Reconsidering the influence of Islam on Yoruba cultural heritage, 1930-1987

Abstract

In the words of Fafunwa, Islamic literacy in Yoruba land had been an important factor that had contributed to the growth and development of Islam in Nigeria (Fafunwa, 1974, p. 42). According to Fafunwa, Islamic education had established firm roots long before the arrival of western education popularized by the Christian missionaries in the 1840’s (Ajayi, 1965, p. 5). Among seven Yoruba speaking communities in Nigeria. Five have a considerable influence of Islam on Yoruba culture historically. This is evident in the point that a significant percentage of the population found in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Lagos, Kwara are predominantly Muslims unlike in Ondo and Ekiti state (Gbadamosi, 1978, p. 77). Indeed, Islam as a religion has played a major role in shaping Yoruba culture and education in West Africa (Trimingham, 1969, p. 62). However, as Akinola (Akinola, 1995, p. 1) observes, “the real essence and impact of Islamic activities in Africa have not been contextualized by historians and is long overdue”. This paper is thus motivated by this gap. A new approach has therefore been used in this paper to explain how Islam has affected Yoruba culture.