POL 106 INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN POLITICS

BY
E.B.A. AGBAJE, PhD
Department of Political Sciences
OSUN STATE UNIVERSITY, OSOGB O, NIGERIA
Email: ebagbaje@yahoo.com; elijah.agbaje@uniosun.edu,ng
GSM +234-8055918422
+234-8060665135

LECTURE 5

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE PRECOLONIAL AFRICAN SOCIETY

AND MECHANISM FOR MITIGATING CONFLICT
Introduction
This topic seeks to introduce us to the nature of social economy formation of traditional
African society before prior to the European interference. Contrary to the claim made by
any European analyst of Africa not having a pattern of social existence, the pre-colonial
African society, just like any human society, has recognizable features of social
economic activities. As we have learnt it in our previous lesson that traditional African
society had an enduring political system so also was African not lacking in social
economic system sufficient to meet various challenges of its developmental epoch

Just as Traditional African society had perquisite economic structures, it also

recognized that conflict remains a normal and recurring feature of any society.
Therefore, the traditional African society also had her challenges. In the same vein,
there were mechanism developed by the traditional African people to mitigate, address
and resolve conflict anytime it occurs. This LECTURE explains this aspect of the African
traditional political formations.

Learning Objectives
In the first section of the main Lecture, the student will come:
To appreciate that before the coming of the Europeans into Africa, Africans had a
comparatively robust and gradually improving symbiotic reinforcement between politics
and economy with principles, frameworks and institutions designed with cultural inbuilt
to address African economic and material needs. Be able to identify and explain notable
economic principles and structures that existed in Africa before the coming of the
Europeans.
In the second section of the Lecture, student should appreciate that there is no society
across ages and climes devoid of conflict. Appreciate that conflict is a standard feature
of all societies.
Appreciate that Africans had their mechanisms for resolving and managing conflict.
Be able to explain the usefulness of these mechanisms in conflict resolution even in
this modern times.

I. Features of African Traditional Political Economy

Listed hereunder are the major features/characteristics of traditional African political
economy.
a. Clan social economic grouping of the society
b. Family as the primary economic unit of the society
c. Predominance of agriculture and pastoral farming
d. Communal ownership and control of land.
e. Individual and group cooperation in economic activities
f. Land and resource allocation based on egalitarian and need principle
g. Low and rudimentary production technology
h. Insufficient or absence of critical life enhancing amenities
i. Concurrent Manifestation of three epochs of production.

1. Clan-based social economic grouping of the society

In the pre-colonial society the common Economic grouping across the traditional
African society centered on the clan system. Clan is usually is a population of people
whose evolution derives from a grandparent, thus having the same value, culture,
occupation, customs and history.

2. Family as the primary economic unit of the society

Just like the modern society, the traditional African society sees the family as the basic
economic unit. It is the aggregate of what the families produce that makes up the total
production of the society.

3. Predominance of agriculture and pastoral farming

Giving the climatic condition of African society, economic activities can largely be group
into two In regions with favorable rain fall climate farming particularly the growing of
tubers and fruits and hunting were the major occupation, whereas in regions where rain
fall was low pastoral farming having to do with raring of animal was the major
occupation. However, in both systems, the economics buoyancy and needs of the
society is determined and sustained by the size of the family.

4. Communal ownership and control of land

It is a common knowledge, even in the modern era that land is a prime factor of
production. Unlike the modern era, where land is exclusively acquired and owned by
individuals, land in the communal African society was a property of the community
which administers, allocates or apportion same on the basis of equality of members
and need. In the traditional African society, no adult is landless.
The correlates the wisdom of Pheidon of Corinth, who argued: For justice to be attained
in any human society the number of plots should be equal to the number of the
population. It was further noted, that land being the primary factor of production,
separate man from the land and exterminate him.

5. Individual and group cooperation in economic activities

Giving the low level of development of productive forces, for people to meet their
individuals and groups has to cooperate with one another in the task of production. This
cooperation particularly among people of similar age grade and occupation guild covers
virtually every areas of productive needs of man. It manifests in farming, hunting,
harvesting, house building, commerce, defense and prosecution of war. Even in raising
capital for commerce. The later manifest in various ways, it involves Owe, Esusu, Aaro
and other similar practices that are meant to facilitate production and commerce
beyond the limit of individual capability.

6. Low and rudimentary production technology

While traditional African society engaged in social economics and productive
activities it was however characterized particularly at the onset by low
technology . Instrument of agriculture farming were either sticks or animal bones
at the onset and later hoes and cutlasses. Later some level of craft were
developed which yielded improvement in productive practices and fabrication of
tools, such as iron stick, cutlass, bows, arrows, and guns through the efforts of
craft men like Iron smelters, Blacksmiths and Terra cotta workers.

7. Insufficient or absence of critical life enhancing amenities

A very distinctive feature of traditional social economic system was the absence
of life enhancing g facilities e.g modern tools and technology for working,
preservation mechanism for foods and production, absence of easy
transportation means, lack of knowledge that is adequate on how to control on
favorable weather or climate, and control disease outbreak. However, despite the
low level of development, Africans were able to overcome several of health,
production and communication challenges using native knowledge. In Africa,
there were traditional matrons, health practitioners, astrologers, diviners, who
uses African belief system to interpret life and its offerings.

8. Concurrent manifestation of three epochs of productions

As a matter of fact, the traditional African society in terms of political economy
had all the basic features of any social system and just like any other society it
was not only producing for its need or to meet it needs, mechanism of exchange
for goods and services was also well established or entrenched and just like any
other society the traditional Africa society also witnessed concurrent
manifestation of the earliest three major epochs of mode of production, namely:
primitive communalism, slavocracy and feudalism as features of the African
 traditional economic system.
Even the modern system of mutual financial assistance presented by
modern cooperative society had the comparison in the traditional African
society where we had Owe, Esusu, Aaro and so on within the Yoruba
civilization.

