Imperial Crises And Their Effect On The Status Of Islam In Yorubaland In The Nineteenth Century

This paper is an attempt to examine the status of Islam in Oyo and its environs1 in the era of politico-constitutional throes. Originally, the locus of authority rested with the Alaafin who, in fact, could be called an emperor for there was, at the apogee of Oyo civilisation, what could be called an empire. Under normal situation, and human beings being what they are, in an heterogeneous community there could not but exist some rebellion-prone people. Oyo power was later challenged by some people, Afonja in particular, and the subsequent struggle for hegemony made tremendous impact on the status of Islam in this period and the raison detre for the present monarchical set up in Ilorin. However, it would be expedient to examine the status of Islam in the area covered by this paper betöre the emergence of the rampage that affected not only Oyo as the headquarters of the Old Oyo but tne whole of the Old Oyo E