In Ibadan, about 12.6 percent of the total population undertook special trip to recreation centres or zoological gardens, undertaken such trips results in substantial economy expenditure, it has been observed that the local businesses have made efforts to satisfy the demand of visitors to recreation centres in Ibadan, especially during the time of eidl kabeer, eidl adha and also during the Ester period. The zoological garden in Ibadan is in the heart of the University of Ibadan (UI), recreation centres in Ibadan are known for it renowned for its attraction during the peak period of end of Ramadan celebrations. Nearly 2,500 visitors are recorded monthly in all recreation centres across the city, the activities of gardens and recreation centres in Ibadan are controlled by Ministry of Transportation and Tourism. There are needs for recreation centres in Ibadan because the State government in her quest to diversify the mono cultural economy which is depend on internal revenue, has decided to take some measures to promote recreation sites and tourism across the city of Ibadan. Keywords: Ibadan, Recreation centres, University of Ibadan, Ministry of transportation and tourism

Abiola, Ibraheem Mikail

English

International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE): E-Journals

Historical Research Letter                                                                                                                                      www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3178 (Paper)  ISSN 2225-0964 (Online) Vol.35, 2016  40 Recreation Facilities and Tourism in Ibadan Historical Context According to Islamic Perspective  Ibraheem Mikail Abiola Department Of History and Civilization, International Islamic University,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia  Abstract In Ibadan, about 12.6 percent of the total population undertook special trip to recreation centres or zoological gardens, undertaken such trips results in substantial economy expenditure, it has been observed that the local businesses have made efforts to satisfy the demand of visitors to recreation centres in Ibadan, especially during the time of eidl kabeer, eidl adha and also during the Ester period. The zoological garden in Ibadan is in the heart of the University of Ibadan (UI), recreation centres in Ibadan are known for it renowned for its attraction during the peak period of end of Ramadan celebrations. Nearly 2,500 visitors are recorded monthly in all recreation centres across the city, the activities of gardens and recreation centres in Ibadan are controlled by Ministry of Transportation and Tourism. There are needs for recreation centres in Ibadan because the State government in her quest to diversify the mono cultural economy which is depend on internal revenue, has decided to take some measures to promote recreation sites and tourism across the city of Ibadan.  Keywords: Ibadan, Recreation centres, University of Ibadan, Ministry of transportation and tourism.  RECREATION FACILITIES AND TOURISM SITES IN IBADAN There are needs for recreation centres in Ibadan because the State government in her quest to diversify the mono cultural economy which is depend on internal revenue, has decided to take some measures to promote recreation sites and tourism across the city of Ibadan. The measure includes the founding of the National Tourism Policy (NTP) in 1990 by the Federal government also the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in 1992,1 the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and the National Travel Bureau (NTB), the aim for the formation of these tourism and recreation bodies can be summarized as follows: 1- To make Ibadan and Nigeria as a whole the ultimate tourism centre in Africa 2- To make Tourism and recreation one of the foreign exchange earners in an oil dependent economy. In Ibadan, there are classifications in the tourism and recreation  1-  Ecology tourism: This includes the geophysical, geological, and geomorphologic features such as mountains, waters, dams, parks, forest reserve, botanical and zoological gardens, hydro electrical power, oil pipe lines, sporting facilities, other notable engineering structures, travel and accommodation facilities, and so on. 2-  Traditional cultural tourism: This includes the museum, art and galleries, historical monuments, religious and national festivals, art and crafts, natural features like sites and buildings. The notable recreation centres in Ibadan metropolis are: 1- The University of Ibadan: University of Ibadan is the first premier university in Nigeria, founded in 1948 and still waxing stronger in academic excellence. The university was then established as the college of the University of London until it was converted into an autonomous university in 1962. 2- Zoological garden, University of Ibadan: Founded in 1948, the zoological garden remains one of the best in Nigeria, it has a wide variety of wide animals, the zoological garden is regarded as Mecca during festicals. 3- Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Ibadan: Built in 1959 by late Obafemi Awolowo, this television station used to be WNTV before it changed to NTA Ibadan, it is the oldest television station in the whole continent of Africa and it serves as museum in journalism, it is an avenue and the best place to learn about journalism in Nigeria. 