ISSN: 2321-8819 (Online)

Asian Journal of 2348-7186 (Print)

Impact Factor: 1.498
Multidisciplinary Studies Vol.4, Issue 8, July 2016

Historical Development of Muslim Education in

Yoruba Land, Southwest Nigeria.
Ahamad Faosiy Ogunbado,
Senior lecturer,
Islamic Business School (IBS), College of Business (COB),
Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06010, Sintok,
Keddah Darul Aman. Malaysia.
ABSTRACT: The paper begins with the provision of basic information about Nigeria in general and
Yorubaland in particular. It discusses the spread of Islam in Yorubaland. It also elucidates the meaning and
the importance of knowledge and the philosophy of education from an Islamic perspective, followed by
emphasizing the aims and objectives of Muslim education. It seeks to answer the questions: Why do Muslims
educate themselves and what do they study? Furthermore, it traces the beginning and the development of
Arabic and Islamic education as a system in Yorubaland. Western education is another system that came
into Nigeria as a whole through Yorubaland, with the spread of Christianity. Therefore, the paper
endeavours to discuss the origin of the said systems and how the Yoruba Muslims slowly and steadily
integrated the two systems. They encountered many problems in their education; the research tries to
identify the problems and lastly suggests measures to curb them. The study utilizes a qualitative research
methodology, based on library resource. Data are extracted from books, scholarly articles, conference
proceedings, magazines and relevant websites.
Key Words: Islamic/Muslim Education, Nigeria. Western, Yorubaland

Introduction northwest, the Nupe and Ebira in the north which is

central Nigeria and the Ẹsan and Edo to the
Nigeria is a country situated on the southern coast
southeast or midwestern Nigeria. It is equally
of West Africa. It is the most populous country in
pertinent to mention that Yoruba land is not only
Africa in particular, and black nations in general.
confined to Nigeria, but extended to Benin and
Nigeria shares borders with Niger in the North,
Togo. Oyotunji (a city named after Oyo, an ancient
Lake Chad in the Northeast, Cameroon in the East,
city of Yoruba) can also be found in the United
and Republic of Benin in the West (The New
States of America (Ogunbado, 2008; 2013). There
Encyclopedia Britannica, 1991). It has more than
are many opinions about the origin of this tribe
250 different ethnic groups, which are very
(Yoruba). Some of most common are here by
different from one another in terms of their
mentioned. It was reported that the tribe originated
languages, customs and traditions. However,
from the remnant of the children of Cannan, the
similarities may be perceived in some cases. The
tribe of Nimrod. Another theory says that they are
largest three ethnic groups are the Hausa-Fulani,
from the East because their habits, manners,
the Yoruba and the Igbo (Ibo)( The World Book
customs and so on resemble that of East, those who
Encyclopedia,1993) Most of the Hausa-Fulani in
subscribe to this opinion belief that ―the East is
the north are Muslims, and most of the Igbo in the
Mecca and Mecca is the East‖ (Johnson, 1921
southeast are Christians, while the Yoruba in the
reprinted 2001, p5). Another opinion by Olumide
southwest are both Muslims and Christians, with
Lucas as it was reported by Doi (1992) postulates
Muslims slightly being the majority. Recent
that the tribe originated from Egypt. Additionally,
information reveals that there are 529 languages in
Biobaku hypothesizes that they originated from the
Nigeria, of which 522 are living languages, 7 were
―near-east and all black kingdom of Meroe in the
extinct. Out of the living 522 languages, 22 are
Sudan [which] must have played an important role
institutional and 80 are developing. It is unveils
in the transmission of Egyptian influence to the
that 358 out of these languages are vigorous, 20 are
Yoruba‖ (Doi, 1992, p.108). Furthermore, Al-Alurī
in trouble while other 42 languages are dying
(1991a and b) scrutinizes these opinions and others
(www.ethnolouge.com).
then, concludes or supports that the Yorubas were
Furthermore, the western part of Nigeria, known as originated from ancient Egypt.
Yorubaland, consists of six states: Ekiti, Lagos,
After given necessary information about Nigeria
Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. Although Kwara State
and Yorubaland, the paper discusses the coming of
is considered as a northern state politically, it has a
Islam in Yorubaland. It also delineates the meaning
significant number of Yoruba ethnic members, and
and importance of knowledge or education in Islam
the Yoruba language is the most spoken language
which is followed by aims and objectives of
in the state. Yorubaland shares borders with the
Muslim education. The paper narrates the systems
Borgu (variously called Bariba and Borgawa) in the

Available online at www.ajms.co.in 13

Historical Development of Muslim Education in Yoruba Land, Southwest Nigeria.
of education, Arabic and Islamic on the one hand
and western on the other hand. This is followed by
the integration or amalgamation of the two
systems. Problems encountered in the process are
enumerated, likewise the possible solution to them
are also itemized.
