THE Dean, College of Law, Igbinedion University Okada, Edo State, Prof. Rasheed Ijaodola, is a Professor of Law, with Masters degrees in Christian Religious Studies and History. Ijaodola, who aims to bag PhD in both disciplines before attaining the age of 60, recently published two books outside law, his core discipline ' Yoruba as Language of Eden' and 'Ownership of Jerusalem: Linking the Jebusites of Jerusalem with the Ijebus of Nigeria'' He spoke with ABIODUN FAGBEMI in Ilorin about his attraction to the two subjects, hinging it on their continued relevance to knowledge.What informed your recent publications on disciplines outside Law, especially those on 'Yoruba as Language of Eden' and 'Ownership of Jerusalem: Linking the Jebusites of Jerusalem with the Ijebus of Nigeria''My publications are based on research. Though I am into Law, I love History, Literature and Bible Knowledge. If you combine law with all these subjects, one would be able to command language, which is the tool of law and advocacy. Also, one would be able to make very apt and interesting allusions.For instance, the great Lord Denning was asked a question about his mastery of English Language and he replied that he gave it to Shakespeare, adding that he had read Shakespeare plays several times. It is true that Shakespeare's writings are very rich in history, science, religion, law; take any subject in the world, it is covered by Shakespeare. From his writings, you will see that Shakespeare travelled widely and touched the contemporary issues of his time. No one was before him and none was after him in that line. Yet, it is very surprising that Nigerian education planners are de-emphasising the works of William Shakespeare in our post-primary schools in place of our own writers. But I am of the view that if we do away with his works, we will end up killing Literature in English.But don't you think your proposition could negatively affect the growth of local authors'We have fine writers in Nigeria and Africa. We have fine novels like Things fall Apart, The Concubine, Songs of Lawino, to mention just a few. Our educational system in the past where these traditional books were read in conjunction with Shakespeare's books was better. We should not abandon his works if we must have a breakthrough.If you are very good in literature, you will be very good in Law; you will be methodical and be able to observe and pick your words carefully. History also has this advantage in law. Law itself is history. It has its background, it is dynamic and it continues to grow. Our society at its background has its beginning, so its law. To properly appreciate law, emphasis must be placed on its developmental process. So, History cannot be ignored.If you are versed in History and Literature in English, you will enlighten your Law. They are related and interwoven. A good law teacher should be able to make references to these subjects. A good advocate should be able to make references to these subjects in the process of advocacy in court.Why again would you recommend Bible Knowledge for those intending to study Law'The master of them all is Bible Knowledge, not even History or Literature in English. It is the encyclopedia of knowledge in experience and spiritualism. The Bible contains very good, fine alluring prose and poetry.The Bible is in fact a voice of reasoning, and a forest of History that cannot be depleted. For example, see what the power of the tongue caused the Biblical Jews and the whole world today.Upon the death of Solomon, the Biblical Jews went to King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon to lessen their burdens. But he replied them that the burden he would impose on them would be heavier than that of his father. Hear him: 'My father chastised you with whip, but I will chastise you with scorpions.' This led to prompt division ofIsrael as a nation. They proclaimed: 'What portions have we in David' What inheritances have we in the son of Jesse' To your tents oh! Israel.' The divided Israel became a prey to their enemies and gradually, they were taken into captivity. They became scattered around the world including Africa. During the Second World War, Hittler of Germany killed over six million Jews. The international community waded into it and they were settled in Palestine in 1947. But till date, there is no peace in the land. All these happened because of the error of the tongue of some 3,000 years ago.So while studying the Bible, I came across the problem of language at the Tower of Babel and the whereabouts of the Jebusites. These people were dislodged from Jerusalem over 300,000 years ago by Biblical David. While reading the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible and the development of the human race, I came across a very interesting subject, which is the language of men at creation, or the language with which men communicated among themselves at the beginning of time. The Bible tells us that during the period, there was only one language on