2 Mechanisms for mitigating conflict in Traditional African Society

Just like any human society, the traditional African society was made up of people of
different background and origin and therefore different strands of interests. Everywhere
this obtains, there is bond to be conflict of interest. Just like the modern society, the
TAS also had mechanisms for mitigating the impact of conflict on the unity and peace
of the society.
These are otherwise considered as peace variables, and they include:
1. Appeal to ancestral linkage
In African setting, it is believed that members of a political community are
nucleus relations. They are kits and kin and descendants of the same ancestral
parents. This knowledge and claim of natural bond generates a strong platform
for communal unity, peace and progress. Even in times of conflict and
disagreement, an appeal to this ancestral source often serve to mitigate conflict.

2. Teaching and impartation of societal/social norms

Another attribute that contributes to peace and order in traditional African
community is the continuous teaching and impartation of societal norms and
values. The older generations make it a responsibility to impart on the minds of
the younger generation as they grow those virtues that upholds the wellbeing of
the society. The virtue of honesty, the virtues of hard work, selflessness,
cooperative existence, unity and mutual progress. They are taught the necessity
of observing the social norms, being loyal to parents, adults, and paying due
obeisance to the rulers. They teach they to abhor dishonesty, theft and stealing,
murder, promiscuity, and other vices that destroys the social fabric of the society.
In traditional African society, every adult is a father and a mother who sees the
need to nurture every child; and to every child, every adult is either a mother or a
father.

3. Hosting of communal festivals and feasts

Communal festival creates strong link between rulers and subjects in traditional
African community. During festivals, both the rulers and subjects freely wine and
dine together; they dance and felicitate without any social distinction. Festival
represents an occasion for people of different classes, associations,
occupational guilds to come together.
4. Encouragement of Inter-communal marriage
One of the strong pillars that upholds the traditional African society is the
strategy of intercommunal marriage. It is often given as divine injunction that
warring community make peace by exchanging sons and daughter in marriage to
 create and maintain social bond and friendliness instead of enmity. When
communities are fighting, diviners often make it a condition for the important
personalities and royal families to exchange their children in marriage. Because
none of the subjects is expected to marry within their family, they are expected to
be well-behaved so as to be accepted by the family of their esteemed suitors.

5. Prohibition of intra-group marriage

In Africa, intra-group marriage is prohibited. To be accepted as virtuous persons
in the community, and be able to find equally virtuous partner, boys and girls and
their families are expected to be of good conduct. The social sanction against
unscrupulous behavior, particularly when it comes to marriage is well known and
accepted.

6. Tribal/lineage identity
As it is with all human societies, the traditional Africa has its share of conflict
and unrest. This at times result to war and armed conflict thereby engendering
attack on perceived enemies, resulting into enslavement of a group by another,
human carnage and death. To avert the possibility of members of the same
ancestral community attacking themselves in times of war and conflict, there
was the need for members to have a means of identifying themselves. One of the
means of identity in the traditional society is tribal marks. It enables the
members of the same family to identify themselves in terms of conflict.

7. Age grade grouping and solidarity

Another platform for mutual understanding and progress in traditional African
community is the age grade system. Individuals born around the same time often
made to come together as peers. They jointly explore life and face challenges
resulting from it with common strength and unity. Many times, they are known to
cooperate socially, economically and politically. Membership of such groups
often promote emulation of good deeds and virtues.

8. Limit of arbitrary use of power

Power is corrupt and absolute power is corrupt absolutely. The tendency by
power holders to abuse their privileges and office is a constant feature of human
history. Therefore, this problem also rears its ugly head in traditional African
society. Therefore, Africa also device the means of checking such abuses
through various institutions such as Kingmakers, Council of Chiefs, Council of
Ulamas, the Secret Cult, the Chief Priests and other cultural norms. No King, for
instance in Yorubaland dare abuse the customs and traditions of the society
without being forced to abdicate or banished from the throne. In some instances,
the King is made to open the Sacred Calabash to administer poison on himself or
his entire lineage is prevented from ever mounting the throne thereafter. All these
serve as checks on tendency to abuse one’s power and position in utter
disregard for the right, interest of the subject and health of the community.

9. Sanctity of and Adherence to social sanctions

 Unlike nowadays, laws are respecter of no one in the traditional African society.
Once made, all are subject to the law and must observe its dictates and letters to
the last. Likewise, transgression of social norms and customs attracts severe
sanction which is respecter of no one. The finger that offends must be severed.
The likelihood of any wrongdoer escaping justice in the traditional society is rare.
If the living can be cheated, the invocation of the ancestral injunctions respects
no one, except if appropriately appeased. In Yoruba parlance, “Ma se, loogun
maku” trans: “Not doing it, is the antidote against dying”. Certainty of punishment
for transgression serves a great deal to curtail social abuse in the traditional
political system

5.4 In-text Questions

1. Has African any economic system before the coming of the Europeans?
2. No society is conflict free. Discuss.
3. Societal peace is never given but strived at by people desiring it. Discuss.

Activities
1. Discuss with any elderly around you some of the Economic principles adopted in the
precolonial era.
Discuss, giving a detailed insight of your understanding of the precolonial political
system and economy of your community of origin with a Group of Your Class Mate.
Interact with an elderly African man or woman to appraise the veracity of any of the
above propositions on maintenance of peace in traditional African society.