Spread of Islam in Yorubaland
It is difficult to point out the particular year that
Islam entered Yorubaland. However, Doi (1992)
argues that Aḥmad Bābā of Timbuktu, who died in
April 22 1627 C. E., mentioned in his book, Al-
kashf al-bayan li-aṣnāf majlub al-Sūdan,
(Enslaveable categories amongst the blacks
revealed and explained) that ―Yorubaland is an area
where unbelief predominates and Islam was rarely
found‖ (p.109). This means that Islam had existed
there but was not dominant (not widely practiced)
at the time he wrote his book (referring to the
period before 1627 C. E.). In other words, it can be
said that the presence of Islam has been in
Yorubaland since the early sixteenth century. Al-
Alurī (1965) advocates the earlier date of
introduction of Islam to Yorubaland. According to
him, it was during the time of Emperor Mansa
Mūsā of Mali, when the Yoruba came to know the
religion through the Mali traders and ambassadors
present in Oyo-ile, which was also known as
Katunga, the capital of the Old Oyo Empire. He
also has noted in another work that the Yoruba
people (in Oyo-ile) have known Islam since the
fifteenth century (Al-Alurī, 1985). History recalls
that there were some Arabic scholars and a mosque
at Oyo-ile in 1550 C. E (Law, 1977 and
Abubakare, 2004). Furthermore, Iwo, which is one
of the important Muslim cities in Yorubaland, is
said to have been exposed to Islam as far back as
about 1655 C. E. Islam was introduced to Iseyin in
about 1760 C. E. The first mosque in the city was
built in 1770 C. E., followed by another one in the
market place in 1800 C. E. built by Alfa Agan. The
first mosque was built in Lagos in about 1774 C. E
(Al-Alurī, 1985). Ketu, another city in the present
Lagos state, has known about Islam since 1760 C.
E. In 1790 C. E., a man called Abdulahi was
identified as a Muslim in Shaki and Oyo traders
were said to have introduced Islam to Oshogbo in
1820s. However, another source maintains that the
religion was introduced to Oshogbo by people from
the North in 1889 C. E (Al-Alurī, 1990) All these
examples are enough evidence to refute the idea
that the Fulani Jihad of 1804 C. E. brought Islam to
Yorubaland. However, there is no exaggeration in
saying that the occurrence of the Fulani Jihad
invigorated the further expansion of Islam into
some parts of the region. Ibadan is one of the most
important and biggest cities in Nigeria. It has been
a significant town in the spreading of Islam in
Yorubaland. Other important cities includes but not
limited to, Epe, Abeokuta, Ijebuode, Ede, Ikirun,
Some prominent scholars from Ilorin migrated to
those cities; some were transitory, while others
settled there.
Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(8) July, 2016
Meaning and Importance of Knowledge or
Education in Islam.
Education in Islam is defined ―as a process through
which human beings are trained and prepared in a
concerted way to do their Creator‘s bidding in this
life (dunyā) and to be rewarded in the life after the
death (ākhirah).‖ (Gulam Sarwar, 1996, p.9) It is
also defined as:
Recognition and acknowledgement,
progressively instilled into man of the
proper places of things in the order of
creation, such that it leads to the
recognition and acknowledgement of
the proper place of God in the order of
being and existence (Al-Attas, 1999,
p.21).
The committee on the Definition and
Aims of Education, from the First World
Conference on Muslim Education, which was
organised by King Abdulaziz University Jeddah
held in Makkah 1977, agreed that in Islam the
meaning of education in its totality is inherent in
the connotations of the terms tarbiyah, ta‘līm and
ta’dīb taken together. The committee members
further maintained that ―what each of the three
terms conveys concerning man, his society and
environment in relation to God is related to the
others, and together they represent the scope of
education‖ (Al-Attas, 1979, p.157).
Furthermore, Islam is not only a complete
way of life, but also a faith according to nature. It
does not want its followers to be inactive and
imperfect. Therefore, it does not leave its followers
in darkness concerning any aspect of their lives.
Hence, it attaches immense importance to the
acquisition and extention of education or
knowledge. Muslims, through their adherence to
the Qur‘ān and ḥadith, have found many
injunctions about knowledge. Wan Daud (1989)
emphasizes that the most repeated word in the
Qur‘ān, after Allah‘s names, is knowledge and its
various synonyms. It occurs 750 times, which
occupies the third highest position in terms of the
numerical tabulation and importance.
