Oyo Empire reached its climax in 18th century, unfortunately, it began declining toward the end of the century.
Political struggle between Alaafin Abiodun and Ọyọ Mesi over the policy thrust of a peaceful diplomacy against military adventurism of Ọyọ Mesi for the Empire led to the gradual disintegration of the empire. Although, there were many open confrontations between some political leaders and Alaafin Abiọdun, even there was a revolt, in which Alaafin defeated his opponents. We should also remember that Alaafin Abiọdun had just ridden Ọyo of Baṣọrun Gaa’s intransigence and notoriety. Regardless of Alaafin’s military successes, no respite for the empire, rather an intractable constitutional crisis had been created, as years rolled by, crisis from it hastened the fall of Ọyọ Empire.

After the death of Alaafin Abiodun, the internal crisis in Oyo took a new dimension as the succession rate to the throne was so high, the situation created political instability that weakened the stool of Alaafin. Records show that some Alaafin stayed less than six months on the throne, even there was a period of political interregnum. More worrisome, was the conspiracy and distrust that engulfed the entire Oyo.

As Oyo was struggling with the domestic/internal problems, insurrections became the order of the day, as people became resentful of Oyo’s hegemony. Yoruba-Egba revolted, declared independence under its leader, Lisabi Agbongbogbo Akala. In 1818, Abomey revolted and stopped paying tributes to Alaafin, other sub-groups within Oyo Empire joined in the race to become independent. This spirit of independence in the air showed that Oyo’s authority and influence, made posible by political and military power, would soon be gone.

The immediate cause of the fall of Oyo was the rivalry between Arẹ-Ọna-Kankan-Fo Afọnja and Alaafin Aolẹ. Earlier, Aolẹ had ordered Afọnja to attack Iwere-Ile (a Yoruba town and maternal home of Alaafin Abiọdun), the order was not only ignored by Afọnja, but created distrust between Aolẹ and Afọnja. Within a short period of time the supremacy battle and suspicion (between the duo) resulted in attack on Ọyọ by Afọnja with the help of the Fulanis (under Alimi)-the new settlers in Ilọrin. Ọyọ was destroyed, and a new location was sought at Ago-Oja to form a new Oyo under Alaafin Atiba.
Shortly there after, Afọnja was killed in a political intrigue that followed in Ilọrin. Yoruba lost Ilorin its northern gateway to the Fulani-led-Islamic-administration in Sokoto, to Malam Alimi, Usman-Dan-Fodio’s representative.
The destruction of Ọyọ spelt a doom for entire Yoruba land, as there was no more central or unified defense system, more important, there was a radical shift in power in Yoruba land. Four different power blocs emerged-(two military powers, one economic power, and a confederate/multi-kingdom power). Besides, several towns and communities were formed to care for hundreds of thousand Yoruba refugees; more pathetic was the social and political dislocations (intra-tribal wars) Yoruba witnessed between 1826/27 (when Ọyọ fell) and 1885, when the British-led armistice treaty was signed by various warring groups in Yoruba land.

The new political powers in Yoruba land were:
Ibadan- a military power which produced Baṣọrun such as: Oluyọle, Ọdẹrinde, Ojo, Ogunmọla, Latosisa etc.
Ijaye- a military power that revolved around a supreme commander and a dictator-Kurunmi.
Ẹgba- a confederate-political system, based not on military power alone, but on the moral force of Christianity, power of education, and industrialization. These factors made Ẹgba a different political power in Yoruba land.
Ijẹbu -an economic power because of its geographical location. A major trade route between Lagos and several Yoruba towns and villages.
Ibadan - A new Political Power in Yoruba Land.

