A STUDY OF INTRA-ETHNIC RELATIONS IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF YORUBA-HAUSA IN SAGAMU UP TO 2005
Nigeria is a large multi-ethnic country where intra-ethnic cleavages remain a critical problem and ethnic violence has erupted periodically. Among the prominent conflicts in Nigeria are: Ife-Modakeke Crisis in Osun State; Yoruba-Hausa Clashes in Sagamu, Ogun State; Eleme-Okrika Conflict in Rivers State; Zango-Kataf in Kaduna State; Tiv-Jukun in Wukari, Taraba State; Ogoni-Adoni in Rivers State; Chamba-Kuteb in Taraba State; Itsekiri-Ijaw/Urhobo in Delta State; Aguleri-Umuleri in Anambra State; Ijaw-Ilaje conflict in Ondo State; Basa-Egbura in Nassarawa State; Hausa/Fulani-Sawaya in Bauchi, among others. These conflicts have provided a pattern that makes scholars to attribute their causes to greed, power and wealth distribution.
The impacts of these conflicts have led to loss of lives, displacement of people, destruction of properties, etc. Thus, the greatest challenge facing the process of conflict resolution in Nigeria is the issue of maintaining balance among the conflicting parties by the third party (i.e the Nigerian Government). This balance, however, can only be met if the roots of the conflict(s) are traced and treated fairly. Going by this analysis, the lessons from the key conflicts in Southwest Nigeria makes a good study because of its strategic importance in Nigerian history; and again, its prospect for conflict resolution in Nigeria.
The people of Sagamu were said to have migrated from Iremo quarters in Ile-Ife to a place called Yemule, a location between Ijebu-Ode and Agoro on Ijebu-Ode Sagamu road. After a brief spell they moved again to Okun-Owa from where they later settled at Orile-Offin which is about 5 kilometres from Sagamu and it is no encircled by the rubber plantation which extends from Sagamu to Ikenne.
The impact of the Hausa community in Sagamu town had not been well documented especially in contemporary periods, rather than pre-colonial periods. The Hausa had settled in Sagamu before Nigeria gained independence in 1960 and had developed great trade partners, especially in kolanut trade.
However, the Hausa community had grown rapidly in the area of textiles, cattle and recently in petroleum Distribution to the extent that they had develop their community and the town at large. This is the reason why the researcher, needs to examine Hausa impact in the area of social and economy Development to the year 2005 and look on migration and settlement of the Hausa from 1960-2005.
The objectives of this study are to:
- Examine the geographical environment and peopling of Sagamu town;
- Discuss the formation of Hausa community in Sabo area of Sagamu
- Analyse the socio-economic relationship and competitions between the Yoruba and Hausa groups in Sagamu
- Discuss the outbreak of conflicts and means of resolutions between Yoruba and Hausa groups in Sagamu
This study will equip our knowledge of origin of Sagamu as well as how the Hausa came to settle in Sagamu. It will also enhance our understanding of causes and consequences of conflict between the traditional inhabitants of Sagamu and the Hausa community of the town. In addition it will be a source of reference to other researchers.
This study adopts the historical research methodology. In regard to this method, the research depends largely on primary sources especially oral tradition, letters, archival documents. Over ten people have been contacted in the various communities under study for oral interview. Different modes of collecting data (mostly oral interview) were adopted. Tape recorder was employed to collect data. The language used in collecting data was Yoruba and Hausa and later transcribed to English language and then cross-examined to check their level of objectivity and relevance. Secondary sources were also sourced to enrich the research work. Published works on the history of the Sagamu people and also the history of Hausa community in Sagamu were consulted to provide a scholarly guideline for the work.