In the same vein, the first revelation to Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) orders him to read; it is a direct
order or command, which has to be fulfilled (Al-
Qur‘ān, Surah Al-A‘alā (96):1-5). Allah honours
the believers who at the same time are learned
people. The Qur‘ān says, ―Allah will exalt in
degree those of you who believe, and those who
have been granted knowledge‖ (Al-Qur‘ān, Surah
al-Mujādalah (58):11). The honour attributed to the
learned people in Islam is immense. The Qur‘ān
emphasizes the great virtue of learned people, as
their witness is truthful to the Oneness of Allah. It
says, ―There is no god but He: that is the witness of
Allah, His angels, and those endued with
knowledge, standing firm on justice. There is no
god but He the exalted in Power, the Wise‖ (Al-
14
Historical Development of Muslim Education in Yoruba Land, Southwest Nigeria.
Qur‘ān, Surah Āl ‘Imran (3):18). The importance
of knowledge is also shown in ḥadīth: it is written
in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī thus:
It is essential to know a thing
before saying or acting upon it,
according to the statement of
Allah, ―so know (O Muhammad,
pbuh) that none has the right to be
worshipped but Allah (Al-Qur‘ān,
Muḥammad: 19)‖ so Allah stated
that one should acquire knowledge
first. And religious scholars are
the inheritors of Prophets i. e. they
inherit knowledge and whoever
gains knowledge is in luck and
gains a great thing. And whoever
follows a way to seek knowledge,
Allah will make easy for him the
way to Paradise… (Ṣaḥīḥ al-
Bukhārī, 1978, vol.1:p.59).
Furthermore, history recalls that after the war of
Badr, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked each
learned prisoner of war (Quraysh) to teach ten
Muslims the art of writing (an act or a skill of
education). It is recorded that Al-Fārābī, in
emphasizing the importance of obtaining
knowledge, asserts that acquiring knowledge ―is
the highest good, because it promotes happiness,
and happiness is something that all men desire‖. He
further defines happiness as ―action by which man
attains the ends of his existence‖ (Malik, 1968,
p.66). It also mentioned that ‗Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib said
to a man called Kāmil thus:
O Kāmil, knowledge is better than
wealth, knowlegde guards you but
you are guarding wealth,
knowledge dispenses justice while
wealth seeks justice, wealth
decreases with expense while
knowledge increases with
expense. He said a learned man is
better that one who prays and
fights in the way of God. When a
learned man dies such a calamity
befalls Islam, which cannot be
removed except by his successor
(Al-Ghazzali, 2005, vol. 1:p.20).
Aims and Objectives of Muslim Education
Muslims all over the world share many similarities
by virtue of the fact that Islam is a universal
religion. Some cultures or aspects of their practice
may differ slightly from region to region, according
to the indigenous culture or civilization; yet the
root is the same all over, from the West to the East
as well as from the North to the South. Likewise,
the aims and objectives of education are the same.
The aims and objectives of Muslim education in
Nigeria are not different from those in Pakistan,
Malaysia, Morocco, or Egypt. It has been affirmed
Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(8) July, 2016
that the aim of education in Islam is to create good
and righteous men:
The aim of education in Islam is
to produce a good man. What is
meant by good in our concept of
‗good man‘? The fundamental
element inherent in the concept of
education in Islam is the
inculcation of adab (ta’dīb) for it
is adab in the all-inclusive sense I
mean, as encompassing the
spiritual and material life of a man
that instills the quality of
goodness that is sought after.
Education is what the Prophet,
Peace be upon him, meant by
adab when he said‖My Lord
educated (addaba) me and made
my education (ta’dīb) most
excellent (Al-Attas, 1979, p.1).
Wan Daud, (1998) admits that one of the key
aims of Islamic education is to attain personal
success and happiness in this world and in the
hereafter. It is to produce a good and righteous
individual who worships Allah truly, as He is
supposed to be worshiped. Islamic education is also
to serve man‘s faith and to build or form the
structure of man‘s earthly life in accordance with
Qur‘ānic and sunnah injunctions. A more
comprehensive definition of Islamic education was
composed at the First World Conference on
Muslim Education as stated below:
Education should aim at the balanced
growth of the total personality of man
through the training of man‘s spirit,
intellect, his rational self, feelings and
bodily senses. Education should cater
therefore for the growth of man in all its
aspects: spiritual, intellectual,
imaginative, physical, scientific,
linguistic, both individually and
collectively and motivate all aspects
towards goodness and the attainment of
perfection. The ultimate aim of Muslim
education lies in the realization of
complete submission to Allah on the
level of the individual, the community
and humanity at large (Al-Attas, 1979,
pp.158-9).