4- The National Museum of Unity, Dugbe: This is the museum that have sample of traditional musical instruments using by all tribes in Nigeria on display, within the vicinity of the museum are garden and a kitchen restaurant. The car used by last premier of Western region, late Chief Ladoke Akintola, who was assassinated on January 15, 1966 is on display at the museum. 5- Cocoa House, Ibadan: Built by late Obafemi Awolowo in 1965, this building is the first skyscraper in Africa, this giant building was built from the proceeds sold from cocoa for export. 6- Game World, Dugbe: This site is recreation centre where different indoor games such as table tennis, snookers, daft, play station, and others are legally played without betting, there is also a mini bar and restaurant monitored by local government board. 7- IITA Forest: IITA is the place for the thickest of timbers grow and also where the secondary nature of all                                                           1 Aderinmola, A, Developing a National Research Stragedy for Nigeria: Art , Outdoor Recreation, Sport and Community Recreation. (2005, Macmilan Press.) 45-47. Historical Research Letter                                                                                                                                      www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3178 (Paper)  ISSN 2225-0964 (Online) Vol.35, 2016  41 forest apparent with clumps of bamboos, bambusa vulgarises, and so on. This forest is a good place for bird watching because it has numerous species of tropical birds, the forest reserve, which is a mature land rainforest with scattered emergent also has sporting facilities such as a- 9 hole golf course, football pitch, badminton court, table tennis, lawn tennis court, and a swimming pool within the institute. 8- Cultural Centre: The cultural centre is one of the best place in Nigeria to learn about the Yoruba cultural heritage simply because the place is full of historical values that are very important in the history of Yoruba race such as terra cotta scriptures, textiles and so on. 9- Mapo Hall: The hall is a colonial edifice close to Bere market, perhaps on top of Mapo hill, it was commissioned during the colonial era of by Captain Ross in 1929, it was refurbished in 2006 by the administration of governor Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala. 10-  Irefin Palace, Ibadan: The palace was built over two hundred years back, and it contains 185 rooms, the palace is one of the oldest palaces in Ibadan that was constructed in traditional way of using mud instead of modern bricks.  IBADAN RECREATION CENTRES AND THE ISLAMIC CONNECTION Recreation is considered an approach in Islam that has an organized form, management, implementation and style. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) practiced it and through his sayings and his actual practice he asked his companions and every Muslims to do the same. Many of the recreational activities he asked to be done or to exist in the Islamic environment are: swimming, running race, horse riding, truthful but harmless kidding, hunting and wrestling. The successors of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also used to practice different kind of recreation activities which were approved by the prophet before his demise such as throwing spears, duelling, hitting the target, and singing during travel in celebration or jihad. Recreation according to Islam revolves linguistically around comfort, extroversion, removing fatigue and exhaustion, and return to normal human activities, to bring peace and harmony back to man’s body after hardship and revive body and soul after fatigue, idiomatically, recreation does not have a unified expression in Islam since most scholar of Islam defines it as a set of activities that contribute to providing people with comfort from work and life hardship, recreation in cities like Ibadan or Lagos are likely linked when the form and content of recreation are carefully organized and controlled in a way that guarantees the involvement of all people that come to please their souls in the name of recreation, it should develop their abilities, make them more satisfied and more effective without hurting one another, more important is that recreational activities in Ibadan should exclude those activities that contradict social or religious values. Thus, institutions and Islamic organizations should outline recreational education according to Islamic context within reliable, non individualistic and non random frame works. Islamic organizations within Ibadan metropolis should play an important role by enlighten and raising individuals and shaping their personalities, emotionally, physically, intellectually, and spiritually.  