GNS 102: Introduction To Nigerian History PDF

GNS 102: INTRODUCTION TO NIGERIAN HISTORY CGNS DEPARTMENT PROF. COMFORT ONIFADE & MR. O.O. THOMPSON 1 MODULE ONE Topic One: What is History? Topic Two: Sources of Nigerian History. Topic Three: Significance of L...

GNS 102: INTRODUCTION TO NIGERIAN HISTORY CGNS DEPARTMENT PROF. COMFORT ONIFADE & MR. O.O. THOMPSON 1 MODULE ONE Topic One: What is History? Topic Two: Sources of Nigerian History. Topic Three: Significance of Learning History Topic Four: Challenges of History Topic 1: What is History The word ‘history’ was derived from the Greek word historia – which means inquiry. History is an important branch of knowledge (discipline) in the study of man and society. The definition could be looked at from two dimensions - namely, history as a process and history as a study/ discipline 3  History, at the first level, is a process defined by Karl Marx as the relationship between man and his environment and the influence of his environment on man. History at this level refers to the events, episodes – the totality of the changes and experiences or happenings which humanity has undergone ever since the emergence of human society. The subject matter of history as a process is MAN, not as a biological unit but man in society (social man) who is susceptible to change. The changing activities of man over time constitute the transformation of societies. 4  History at the second level as an academic discipline is the reconstruction, study and explanation of these changes which humanity has undergone It is an organised critical study of past activities of human beings that had produced significant effects on subsequent course of events. It is the study of past human activities at a particular place over a given period of time so as to record changes over time. It is the systematic study of the process, events or motion of events through the aid of records or sources 5  History refers to both the events of the past and the study of these events. The central issue in both i.e. the occurrence of events as well as their study is CHANGE. There would be no history if there was no change SUNNYWISE 6 An Old TV Set 7  Common Words Used in History Causes: refers to the basis, foundations, reasons, roots, or origins of an event or factors responsible for an event. This can be: Political Economic Social Course: refers to the process of the event. Cause: Consequences: refers to the effects, impact or implications of the event. 8 Topic 2: SOURCES OF HISTORY Sources refer to the records from which information about the process and studies of past events (history) were obtained. Without these sources, the historian would not be able to get facts with which to write. To the Historian, facts are sacred and a duty not a virtue. He depends on sources in order to understand historical events. There are three types of sources – primary, secondary and tertiary. This could also be written or unwritten  Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Sources Primary sources contain materials or information which is the direct experience or original thought of the writer or the person giving the writer the information he is recording. Examples of primary sources include oral tradition, oral testimonies and archives, diaries and maps. Secondary sources are materials or works based on primary sources. Examples are written sources like books, journals, newspapers, e.t.c. Tertiary sources are auxiliary sources that cover a wide range of relevant information from other disciplines like linguistics, Archaeology, Biology, Anthropology, e.t.c Oral Tradition This means orally preserved information. They are any piece of historical information transmitted by word of mouth or verbally and passed from generation to generation. It includes folklores, songs, proverbs, legends, king lists, and oral narratives e.t.c. Oral testimonies - are more recent accounts of the past transmitted by word of mouth.  Importance of Oral Tradition Oral traditions and oral sources are basic in the reconstruction of Nigerian history. They are the most abundant sources and they exist in every part of the country. In the absence of other sources, oral traditions are valuable as they become the only source of information for the history of a particular area. They are important, in varying degree, for all aspects of the periods of Nigerian history - political, economics & social. They constitute the main body of Nigeria historical data especially during the colonial period. Sometimes, some of the stories or legends may help an archaeologist to confirm a finding or discovery and thus throw some light on the history of the area  Shortcomings Of Oral Tradition The problem of human memory i.e. Tendency to forget important facts. The more distant the occurrence of events in the past the more difficult they are to recall. Oral traditions are easily open to exaggeration and distortions. Political consideration may lead a narrator to distort the fact of an event. SUNNYWISE Written Sources Written sources, like oral sources, may be primary or secondary. They are derived from all official and legal documents, diaries, letters, newspapers, industrial and commercial records, maps etc. Merits of Written Sources They have a relatively high preservative value when compared with oral sources. When kept safe, they last for a long time without being destroyed Able to communicate the same type and quality of information to readers at different periods/times without depreciation or distortion of the content as is usually the case with oral tradition There is no problem of loss of memory in written sources unlike oral sources. Materials are easy to get unlike the tertiary source  Limitations of Written Sources They are not evenly distributed in time and space. Some are usually not relevant to Nigerian history before the coming of the Europeans. Some of the written account of Nigerian history by Europeans are sometimes biased. Some are written to suit political or racial interest and this error may be taken up by later generations as authentic truth Written sources can easily be corrupted in the process of preservation if proper care is not taken. It can also be easily lost through destruction by fire, rain or insects if not properly preserved. Some people, like government officials, sometimes deliberately destroy documents. Defacing such documents could cause loss of a particular information Archaeology Can be defined as the study of dug up materials. It is a method of studying the past through the relics dug up from the ground. This consists of materials remains of human beings in the past such as building, tools for domestic use, skeletal remains, fossils, bones of animals e.t.c. These are all important sources for socio-economic and even political history.  Merits of Archaeology Archaeology can extend our knowledge about Nigerian part deeper that written or oral sources. For instance, objects made of stone can survive over a long period of time. It provides powerful concrete evidence of human achievements and activities dating back to thousands of years. Buried artefacts are significant point of reference in measuring civilization especially where oral and written sources are not available. It has the ability to provide data out of which absolute dates may be calculated through analytical tools and techniques from other disciplines  Limitations of Archaeology Many materials do not survive. Only materials which cannot perish lend themselves to study. As a result there may be scarcity of materials to study. The centre of civilization may shift from one place to another, thereby making the availability of archaeological materials a derivation of chance. In other words, archaeological materials are not found everywhere. Some places are rich in them while others are remarkably poor. Archaeology cannot furnish as much detailed information as written sources. For instance, the chronology derived from archaeology is often imprecise. Furthermore, archaeologists tend to study communities rather than individuals.  Food Language Names Dress/Panegyrics or Cognomen, incantation Music Tribal Marks 20 Topic 3: Significance and challenges of History To be a good and informed citizen To learn from past mistakes and not repeat it To understand the changing pattern of the nation’s development To understand the differences in culture and how we got to where we are. To be able to write logically and chronologically To make accurate predictions and analysis To rediscover self SUNNYWISE Topic 4: Challenges of Teaching History Lack of Qualified Teachers National Question Dilemma Religiousity Ethnicity Foreign Influence Western Education Archival/Documentation Issues Non-Disclosure of Elites/Political Actors Government Policies Poor Funding 22