Mishark Friday ALEX
&
Adewale ADEPOJU Ph.D
Abstract
The Nigerian economy is one of the most developed economies in Africa with a gross domestic product (GDP) which has almost tripled from $170 billion in 2000 to $451 billion in 2012, although, estimates of the size of the informal sector (which is not included in official figures) put the actual numbers closer to $630 billion. In 2017, the agricultural sector contributed 26.15% to the overall GDP, slightly higher than the contribution in the fourth quarter of 2017 (26.13%), but lower than in the third quarter of 2018 (29.25%). Agriculture, no doubt, has contributed immensely to the economic development of Nigeria and has equally made food and jobs available to many who could have lost their fates in the labour market. In light of this, coconut oil extraction is a major occupation of the Ogu (Egun), who reside in a riverine area of Badagry in Lagos State. They have a unique technology that shares a relationship with their culture when it comes to coconut oil extraction processing; the business itself has become a norm to the people as they continue to pass the knowledge to their young ones for continuity and economic prosperity. This paper therefore examines the technology behind coconut oil extraction amongst the Ogu people with the sole aim of contributing to the existing knowledge. This paper adopts the historical method which includes primary and secondary sources of information. It maintains that the importance of upholding and transferring indigenous knowledge and technology to upcoming generations cannot be overemphasized in preserving the history of any group of people in a society.
Introduction
Man’s effort to develop indigenous technology is basically to solve his pressing needs in areas such as food production, shelter, economic prosperity, to mention but a few. The Yoruba indigenous technology finds application and relevance in all spheres of human endeavor ranging from indigenous knowledge in medicine, crafts, bids making, manufacturing, drums making, drum playing, food processing, rubber production, coconut oil extraction, technology to manufacturing…