Globalization and its effect on Okun-Yoruba: an ethno-historical perspective

Abstract

The “world society” which globalization portends has both multifactorial and multifaceted underpinnings for African historiography. The issues of international free trade, integrated globalized economy, multinational trade agreements, universalized nancial markets and world-wide social relations have historical relevance, which this piece contends are of paramount importance to traditional African societies. Scholarly historical works have been done on globalization and its effects on Africa, but not much has been done on its concomitant effects on traditional Africa. Therefore, this piece claries, espouses and critiques globalization and its application within traditional African milieu. Africa has come under the onslaughts of westernization and globalization and by using the Okun-Yoruba as a case study, the paper examines the inuence of globalization on a traditional African locale which has come under the inuence of westernization, modernity and globalization. In the face of global aggression and violence against Africa, multiple economic abuses and intimidation, collective violence of pauperization committed on the continent, it is clearly emerging that there is the need for a historical study of the phenomenon of globalization on traditional African communities, and to assess the implications of the universalization of nations.