Igbomina Muslims And The Development Of Islam In Yorubaland (1940-2017)

Islam had been known to the Yoruba people centuries before the Jihad of Uthman Dan Fodio.The religion became widely spread in Yorubaland through different scholars and traders. Appreciable number of research studies had been carried out on Islam in Southwestern Nigeria, but not much attention had been paid tohow Islam developed in Igbominaland and the contributions of notable Igbomina Muslims on the spread of Islam in Yorubaland. The objectives of this study were to: (i) examine the challenges faced by the early Muslims in the spread of Islam in Igbominaland; (ii) establish how Muslims in Igbominaland aided the spread of Islam in Yorubaland; (iii) discuss the roles played by some notable clerics, Muslim philanthropists and other Igbomina scholars in the rooting of Islam in Yorubaland between 1940 and 2017; (iv) appraise the extent to which Igbomina Muslims have contributed to the growth of Islam educationally, socially and spiritually among the Yoruba Muslims; and (v) identify some aspects of life where Igbomina Muslims have not explored satisfactorily.rnThis study employed qualitative research design using the historical method. Historical method was used to trace the history of the development of Islam in Igbominaland and to give a vivid description of the various means through which Igbomina Muslims contributed to the growth of Islam in Yorubaland. A total of eighty-one people including proprietors of Islamic learning centres, teachers, Imams, Sufis and philanthropic Muslims who were indigenes of Igbominaland were purposively selected for interview. Participants’ observations were also used for eliciting information.rnThe findings of this study were that:rn(i) Igbomina Muslims encountered series of challenges from the traditionalists in their bid to propagate Islam, while the introduction of Western education for some time halted the growth of Islamic learning in Igbominaland; rn(ii) some Igbomina Muslims moved to Lagos not only for business or economic ventures; but to acquire Islamic knowledge, and establish schools in Lagos and other areas in Yorubaland;rn(iii) Igbomina jihadists and clerics openly carried their da’wah activities; while philanthropist Muslims sponsored mosque and school constructions;rn(iv) Da’wah on electronic media; songs on discs and recording of Qur’anic protective chapters on cassettes were used to propagate Islam and to assist the Muslims spiritually; rn(v) the area has also produced Sufi legends and spiritualists who have contributed greatly in the area of spiritual guidance to Yoruba people at home and in the diaspora; andrn(vi) the Igbomina Muslims have not explored satisfactorily in the area of establishment of hospitals, manufacturing industries and financial institutions. rnThe study concluded that the Igbomina Muslims have indeed made indelible marks on the sand of time in the area of Islamic development in Yorubaland. The study therefore recommended that Igbomina Muslim scholars should not relent in propagatingIslam and that their da’wah activities should include the grassroots. Muslim philanthropists should also embark on funding of projects that match with the pace of developmental needs of the society.

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