Excerpt from The History of the Yorubas From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate
What led to this production was not a burning desire of the author to appear in print - as all who are well acquainted with him will readily admit - but a purely patriotic motive, that the history of our fatherland might not be lost in oblivion, especially as our old sires are fast dying out.
Educated natives of Yoruba are well acquainted with the history of England and with that of Rome and Greece, but of the history of their own country they know nothing whatever ! This reproach it is one of the author's objects to remove.
Whilst the author could claim to be a pioneer in an untrodden field, he can by ho means pretend to have exhausted the subject; but he hopes by this to stimulate among his more favoured brethren the spirit of patriotism and enquiry into the histories of the less known parts of the country. It may be that oral records are preserved in them which are handed down from father to son, as in the case of the better known Royal bards in the Metropolis, such records though imperfect should surely not be under-rated.
In the perusal of this feeble attempt, the author craves the forbearance of his readers ; he deprecates the spirit of tribal feelings and petty jealousies now rife among us. In recording events of what transpired, good or bad, failures and successes, among the various tribes, he has endeavoured to avoid whatever would cause needless offence to anyone, or irritate the feelings of those specially interested in the narratives, provided only that the cause of truth, and of public benefit be faithfully served.
With respect to the ancient and mythological period he has stated the facts as they are given by the bards, and with respect to the History of comparatively recent dates, viz., from the time of King Abiodun downwards, from eye-witnesses of the events which they narrate, or from those who have actually taken part in them. He has thus endeavoured to present a reliable record of events.
He is greatly indebted especially to the honoured David Kukomi, the patriarch of the Ibadan Church, (the now sainted father of the Rev. R. S. Oyebode). Kukomi was a young man in the days of King Abiodun, and it was his'fortune (or misfortune) to take part in the wars and other national movements of the period as a common soldier, and was thus able to give a clear and reliable account of the sayings, persons, and events of those stirring times, being a cool man of judgment, observant, and remarkably intelligent.
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