- Perspective of the British colonial officers
- The Ibadan School – based on the writings of d early graduates of UI and Ife, and the generations after them
- The perspective of West African Islamic scholars and the Trans-Saharan theologians. For example, Sheikh Adam al-Ilory also wrote his version of the History of the Yoruba. Some of the Arabic version of our history are much older.
The perspective of the Christian Missionaries is right there in between the Colonial officers and the Ibadan School. That’s #4 if you like but I think they influenced the Ibadan School in a way.
If you’re going to litigate a chieftaincy title anywhere in Yoruba land, please note that, by accident, judges (and lawyers) have historically delivered judgements informed by Rev. Samuel Johnson’s History of the Yoruba. It’s also like a sacred book for the Alaafin of Oyo.
Interestingly, that book is not the version that was written by the Rev. Samuel Johnson. The original manuscript that he sent to his publisher in London was declared missing under controversial circumstances.
The Rev died shortly after that incident. After his death, his brother Dr. Obadiah Johnson rewrote the book. Why does the Alaafin of Oyo swear by Johnson’s book? Because the book gives a much deserved supremacy to the Alaafin of Oyo over other monarchs.
The other interesting thing is that the Rev. Johnson and his brother were direct descendents of the 29th Alaafin Of Oyo Abiodun Adegorolu. The brothers most likely worked a technical advantage into their book.
Some of Alaafin Abiodun’s other descendants include the famed Ibadan warlord Bashorun Oluyole, Bishop Ajayi Crowther, Herbert Macaulay, and the legendary Dr. Stella Adadevoh who saved us from Ebola.
You can get Johnson’s History of the Yoruba from any serious bookstore or you can ask @BooksellersNG .
A useful information for works by Adam Al Ilory is on this YouTube video