Syed Ali Ashraf who was an organising
secretary of the First World Conference on Muslim
Education, stated:
The aim of education should therefore
be to guide a child so that he shapes
himself as a whole being and not a
fragmented creature. He should have
knowledge of his relationship with God,
Man and Nature. His will should be
trained so that he acts for the sake of
God, selflessly, objectively and
15
Historical Development of Muslim Education in Yoruba Land, Southwest Nigeria.
willingly with the highest norms of
Truth, Justice, Honesty, Righteousness,
Love and Beauty in his mind. As a
Muslim gets this norm in the Qur‘āni
and its practical example in the life and
character of the Prophet, a Muslim
educator considers knowledge of these
two sources as invaluable and
obligatory (Ashraf, 1988, pp.1-2).
The education received must adhere to faith, which
should be reflected in the individual‘s personality.
There must be emotional attachment to the Islamic
religion. This must allow him or her to act
according to the Holy Qur‘ān, revealed knowledge
and sunnah, and to be governed by the Islamic
system of values so as to attain the real status of
khalīfatullāh on the earth. (Al- Qur‘ān, Surah al-
Baqarah :(2):30; Surah Sād (38):26).
Education in Islam aims at developing the
skills required to enable individual face real-life
situations with awareness of their accountability in
the hereafter. Muslim education aims at ensuring
the promotion of goodness (ma‘rūf) and the
prevention of bad or evil (munkar) in the
community. Education should encourage spiritual,
physical, mental, moral, cultural, as well as
material development in children in order to
prepare them for responsibility in their lives.
Students must also be prepared to work towards the
economic and material growth of their societies
with a great sense of unity and equity, not to
mention undertaking the proper management and
distribution of wealth (Gulam Sarwar, 1996).
Arabic and the Islamic Educational System
Religion is a vehicle that transports literacy to
anywhere in the world. As mentioned earlier,
Yorubaland knew about Islam since the fifteenth
century. Muslims needed to pray and recite the
Qur‘ān in the Arabic language. Therefore, it was
very important to establish Qur‘ānic schools where
Muslims learned Qur‘ān and became
knowledgeable about their religion. Qur‘ānic
schools were then started in the mosques,
corresponding to the practice of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) who educated his companions
in the mosque of Madinah al-Munawwarah. It was
in this mosque that the magnificent personalities
such as the four Caliphs (Abū Bakr, ‗Umar,
Uthmān and ‗Alī) as well as Abdullāh bin Mas‗ūd,
Zubair bin ‗Awām, and others learnt about Islam.
Moreover, Arabic is the language of the
Qur‘ān, and it has a great spiritual value to the
Muslims. There is no doubt that the spread of Islam
went along with the spread of the Arabic language,
especially when entering into non-Arabian lands
like Nigeria. The earliest centres of Arabic and
Islamic studies were believed to have emerged in
Gazargamo, the capital of the mais of Bornu
around 1480s. The teachers and merchants from
Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(8) July, 2016
Mali settled in Katsina, Kano and Anu Samman, all
in the Northern part of Nigeria.
The Yorubas, through the Oyo-ile, knew
Islam and the Arabic language, which were known
to them as esin imale and kewu respectively since
the time of Alafin Ajiboyede (King of Oyo), in the
late sixteenth century. There were Muslim scholars
(Baba-kewu) who taught Oyo Muslims both the
Qur‘ān and the ḥadīth. In addition, these scholars
served as advisers to the Alafin mentioned above
(Doi, 1992). Since this era, there have been places
for learning Qur‘ānic and Islamic knowledge (Ile-
kewu) in all of Yorubaland, with Iwo, Ibadan,
Abeokuta, Ikirun, Oyo, Epe and Ijebuode as
notable examples. During this time, Arabic or
religious learning was usually done inside mosques
or at the scholars‘ house verandas or premises.
