THE DYNAMICS OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY: THE CASE OF ILORIN DURING THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES

THE DYNAMICS OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY: THE CASE OF ILORIN DURING THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES

Abstract:

The study is about the dynamics of political development in a multicultural society: The case of Ilorin during the 19th and 20th centuries. It is conceive to help us appreciate the impact of the interplay of the dynamics of politics and the multicultural nature of the society on social relations among groups of varying political, economic, religious and cultural backgrounds and interests. More importantly, how these relate to interactions in political affairs and developments in Ilorin Emirate and of which were not given a prominent place by earlier studies also attracts the attention of this study. It is an attempt at searching out the processes of community formation as well as its many dimensions, and ramifications for development in an ever-changing society as well as providing explanations and justifications for developments in the polity and social relations in terms of migration, political struggles, interactions, conflicts, accommodation, cooperation, integration, as well as socio-political structures and arrangements in the area. In this regard, explaining from historical perspective, political changes and the influence of the convergences of different cultural groups whose interest were based on economic, political and other opportunities prevalent in the area. This is to provide basis to discussing the poverty of ethnic interpretations and explanations of issues and phenomenon in the genesis of conflicts, political struggles and attendant socio-cultural relations in Ilorin from 1800 to around 1996 contrary to assumptions held by certain observers on Ilorin history. For effective and in-depth inquiry, a multi-disciplinary approach was employed in the research. First, basic background knowledge was provided as theoretical framework which equipped us with a discourse of the concepts that underpin the study which generally provide the researcher with the tools for analyzing the historical sources and the possible results of these on the subject matter. Through these, an explanation for the dynamics of political development in multicultural Ilorin and influence on social relations was garnered for the historical reconstruction, analysis and interpretation. These were examined against the background of written sources, especially secondary sources. Archival materials were also examined. This was corroborated with oral interviews conducted with people within Ilorin community. These two form the primary sources of information. The secondary sources were obtained by examining different literature from different libraries. From this study, we find that Ilorin in its evolutionary history transformed, through immigration of individuals and groups of varying cultural background, from a settlement of scattered hamlets and at various stages into a rebel camp/political sanctuary, urbanizing polity, city-state, and an Emirate. It traverses these stages with diversity, integration, dynamism and processes of interplay of political, economic, multicultural and religious forces and influence on group relations.

THE DYNAMICS OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY: THE CASE OF ILORIN DURING THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES

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