Communalism, legitimation and party politics at the grassroots: The case of the Yoruba

Abstract

It is widely accepted by scholars of contemporary African politics that communalism poses a major obstacle to the political stability of the modern African nation state. Firmly rooted in the complex nature of colonialism, this persistent problem is intimately connected to the neo-traditional and corporatist character of the post colonial state and society. An effective assessment of this pressing problem with its varied and ambiguous com? munal expressions, must explore the formation of political organizations by local elites, analyze the historical construction and interpretation of com? munal-based legitimacy doctrines and then proceed to link these local factors with major regional and national political developments in other parts of the country. The present paper is primarily concerned with this varied and con? flicting manifestation of communalism among one of Africa's most dominant ethnic groups, the Yorubas of southwestern Nigeria. At a general level the paper examines the impact of Nigeria's intense and often acri? monious party politics on the nature and character of communalism in Yorubaland from the period of decolonization (1951-1959) to the country's second attempt at civil/democratic rule between 1978-1983. It sets out to address three main objectives. First, with a view to conceptualize the com? plex manifestation of communalism in Yoruba towns, I will show how Nigeria's politics of federalism have consistently given impetus to a para? doxical expression of pan-ethnic and intra-ethnic collective political action since the introduction of liberal democracy in the period of decolonization. Second, I will examine how in an attempt to reinforce their power base a political class of politicians, chiefly rulers and even military administrators have actively engaged in the construction and propagation of communal based doctrines and symbols at the local level. Finally, drawing on a de? tailed case study of Oyo state, especially its major city Ibadan in the Second 419