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Periodical article | Leiden University 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. |