Muslim Education In Oyo Alaafin: Challenges And Developments Analysis

Abstract

Islam as a (dÊn) religion and a perfect way of life was the first vehicle that conveyed education to the people of Oyo Alaafin, as it has done so in many parts of the country (Nigeria). This form of education is termed here as Arabic/Islamic education. Later on, Christianity came in with another system known as Western education. Generally, education is seen as a catalyst for knowledge acquisition as well as an instrument of growth, development, transformation and civilization. Be that as it may, the paper depicts the geographical location of Oyo Alaafin on the map, discusses the emergence of Islam in Oyo and talks about what is meant by education. It analyses how the Oyo people were acquainted with the Arabic/Islamic system of education before other forms of education. The study also exposes the challenges that the Western type of education posed on the Arabic/Islamic form and the resistance from the latter. It also sheds light on the gradual development(s) that led to the harmonization and amalgamation of the two educational systems. The research provides some suggestions for further enhancement of Muslim education not only in Oyo Alaafin, but also in Nigeria as a whole. This paper is essentially a library-oriented research, which involved acquisition of materials and data from books, journals, online journal articles and magazines. Furthermore, some interviews were also conducted.