Pre-Colonial Security System in Akungba-Akoko, South-West Nigeria

Abstract

There is no doubt that security has always remained one of the major pillars on which the development of any human society is built. In fact, it is doubtful if any society has prospered in the absence of security. This is because it is only under a secure atmosphere that all machinery of development can perform effectively and bring about the desired goals. Even in pre-colonial Yorubaland, the people recognized the significance of security to their well-being and as such, they had in place various mechanisms aimed at the maintenance and sustenance of their security. It is on this basis that this paper identifies and examines the main features of the internal security system of Akungba-Akoko prior to colonialism. It is observed and argued that a major reason why the system was effective was the fact that it was built around the existing socio-political structure of the society, which closely involved the people and made them see themselves as major stakeholders. The study is pursued through the historical methodologies of narration and critical analysis of data, while the concept of African socialism is used as the framework for analysis. The paper, therefore, concludes that there are lessons in the pre-colonial security arrangements that contemporary Nigerian society can learn from and which may go a long way to address some of its existing security challenges.