earth before the episode at Babel where God confused the language of men and scattered them all over the Plain of Sinai accompanied with multiplicity of languages. By that time, there were no Arabs, Jews, Europeans, Egyptians and so on. One would then wonder what that single language could be.Having examined the nature of the Garden of Eden, it is probable through its geographical location and climatic conditions, anthropological facts and findings of the scholars that the garden was somewhere in Africa. In fact, the language, if carefully examined, could be the language of the Yorubas of Africa. I mean, the language of Eden; the first language on earth could be Yoruba. Time will reveal this. That is what my first book is all about.In your second publication you traced the Nigerian Ijebus to the Biblical Jebusites. How and why'The second book discusses the problem of Jerusalem that had been in existence long before the father of Arabs and Jews came from Ur of Chaldean, Mesopotamia to settle in Palestine. The settlers at Jerusalem were known as Jebusites. Some believe that Jerusalem was the place that God first created. We are told in the Book of Kings that over 3,000 years ago, King David attacked Jerusalem, captured it and made it the capital of a United Israel. It was such that the Jebusites were destroyed and scattered and were never heard of again. However, we heard of some remnants of the Jebusites working in King Solomon's labour force. We also heard how King Solomon had bought the land on which he built Solomon's Temple from one Aroon. At this point, the Bible never referred to the land again.Because of the proximity of Egypt to Palestine, it was believed that the scattered Jebusites could have escaped to Egypt, down Nigeria and some other parts of Africa. If you study Yoruba history very well, you will see the connection between Egypt and Yoruba, especially Ile Ife.In my research, I discovered that the Jebus of Jerusalem that were dislodged by King David are most likely to be the Ijebus of Nigeria today. The History of the Yorubas by Samuel Johnson that the Ijebus were the social people from the goddess of the sea cannot be true in view of very convincing, compelling and concrete evidence that they must have been part of the people who jumped into African bush when the sword of David entered Jebusiteover 3,000 years ago. I presented this as a seminar for my PhD at University of Ilorin. But my supervisor, late Prof Ade Dopamu said the write up was controversial. But in my own view, there is nothing controversial in an attempt to jump a little above the story of Oduduwa to see if his origin was Palestine. After all, a part of the history of the Yorubas linked Yorubas with Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Another story linked Oduduwa with the Biblical Limrod. The great hunter had a link with Noa and Jerusalem as well.We have also traced the fabled Queen Sheba who visited King Solomon from a place Jesus Christ described as the end of the earth to Ijebu-Ode. Her tomb is a tourist attraction previously under the Federal Government but now transferred to state government. The Yoruba name of Queen Sheba is 'Balikisu Shugbo'. Balikisu or Biliqis is an Arabian name.We can't afford to ignore evidence that tend to really show the truth of our origin or beginning. If a nation's great grandfather was an ape in the past and there is an evidence now to prove this, let us have the courage to state it. But my own research has shown that there are links between the Yorubas, Edos, Itsekiris and other areas with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jews and Palestine. There is the need to further carry out research on these races to see more of the links yet to be established.Again, out of these races, the only language that can be broken into different sub-dialects is the Yoruba language. You have the varieties of the language as: Akoko, Ibolo, Igbomina, Ekiti, Ijesha, Ijebu, Okun Ibarapa and so on. There is no language on earth that has the flexibility of Yoruba language. Other languages like Edo and Itsekiri must have developed the ways other languages or dialects in Yoruba developed. In Itsekiri, you hear names that are Yoruba like Obasuwa, Obasuyi and so on.One would have thought that you would dissipate your energies on legal matters. Why the interest in these other disciplines'Though I am a Professor of Law, I am interested in these subjects. I want to be referred to tomorrow as a professor of Law, History and Christian Religious knowledge. So, having gotten PhD in law, I want to have it also in Christian religious knowledge and History. I am almost completing that of my Christian Knowledge, and I am putting in for PhD in History. These feats I want to achieve before I am 60 years of age. After 60, I may go abroad and pursue PhD in Literature and Economics as well. I studied all these subjects in my Higher School Certificate level and have Masters degrees in them.
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