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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Sango traditions and cult organisation in Oyo
Author:Babayemi, S.O.
Year:1988
Periodical:West African Journal of Archaeology
Volume:18
Pages:95-110
Language:English
Geographic term:Nigeria
Subjects:African religions
cults
political ideologies
Oyo polity
Abstract:'Sango', as he is understood historically in Oyo (Nigeria), is a mythic artifact born of the conjunction of elements from a number of cultures. The act of his deification provided a crucial element in the political ideology of the Oyo State. His high rank in the cosmological hierarchy was directly reflected in the role of the 'Alaafin', Sango's successor on earth. The cult of Sango in Oyo is conceived of as being, in terms of its ritual power and associations, one of the principal ideological weapons through which the 'Alaafin' rules and administers his State. There are two Sango cult organizations in Oyo. One has been exclusively devoted to the spiritual well-being of the reigning 'Alaafin'. The other cult has functioned in a dual capacity. It is charged with the spiritual well-being of the citizens of Oyo, but it has also served as a political weapon, in terms of control, on behalf of the 'Alaafin'. The author concludes that the cults of Sango evidence the author's general theme of the crucial interaction between the political and the spiritual among the Oyo. Bibliogr.
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