remains nameless for reasons explained in Chapter XII.
Again I owe a deep debt of gratitude to the late D. 0. Rufus Awojodu, who served as interpreter in 1937-38 and whose personal fascination with Ifá divination induced me to become so deeply involved in this most important aspect of the Yorùbá way of life. I had long intended to dedicate this book to him, but there is another to whom my debt is even greater.
I dedicate this book to the memory of one (Melville J. Herskovits) who contributed so much to the development of African studies in the United States; who first interested me in Africa, the Yorùbá people, and the city of Ifẹ; who made his own work on Ifá in Dahomey available to me in the field before its publication; who guided my training to the Ph.D. degree; and who was a considerate chairman, helpful colleague, and staunch friend during my many years at Northwestern University.”
References:
Ifá Divination: Communication Between Gods and Men in West Africa By William Bascom
War and Peace in Yorubaland 1793-1893
By: Adeagbo Akinjogbin; J.F. Ade Ajayi; Oluṣẹgun Ekanade; Oluwọle Aloba; Olasiji Oshin; G.O. Oyeweso; Funṣọ Afọlayan; A.G. Adebayọ; Dare Oguntomisin; H.O. Danmole; Bọlanle Awẹ; Ọmọtayo Olutoye; A.A. Adediran; M.A. Arẹ-Latoosa; B.F. Adeniji; G.I.O. Olomọla; Akinṣọπla Akiwowo; O. Olutoye; J.A. Olapade; J.A. Adefila; S.M. Ọpẹọla; Tunde Olowookere; Gbenga Fagborun; Fọlabọ Ajayi; S.A. Akintoye; R.A. Ọlaniyan; S.O. Arifalo; J.A. Atanda; E.O. Oyelade; Deji Ogunrẹmi; Wale Ajayi; G.O. Oguntomisin; Toyin Falọla; Akin Alao; O. Oladitan; S.A. Makinde; Z.O. Apata; J.R.O. Ojo; Niyi Oladeji; T.M. Ilesanmi; Tejumola Olaniyan; Moyo Okediji; Adebayo Olaosun; Ọpẹoluwa Onabajo; J.A. Ayọrinde; Owa Adelani Famọdun II.
By Ọlọbẹ Yoyọn
No comments:
Post a Comment