In the twentieth century, there were many
improvements and advancements in Muslim
education. In 1904 C. E., Al-Ustādh Muḥammad
Muṣtaphā Al-Shāmī established an Arabic school
in Lagos and wrote an Arabic book called Miftāḥu
al-lugat al-‘arabiyyah li ta‘līm bi’l-ifrīqiyā al-
garbiyyah In addition, some blessed or well-to-do
Yoruba Muslims sent their children to Arabian
countries, especially Egypt, to complete their
education. Between 1910 and 1920, some Yoruba
Muslims like Alhāj Hisa Shitu of Lagos Central
Mosque and Alhāj Abū Bakr of ‗Alī Balogun
Mosque graduated from al-Azhar University in
Cairo (Al-Alurī, 1991b). During the same time,
learning centres were established in Ilorin, Ibadan,
Oyo, Iwo, Ijebu–ode and Lagos. In Ilorin,
Muḥammad Jum‗a Alabi, known as Tāj Al-Adab
(d. 1923), established a number of Adabiyya
schools, and his disciples have carried on the
tradition. One of the main disciples was Shaykh
Kamāl-Dīn Muḥammad al-Adabī (d. 2006), who
founded Anṣār al-Islām and became Muftī of
Ilorin. He provided higher education in Arabic and
Islamic studies. His legacy has been continued by
his disciples as well. Furthermore, in 1952, Shaykh
Ādam ‗Abdallāh al-Alurī established an
outstanding Arabic and Islamic centre known as
Markaz al-Ta‗līm al-‗Arabī al-Islāmī in Abeokuta,
Ogun State, but later moved to its present and
permanent place in Agege, Lagos State. He started
with six students. At the fortieth anniversary of the
institution in 1991, more than ten thousands
students were estimated to have graduated from the
institution (Al-Alurī, 1991b).
In addition, Ibadan had been a centre for
Arabic and Islamic studies since the time of Imām
Basunu (d.1871). Many great personalities came to
Ibadan, settled, and engaged in teaching. Aḥmed
Qifu and ‗Uthmān bin Abū Bakr came to Ibadan
shortly after the establishment of the city; both of
them were great learners, and both lectured and
preached in Ibadan. Shaykh Abū Bakr‘s college at
Oke Aremo was a wonderful institution that
produced many learned people. Shaykh Hārūn was
16
Historical Development of Muslim Education in Yoruba Land, Southwest Nigeria.
a notable disciple of Shaykh Abū Bakr whose
scholarship was famous throughout Yorubaland.
Aḥmad al-Rufā‗ī bin Muḥammad Bello, who lived
between 1851 to 1971, also established his
reputable Qur‘ānic and Arabic school at Oke-Are.
The school also has produced many highly
regarded scholars (Abubakre, 2004). Presently,
Ma‗had Al-‗Arabī in Elekuro is one of the
important modern Arabic and Islamic centres in
Yorubaland. The school has produced many
learned scholars. Muftau Olanihun School, Islamic
Preaching School and a host of other institutions
are modern Islamic schools situated in Ibadan.
In present Oyo (Oyo Alafin), there have
been many small Qur‘ānic learning centres since
the inception of the city; these centres are situated
in mosques and in teachers‘ houses, especially in
the quarters of Imām (Ile-lemomu) and Parakoyi.
Furthermore, some scholars have passed through
Oyo coming from Ilorin to Ibadan and vice versa.
In the same vain, in late 1940s, Shaykh Sanūsī
Alabi Adeyemi of Odeomu came to Oyo and
imparted his knowledge. Simultaneously, Shaykh
‗Abdul Azīz ‗Abdul Salām established a modern
Arabic and Islamic institution at Isoelu and later
moved it to its present place at Odo, Aro in 1971.
Few years later, Shaykh Solaudeen Kolade, a
prominent disciple of Shaykh Ādam Al-Alurī,
established the Islamic Propagation Centre (Markaz
al-Ta‗līm al-‗Arabīya) at Agunpopo area. Alhāj
Dhikirullāh Yaḥayā also instituted his school at
Imām Akeugberu‘s compound in 1989 and later
relocated it to its permanent site at Kolobo.
Currently many other Arabic and Islamic schools
have been established in these regions.
Many notable Islamic scholars migrated to
Abeokuta from Ibadan and Ilorin. Some went there
as Islamic preachers, while some not only preached
Islam but also established Qur‘ānic schools to
disseminate their knowledge to the local Muslims.
Traditional or Qur‘ānic schools have been
established in Iwo since the seventeenth century.
Nowadays, many modern Arabic schools also have
been instituted. Shaykh Muali Bukhārī founded his
school known as Markaz al-Shabab al-Islamiy in
1962 (Jubril, 2004). Other disciples of Al-Alurī,
such as Shaykh ‗Abdul Razak ‗Abdul Raḥmān,
also set up their Arabic schools after they returned
from Agege.
Qur‘ānic schools were well established in
Ikirun many years before. Prominent among these
schools was the institution initiated around 1887 by
Shaykh Ṣalāh al-Dīn Muḥamad al-‗Awal
(otherwise known as Alfa Agba, great or senior
scholar) (Folorunso, 2011). Likewise, modern
Arabic schools could be found in the city. Notable
among them is Rawḍah al-Dirāsāt al-Isalāmiyah,
which was founded in 1961 by one of the earliest
students of Al-Alurī, Shaykh Yūnus Sanūsī. His
brother, Shaykh Muṣtaphā Zaglul also established
his own institution at Isolo in 1970 (Jubril, 2004).
Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(8) July, 2016
In 1886, Shaykh Sānūsī Adeyemi
Alowolodu established a Qur‘ānic school at
Modakeke. He later migrated with many of his
colleagues to a new city called Ode-omu in 1909.
He then continued his school until his departure
from this world in 1922. His eldest son, Shaykh
Ibrāhīm Adeyemi, who became the Chief Imām of
Ode-omu between 1937 and 1973, continued as
head of the school. He also passed the leadership of
the school to his eldest son, Shaykh Sānūsī Alabi
Adeyemi, a visionary and experienced scholar who
brought the institution to the level of a modern
Arabic school in the 1960s. He renamed the school
as Ma‗had Ta‗līm lugat al-‗Arabīyah wa al-
Islāmiyah (www.ascoed.com).
Other Yoruba cities such as Ede, Osogbo,
Ikire, Ilobu, Ejigbo, Akure, Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode,
Epe, Iseyin, Shaki, Oke-Iho, Ilero and a host of
others, have established Qur‘ānic schools since the
advent of Islam in these regions. Beside the African
form of education (through oral transmission), this
was the only system of education known in
Yorubaland before the coming of Christianity.
Credit must be given to this system that reduced the
degree of illiteracy among the Yoruba people.
People kept their records in their language, yet
written in an Arabic script called ‗Ajamī. In other
words, the Arabic script was adapted to write the
Yoruba language.
Western System of Education
In 1842, Christian missionaries introduced the
western-type of education to Nigeria through
Badagry and Abeokuta. Thus, education introduced
at this early stage was interwoven with Christian
evangelism. The missionaries established and ran
the early Christian schools in Nigeria. They also
designed the curriculum for those schools with the
main objective of using the schools as tools of
conversion. (Fafunwa, 1974 and Omenka, 1989). It
has been asserted that:
The mission school was an
instrument, a very powerful
instrument, for the rapid
Christianization (and hence
Europeanization) of the youth of
Nigeria. It was an institution in
which the full pressure of
accultural influence was applied.
The Schools taught young
Nigerians to aspire to the virtues
of white civilization. They
consciously encouraged the
emulation of European culture,
and unwittingly fostered
disdainful feelings toward the
‖heathen‖ brothers of their
students. (Coleman, 1971, pp.
113-114).
Between 1842 and 1914, about ten
different Christian missions had arrived and
17
Historical Development of Muslim Education in Yoruba Land, Southwest Nigeria.
begun intensive missionary and educational
work in the country. In an educational plan, it
was categorically stated that school is the
Church, as could be seen in the following
statement:
To all intents and purposes, the
school is the church. Right away
in the bush or in the forest two are
one, and the village teacher is also
the village evangelist. An
appreciation of this fact is cardinal
in all consideration of Africa
education. (Ten year educational
plan, cited in Coleman, 1971, p.
113)
In 1857, Church Mission Society (CMS)
established a Grammar School in Lagos. By
1882, the Mission had established seventeen
elementary and infant day schools for boys and
girls in various quarters of Lagos. The Lagos
Church of England School Board controlled nine
of these schools, while the local board of the
Church Missionary Society managed others.
(www.onlinenigeria.com).
Although literary education in the 4Rs
(reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion) was
predominant, this new missionary education
prepared the recipients for new job opportunities as
teachers, church evangelists or pastors, clerks and
interpreters. Emphasis was also placed on character
training. However, from 1882, the colonial
government began a bold intervention by
promulgating codes, regulations, guidelines and
policies on the organization and management of
schools. It assigned inspectors and made grants to
schools to ensure quality.
By 1914, when the North and the South
were amalgamated as a colony, there were 59
government and 91 mission primary schools in the
South; all of the 11 secondary schools, except for
King‘s College in Lagos, were run by the missions.
When Muslim intellectuals realised the
significance of Western education and the lack of
Muslim participation in the administration of the
government, they agitated for the establishment of
Western types of Muslim schools, where Muslims
could learn Western education without jeopardizing
their religion and culture. Thus, the Anṣar-ud-deen
society of Nigeria started establishing such schools
in many cities in the southwest in the late 1930s.
This action was emulated by other Muslim groups,
such as the Aḥamadiyya, Nawar al-Deen, Zumratul
Islāmiyyah and so on.
