Yoruba historiography: need for socio-economic analysis

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Periodical article

Title:	Yoruba historiography: need for socio-economic analysis
Author:	Falola, Toyin
Year:	1981
Periodical:	Ikenga: Journal of African Studies
Volume:	5
Issue:	1
Pages:	83-90
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Nigeria
Subjects:	Yoruba history ethnic groups
Abstract:	Most of the factors which contributed significantly to the growth of Yoruba historical scholarship favoured intensive researches into the constitutional, political and religious aspects of Yoruba civilization to the exclusion largely of the social, intellectual and economic fields of historical specialisation. However, one is not here suggesting that these neglected aspects have not been mentioned marginally in works dealing with political history such as the constitutional developments in pre-colonial Yorubaland, the period of partition, colonialism and the post-independence era while it is also recognised that there has been a growing awareness to expand and intensify research efforts in the socio-economic sphere. The motives of this paper are to remind the practising historians of their lack of adequate emphasis on these aspects, to provide a few of the reasons for this discernible imbalance in the historical reconstruction of Yoruba history, highlight a few of the contributions which understanding of the socio-economic dimensions can make to the understanding of the actual reality of past events in Yorubaland, and lastly, to point out that there are in fact source materials to correct such an imbalance. Notes.