the characteristics of a settled community of sojourners rather than a community of circulatory migrants. Many were already doing well in their businesses. But the world economic depression of the early 1930’s saw the economic gains of the early years go down the drain. However, as the recession years passed by, the prosperity that came along in the 1940s and 50s made a remarkable imprint on Igbomina as ownership of houses with corrugated iron sheets, became a status symbol found in most Igbomina villages. By this time there was great glamour and prestige associated with migration especially to Lagos. It was seen as rite-de-passage, to be a real man (enlightened) you have to have been to Lagos at least once. Nearly all of the earliest migrants were exporting their strength and not their skill and were going to work as labourers. Petty trading accounted for more then fifty per cent of the occupational group as they graduated from labourer work. As the early days of migration passed by, a good many Igbomina migrants took permanent residence in Lagos. They were no longer returning home at the end of dry seasons. The peculiar characteristic of early migration, when the number of times visits were made to Lagos determined ones social status among the “civilised” people, became old fashioned. Gradually, a community of Igbomina settled migrants emerged at various locations on Lagos Island. Their places of early settlement were Ereko, Enu Owa, Ebute-ero, Obanikoro, Onala, Princess Street, Dosunmu, Idumagbo, all of which played host to them on arrival. Early migrants lived a closely knitted life. The pattern of settlement was such that village community members lived very close to each other or sometimes lived in single room apartments. This not only ensured personal security for all, but also implies a direct transfer of the traditional socio-cultural life practised at home to the new environment. Such jointly acquired apartment was often the Mecca of every new migrant arriving in Lagos from home. They came
NAI, 09512 VOL. XII. “Annual Report on the colony 1949” The organisational pattern was confirmed among Lagos migrants. They were bounded by no form of tribal discipline and owned allegiance to no native authority. Alhaji Agbabiaka Yakubu (aged 90yrs) & Baba Adini Sule Alaga Ile Onikoyi Oro (aged 87) were interviewed at Oro 9th August 2000. Fakeye, J.O. interview 21st August 2000. Also Alhaji Kareem Alogbo (aged 68) was interviewed at Esie on 10th August 2000 and December 2004. Ibid. Ibid. NAI, COMCOL I- 797/1 Vol. I, “Census of Beggars”, NAI, COMCOL I 12/s. 12 1934-1937 Pp.387&390, NAI, 1016, Vols. III&IV “Undesirables in Township and the suburbs, Repatriation of – 1937-52”. NAI, 248s/S.178. Oro Progressive Union in a letter dated 28th November 1953, informed the Administrator of the Colony of the inauguration of the union on 22nd November 1953. Membership was said to have opened to all indigenes of Oro with good behaviour, depicting the moralising undertone of the ethnic unions. Ibid Adrian, J.P. Choice, Class and Conflict: A Study of Southern Nigeria Factory Workers The Harvest Press) 1979 p.35 Alhaji Owolewa Interviewed 15th August 2000. Prof. Afolayan. Interviewed 30th August 2000. Alhaji Owolewa Salman. Interviewed 15th August 2000. Joseph Oyinloye and Joseph Aransiola of Iludun Alhaji Owolewa of Omu-Aran, Alh. Karimu Famous interviewed 30th & 15th August 2000
Banton, M. “Adaptation and Integration in the Social System of Immigration in Freetown” AFRICA: Journal of International Africa Institute VOL. XXVI Jan. 1956 No1 p. 354. Ibid. Ibid. p.355. Even when census data is available, it is often difficult to get accurate information on Igbomina population in Lagos at this time. They were often classified as Ilorin along with other Yoruba from the province such the Ibolo and Ekiti. Interview conducted at Lagos and Igbominaland shows that many Igbomina migrants got married to Ijebus, including one of the principal informants in this research, Pa. Fakeye at Esie. The socio-cultural life exhibited during festivals, weddings and naming ceremonies bears close similarity to Lagos social life. Osoba, S.O. “The Phenomenon of …” p.536. Guennec-Coppens, F. “Social and Cultural Integration: A Case Study of the East Africa Hadrauss” in AFRICA VOL. 59 No.2 1989 pp 185-195 Crytal, D. (ed) The Cambridge Encyclopaedia 4th Edition (Cambridge University Press 2000) Beazley, M. Joy of Knowledge Encyclopaedia. (London, Heinemann Educational Books Nig. Ltd 1976). Bray, S.S. “Incursion” Microsoft Student 2007 (DVD) Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation 2006. Ibid.