Book Description:
The History of the Yorubas, written by Samuel Johnson and posthumously edited by his brother Dr. Obadiah Johnson, is a foundational work in West African historiography. Drawing on oral tradition, local records, and missionary archives, the book offers a detailed and vivid chronicle of the Yoruba people, tracing their origins, political systems, cultural practices, religious beliefs, and the rise and fall of key kingdoms such as Oyo.
This groundbreaking text blends myth and fact to reconstruct a pre-colonial African past often erased or misunderstood by Western narratives. Johnson, a Yoruba clergyman and historian of Sierra Leonean descent, provides not only an account of royal lineages and civil wars but also a passionate defense of African civilization at a time when colonial misrepresentations were dominant.
A masterful example of African intellectual resistance, The History of the Yorubas remains a vital resource for understanding Yoruba identity, African nationalism, and indigenous historical methodology.
