The History of the Yorubas
From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate

The first published account and standard reference for the history of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, first published in 1921.

Samuel Johnson (Author), Obadiah Johnson (Edited by)

9781108020992, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 30 September 2010

750 pages, 1 b/w illus. 1 map
21.6 x 14 x 3.8 cm, 0.85 kg

Samuel Johnson (1846–1901) was an Anglican minister and historian renowned for his magisterial history of the Yoruba people. Born in Freetown in Sierra Leone and educated by the Church Missionary Society, Johnson was sent with his family to Idaban in Nigeria in 1857. He was ordained in 1880 and by 1897 had finished the manuscript for The History of the Yorubas. However the original publisher mysteriously misplaced the manuscript. After Johnson's death his brother, Dr Obadiah Johnson, recompiled the text from Samuel's notes. This volume, first published in 1921, contains that reconstructed edition. This pioneering volume brought together various oral and recorded accounts of Yoruba history, describing not only political history but also social customs, language and laws. Although recent analysis of the text has revealed some inaccuracies, this volume remains the standard reference for the history of the Yoruba people.

Author's preface
Editor's preface
Part I. The People, Country, and the Language: 1. Origin and early history
2. The origin of the tribes
3. Religion
4. Government
5. Yoruba names
6. Yoruba towns and villages
7. The principles of land law
8. Manners and customs
Part II
Section 1. First Period - Mythological Kings and Deified Heroes: 1. The founders of the Yoruba nation
Section 2. Second Period - Growth, Prosperity and Oppression: 2. Historical kings
3. The kings of Oyo Igboho
4. A succession of despotic kings
5. Bosorun Gaha and his atrocities and Abiodun's peaceful reign
Third Period - Revolutionary Wars and Disruption: 6. The revolution
7. The rise of the Fulanis to power
8. Consequences of the revolution
9. Further development of the anarchy
10. Spread of the anarchy
11. The revolution in the Epo districts
12. Wars for the consolidation and balance of power
13. The last of Katunga
14. The interregnum
Section 3. Fourth Period - Arrest of Disintegration. Inter-tribal Wars. British Protectorate: 15. The new city, new government, Ilorin checked
16. Fratricidal wars
17. Subjugation of the Ijesas and Ekiti's social reforms
18. A glorious end and a gory dawn of two reigns
19. Sequels to the Ijaye war
20. The close and the opening careers of two heroes
21. Two administrations of opposite policies
22. A new reign and evil prognostication
23. The commencement of the 16 Years' War
24. Conflicts in the north
25. Ibadan at its extremity
26. Failures at reconciliation
27. A rift in the cloud
28. The Rev. J. B. wood and the A.O.K.
29. The intervention of the British government
30. Dispersal of the combatants by special commissioners
31. Disturbance in every part of the country
32. Abortive measures to terminate the war
33. The dark before the dawn
34. The end of the war
35. The establishment of the British Protectorate
Appendices
Index.

Subject Areas: African history [HBJH]