RECREATION IN IBADAN ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC LEGALITY Human being personality instinctively needs recreation for its standard growth, vitality, and freshness. There are some contexts and verses in the holy Quran that shows the humans’ need for pleasure; “But seek, through that which Allah has given to you, the home of the hereafter; and (yet), do not forget your share of the world.”1 Likewise prophet Mohammad (SAW) said “You owe a right to your lord, a right to yourself, a right to your family; therefore, you must give everyone their right.2 The prophet companions understood this guidance from the prophet. Alli Bin Abi Taleb said “Seeking pleasure for your hearts, and seek jokes of wisdom because they ‘your hearts’ get bored as your bodies do.”3 When Al- Khalid Bin Ahmed Al- Farahidi was criticised for kidding people, he said that people are imprisoned unless they practice kidding or telling jokes.4 Since Islam is connected to recreation, it set some rules to regulate, it is at the same time established some conditions that would display recreation at high level of psychological, righteous and social agreement. Thus recreation is categorised into two main parts: 1- Religiously allowed recreation, this category is either allowed and advised, this is supported by some words that urge human being to do recreational activities such as javelins, throwing spears, kidding and indoor sports with one’s wife and family, grooming horse and go on tour to archaeological places like zoo and gardens and so on. 2- Forbidden recreation, Islam forbid some types of recreation because of unconnected to Islam to them, and it closes way of leading to them for example, the type of recreation that Islam forbids because it                                                           1 Surat Al-Qasas: 77 2 Al-Bukhari, Mohammed Bin Ismail. (2001). The Right Hadith of  Al-Bukhari . Beirut:  Dar Tawq  Al- Najat. 3 Al-Bagbawi, Hussein Bin Masoud. (1983), The explanation of the Prophet Sunnah. 2nd edition. Damascus: Al maktab Al- islami. 4 Al- Ghazi, Abu Al-Barakat. (1977), Enjoyment in Joking. 1st edition. Beirut : Dar  Ibn Hazm. Historical Research Letter                                                                                                                                      www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3178 (Paper)  ISSN 2225-0964 (Online) Vol.35, 2016  42 contains harms in itself or practising it causes harm like engaging in free wresting, this is forbidden because it harms and divulge the practitioners private parts. Also some kinds of recreation that was originally allowed but was associated with some other activities that caused it banning. Therefore it is forbidden because of what is attached to it, such as swimming in indecent swimming kits (Bikini) or playing sport in indecent attires. These sports are not forbidden per se, but they are forbidden because of other reasons attached to it.  MODE OF RECREATIONS IN IBADAN THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH ISLAMIC PRINCIPLES There are various modes of recreation in Ibadan that are connected with the Islamic principles positively, these modes includes 1- Running races: back to the history of Yussuf (Joseph), his siblings said “ O our father, indeed we went racing each other.”1 The prophet did run racing as it is narrated in Aisha’s hadith, “she was travelling with the prophet, and the prophet and her went racing, and he led in the race, but he told her. We are now tie”2 2- Wrestling: Wrestling is allowed according to Islamic connection under one condition, do not hurt oneself or others, and this recreation is being practice in many recreations centres in Ibadan metropolis. Also, the prophet’s companion used to wrestle with one another and this does not lead to free mixing among the men and women, the wrestles was only aim as some sort of entertainment and training. For example Sumra bin Jundab Vs Rafi’ bin Khadija, Al-Hassan bin Ali Vs his brother Hussein. The most popular wrestling was between the prophet (SAW) and Rakana. A wrestle fight that was narrated in many hadith books. “A man Rakana wrestle against the apostle of Allah (SAW) , but the Prophet fell him several times.”3 3- Swimming and diving: This is categorised as one of the best recreational activities for the soul and body. It is well known and practice across Ibadan, several Islamic narrations praised swimming and implore Muslims to learn, teach and practice it. Meanwhile, a swimming save other’s lives. Abu Rafi’- May Allah bless his soul- said “O Prophet of Allah, do we owe any right to our children as they owe us? He said, “Yes, your sons’ right are to teach them writing, swimming and throwing spears (shooting).”4  REFERENCE Aderinmola, A, Developing a National Research Stragedy for Nigeria: Art , Outdoor Recreation, Sport and Community Recreation. (2005, Macmilan Press.)  Al-Bukhari, Mohammed Bin Ismail. (2001). The Right Hadith of  Al-Bukhari . Beirut:  Dar Tawq  Al- Najat. Al-Bagbawi, Hussein Bin Masoud. (1983), The explanation of the Prophet Sunnah. 2nd edition. Damascus: Al maktab Al- islami. Al- Ghazi, Abu Al-Barakat. (1977), Enjoyment in Joking. 1st edition. Beirut : Dar  Ibn HazmSurat Yussuf vs 17. Al-Sasjtani, Abu Dauod. Hadith of Abu Dauod. (Beirut Dar Al-jinan, 1998) Hadith number 2578.  Surat Al-Qasas: 77                                                               1 Surat Yussuf vs 17. 2  Al-Sasjtani, Abu Dauod. Hadith of Abu Dauod. (Beirut Dar Al-jinan, 1998) Hadith number 2578. 3 Ibid. Hadith number 4078. 4 Al- Bayhaqi, Ahmed Bin Hussein, The major Hadith, (Haidar Abad: Majlis daerat Al-Ma’rif Al-Nithamiyya, 2003), Hadith number 19742. 

Recreation Facilities and Tourism in Ibadan Historical Context According to Islamic Perspective

https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/HRL/article/download/32354/33242

Recreation Facilities and Tourism in Ibadan Historical Context According to Islamic Perspective

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE): E-Journals