In 1955, new education laws were
enacted, which consequently led to the initial
experiment at the Universal Primary Education
Program. In 1959, the Federal Government set up
a Commission to identify the high-level
manpower that the country needed to build its
future. The Commission‘s report suggested that
Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(8) July, 2016
education was indeed a solution for achieving
national economic expansion and the social
emancipation of individuals. Moreover, the
Commission recommended the establishment of
federal universities in the country. Therefore, the
University College of Ibadan, which had been
established in 1948 as a branch of University of
London, was upgraded and renamed as
University of Ibadan (UI). University of Nigeria,
Nsukka (1960), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
University of lfe, lle-Ife, later changed to
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and
University of Lagos (Unilag), Lagos, were all
concurrently established in 1962. University of
Benin (Uniben) was established in 1970.
(www.onlinenigeria.com). Presently, more than
twenty federal, state or privately owned
universities are established in Yorubaland.
The Integration of the Two Systems
Apparently, Al-Alurī (1981) has warned Muslims
to avoid blind imitation of Christianity. He has
called Muslim attention to the dangers of the
secular states, which is propagating separation of
religion from politics and general education from
religious education. Nevertheless, there is a strong
belief that both systems can be integrated at all
levels, beginning from the primary stage, while
providing for specialization at the higher levels.
Integration began in the late 1930s when
the Anṣar-ud-deen, Nawar al-Deen, and
Aḥamadiyya societies established their schools as
alternatives to the problem of Christianization that
the Muslims were facing. Both primary and
secondary schools were established throughout the
Western states of Nigeria.
Progressively, the University of Ibadan, the first of
its kind in Nigeria and in the West African sub-
region in the post-independence period, established
the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies in
1962 to meet the growing demand for Arabic
language and Islamic religion and culture. Students
could join the department and learn Arabic and
Islamic studies, along with Western subjects like
the English language, economics, geography,
history, political science and sociology, to mention
a few. The students would obtain Bachelor degrees.
Also since 1963, intensive certificate courses have
been offered for Arabic and Islamic teachers. In
addition, being the first of its kind in the country,
the department has given birth to other departments
and institutes of Arabic and Islamic Studies across
the country, including Departments of Religion in
the University of Ilorin, University of Jos, Lagos
State University, Olabisi Onabanjo University,
Ago-Iwoye, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti and a
host of others. Some private Arabic schools
(madāris) or Colleges have been affiliated with the
department. This includes Sulaiman College of
Arabic and Islamic Studies, Ososa Ijebu-Ode;
Anṣar-ud-deen Institute of Arabic and Islamic
Studies, Isolo, Lagos; Arabic Institute, Olodo,
18
Historical Development of Muslim Education in Yoruba Land, Southwest Nigeria.
Ibadan; and Muftau Olanihun College of Arabic
and Islamic Studies, Ibadan. (University of Ibadan.
2000). Nowadays, the department has produced
many Masters and PhD holders. Numerous
graduates have even attained their professorship
and have held substantive positions in academic
fields, as well as in society at large.
Recently, amalgamation has become
easier and more practical; many Arabic schools
have added Western subjects to their program of
study. Some have obtained licenses and established
Nursery and Primary schools, in which they have
combined both systems of education from the early
stage. Some institutions have gone to the extent of
establishing colleges of education. Arabic Institute
and Muftau Olanihun College in Ibadan, Oyo
States, are typical examples. In Ode-Omu, Osun
State, Ma‗had Ta‗līm lugat al-‗Arabiyat wa al-
Islāmiyah, now the Assānūsiyyah group of schools
is a notable example. It is currently operating a
Nursery and primary school, a western secondary
school, an Arabic school, as well as a college of
education, which offers Arabic, Islamic studies,
English, political science, computer, accounting,
secretarial studies, economics, and other courses.
Notable Muslim individuals and
organizations have also established universities.
Example of Prince Bola Ajibola who established
Crescent University at Abeokuta. Nasrul-Lahi-il
Fathi‘s (NASFAT) Fountain University at Osogbo
and Summit University of Ansar-ud-deen society
of Nigeria.
Problems of Muslim Education
Muslim education faces many problems, whether
within the Arabic system or with the Western
system. These problems could be analysed as
follows:
 Low levels of education:- This is one of
general problems facing the Islamic
institutions (madāris), most of them being
elementary (i‘dādy) or secondary (thanawī).
Some students, after graduating from these
madāris, feel that they have acquired
sufficient knowledge. As a result, they are
unwilling to further their education, which
leads to a lack of advancement in the Muslim
education system.
 Low standard of teachers or instructors in
madāris:- Most of the teachers obtained only
secondary school certificates. This leads to
low standards of their performances.
