INTERCULTURALISM IN THE WRITINGS OF YORUBA GRADUATES OF ARAB UNIVERSITIES, 1964-2012

Abstract

The Yoruba-Arab contact, traceable to the 16th century commercial visits, had a eligiointellectual impact on the former and is evident in the writings of Yoruba Graduates of Arab Universities (YGAU) which are replete with intercultural features. Existing studies have largely concentrated on the socio-cultural, economic and spiritual impacts of the Yoruba-Arab contact on the writings of traditional Yoruba "Ulama while the works of YGAU, between 1964 and 2012, have been neglected. This study, therefore, examined themes and styles in the writings of selected YGAU, with a view to determining the extent of intercultural influences in them. The study adopted Edward Said’s specular and syncretic border intellectual theory. The purposive sampling technique was adopted in selecting 34 Arabic writings of 24 YGAU comprising seven al-Naqd al-Adabi (Literary criticism), eight al-Din (Religion), four al-Lisaniyydt (Linguistics), two al-Manhajiyyah (Methodology), four al-Tarjamah (Biography), and nine 'Ilm al-Ijtima' (Sociology), based on major historical phases and geographical distribution of the universities: North Africa, nine and Asia, 11. Data were subjected to historical and critical analysis. The YGAU’s writings had three historical phases: 1964 - 1984, 1984 - 1994 and 1994 - 2012. The YGAU were divided into Syncretic Border Intellectuals (SYBI) and Specular Border Intellectuals (SPBI). The SYBI (10), mostly language specialists, preferred non-religious themes and Arabo-Yoruba style while the SPBI (14) favoured religious themes and conventional Arabic discourse. The first phase featured four works: one sociology and three biography which presented the life experiences of some eminent Yoruba ‘Ulama’. The works featured Islamic doxology and adoption of Quranic verses. While adopting the Arabo-Islamic style, there was a deviation from conventional Arabic themes. The second phase witnessed seven works: one biography, three sociology, one language and two religion. While the biographical work accounted for a prominent Yoruba scholar, that of sociology focused on globalisation and da’wah in Nigeria. Language works focused on rhetorical analysis, whereas religious works featured the Islamic creed. Although three works contained exculpative expressions, they all utilised registered words, Islamic doxology and simple language. Apart from biography and exculpative expressions traceable to the Yoruba ‘Ulama’, the patronised themes and styles were similar to that of the Arab. The third phase featured 23 writings: two religion, nine sociology, two language, five literature and two methodology. While religious works addressed socio-religious issues and canonical Islamic rituals, sociological works analysed the Yoruba culture and its interplay with foreign culture. Works on language and literature centred on conceptual and aesthetic analysis, and literary comparison. The works on methodology treated modern Arabic research. Whereas three works: one religion and two non-religion utilised Islamic doxology, the rest featured quotations and paraphrases. While all North Africa’s works focused on language, the Asia’s were not, though, both agreed in styles. The works on methodology and the art of aesthetic analysis were adopted from the Arab while exculpative expressions were borrowed from the Yoruba ‘Ulama The intellectual writings of Yoruba graduates of Arab universities were driven by their exposure to the intercultural link between the Yoruba and Arab worlds. Differences in their themes and styles resulted from their uneven attachment to the culture of the homeland.