However, there are some of them who
struggle to acquire more knowledge after their
graduation, through intensive reading.
 Low standard of curriculum or syllabus:-
Some Muslim institutions narrow their
syllabus to only religious subjects or aspects;
they neglect other aspects such as science and
technology. They forget the contributions of
Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(8) July, 2016
early Islamic personalities like Ibn Sīnā, Al-
Fārābī and Jābir bin Ḥayyān who transformed
Alchemy into chemistry, or the physicist Ibn
al-Haitham, or the great mathematicians like
al-Khwārizim and al-Kindī, and a host of
others.
 Inadequate facilities:- Facilities such as
standard books, libraries, and other materials
that can support the progress of the students
are insufficient or not even available at all in
some cases in Muslims institutions.
 Lack of time management:- Most students
spend lot of time in their studies, especially in
traditional Qur‘ānic schools. Therefore, they
are unable to complement their religious
studies with other academic subjects.
 Lack of competitive opportunities:- The
fortunate ones, who go to Arab countries for
their degrees, face another problem on their
returning home. They are unable to compete
with Nigerian graduates when it comes to
securing positions in the government or public
sectors. Since the English language is an
official language of the country, language
barriers disfavour those who have studied
only in Arabic from being appointed to the
public sectors.
 Lack of job opportunities:- Arabic learners
have little or no opportunities in the Nigerian
work system. Only two ministries, foreign and
information, have Arabic departments.
Nevertheless, these few chances are also
taken by non-arabic literate or graduate by
virtue of their Western education.
Possible Solutions.
The following are suggested solutions to the
identified and related problems facing Muslim
education in Yorubaland. However, these
solutions also can be applied to similar problems,
wherever they exist in the Muslim world.
 The proprietors (mudarau) of primary and
tertiary schools should improve the standard
of their institutions. They should also make
students aware that they only posses
elementary or secondary school certificates.
Doing so, will minimize the students‘ ego or
thinking that they had acquired all the
available knowledge or reached the peak of
education.
 The proprietors should not be rigid in their
syllabus, limiting subjects only to religious
studies. They should integrate their approach
with the current trend, and add some Western
academic subjects like the English language,
government, economics, physics, chemistry,
geography, computer, to mention but a few.
 The teachers should improve their standards
by seeking more knowledge. They also should
19
Historical Development of Muslim Education in Yoruba Land, Southwest Nigeria.

be subjected to periodic review, so that they Conclusion

will be able to demonstrate the level of
competency expected of them.
 Muslim students should be encouraged to
enter into the fields of science and
technology, and all other disciplines, to
elevate the Muslim standard in Yorubaland
particularly, and in Nigeria as a nation
generally. Although, there are some Muslims
who have established themselves in the
mentioned fields but more are still needed.
 The graduates of local Islamic institutions
should be encouraged to further their studies
in the institutions of higher education, in order
to secure jobs and elevate the level of poverty,
which is associated with Muslims.
 The graduates from Arab countries should try
to gain mastery of the English language, so
that they would be able to fit into the working
environment of the public sectors and
contribute to the development of the nation.
By doing this, they will not be neglected or
ridiculed by local graduates (Muslim or non-
Muslim) or by the government. Even those
who are in da‘wah (outreach or propagation)
should realised that da‘wah should also be
passed to people who cannot understand
Arabic or the propagator‘s (da‘i‘s) local
language.
 Government should create more opportunities
for those who have studied in Arabic, neither
underrating their knowledge in contributing to
the nation, nor discriminating against them.
Concisely, the Yorubas have known about Islam as
far back as the fifteenth century. Islam is not only a
religion, but also a complete way of life. The
Yoruba Muslims believe that their religion is
incomplete without religious knowledge. Because
of that, they adhere to its teachings through Islamic
education. The advent of colonialism and
Christianity changed their way of life. Their
children then encountered many problems in
acquiring knowledge. Western education brought
changes to the worldly life and is integrated with
modern society; therefore, it needs to be acquired.
Islamic education also is needed, in order to
prosper in this world and the hereafter. There is a
correlation between both types of education. In
order to balance life in this world and in the
hereafter, amalgamation of the two systems is
necessary.
Consequently, progress in this direction
started in Muslim education in 1930s, through slow
but steady phases. Some organizations performed
meritorious actions to improve standards of
Muslim education. For further improvements,
Arabic school proprietors should render immense
sacrifices and Muslim parents should allow their
progeny to go to school in order to eradicate the
problems that Muslims are facing today, politically,
economically and socially. Through sound
education, true role models will be produced, good
individuals—men and women—will be developed,
which in the end will lead to the development of a
better society.

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