Ibadan
Ibadan (Ẹba-Ọdan) meaning by the side of thick forest was initially established by Lagelu an Ile-Ifẹ (commander-in-chief). For several years, Jagun Lagelu (oro, a pata maja) and his subjects were living together in peace in their first settlement at Awotan, in Apẹtẹ in the present Ido Local Government Area, until an incident happened. From history, we are told that certain individuals disrobed Egungun in Ẹba-Ọdan, the Egungun was brought to market where he suffered more humiliation before women and children. In Yoruba tradition, Egunguns are revered dead forefathers. when Ṣango, the Alaafin of Ọyọ heard of the incident, he ordered the destruction of Ẹba-Ọdan. Those who survived the attack ran to a near-by hill, lived on (Oro fruits), much later, when life returned to normal another settlement was formed. Ibadan, from records was attacked on three other times. However, the modern Ibadan was established in 1829, after the fall of Ọyọ.
Refugees from several Yoruba towns and villages came in droves and settled in Ibadan when Oyo was destroyed around 1826/1827, by 1850 the city population had grown to over 250,000 this made Ibadan to become a heterogeneous and the largest Yoruba town; more so, it became a safety net for the war displaced people. Because of its location, population, military exploits under various garrison commanders, Ibadan town became the most powerful, politically, and economically in Yoruba land. In no time, Ibadan filled the political vacuum created by the fall of Ọyọ.

Although, Ibadan is a Yoruba town, it operated a different political system ever known in Yoruba land. Ibadan had no Ọba, whose occupant is by inheritance; probably because of its formation, rather, it created four high offices; two military positions, one civil office, and one office for women leadership.

The offices are:
“Iba” or “Baa’lẹ” civil; head of the town
“Balogun” later “Baṣọrun”; head of Ibadan military
“Seriki”; second-in-command, military office
“Iyalode”; women leader, a powerful office.

The system that produces Olubadan (formerly known as Iba), consists of two lines: the Otun and the Balogun. Each line has 23 steps on the rung for a would-be-Olubadan to climb, before appointed. Vacancy is created when the occupant dies, becomes incapacitated or removed (which happens seldon), the next-in-rank moves a step up. The journey to Olubadan office is very long and enduring.

Otun line is for the civil office, while Balogun is for the military leadership. But, any most senior title holder from the lines can become Olubadan, when the stool becomes vacant.

Iba or Baa’lẹ was the political head of Ibadan, and the office was opened to the next-in-rank or second-in-command whenever the occupant died. The is practice is still same even (with Olubadan throne) to date. Balogun (later changed to Baṣọrun by Alaafin Atiba, but installed by Iba on the orders of Alaafin) and Seriki were the two prominent military leaders in the land (and to date) are opened, not by inheritance, but, to the next-in-rank. Other high and middle level military titles were: Otun (General, right division); Osi (General, left division); Ekerin, Elarun, Ekefa (head of fourth, fifth, sixth divisions). Interestingly, these titles though, no longer in military format or structure still exist in Ibadan political system/arrangement; even, with several reforms, structural and administrative changes Ibadan had witnessed as a city over the years.

The fourth political office is that of Iyalode, the women leader. At inception, there was Traditional Council (Igbimọ Ilu) membership was drawn from both Ọtun line (civil) and Balogun line (military) to help Iba with day-to-day administration. Over the years, several administrative and political reforms had taken place in Ibadan, the most prominent were 1936 creation of Olubadan office, and 1976 when Olubadan became a permanent member of Western State Council Obas and Chiefs.

There are other several titles-by-household or compound, the most common is Mọgaji- the family head. The High Chiefs and Mọgajis carried out the civic duties- which enabled the indigenes accessed the land and to exercise their civil rights.
Ibadan, under the leadership of Oluyole played a major role in Yoruba land. Oluyole was a grandson of Alaafin Abiọdun (through Agbọnyin, Abiọdun’s daughter).

He fought several wars, which he won:
Ibadan versus Ijẹbu
Ibadan /Owu war
Ibadan/Ifẹ war
Ibadan /Ẹgba war

Ibadan/Ẹgba war was a game changer in the post Ọyọ politics in Yoruba land, his defeat of the Ẹgba at Ipara led to the take over of several Ẹgba towns including Ibadan. Consequently, Oluyọle became Arẹago of Ibadan, and later he took the Osi-Ọna-Kankan-Fo title, second to Kurunmi- the Arẹ-Ọna-Kankan-Fo (Generalissimo) of Yoruba land.

The leadership of Ibadan over Yoruba did not come by accident; rather, it came as Ibadan checkmated the rampaging Fulani warriors after the fall of Oyo. Yoruba had lost Igbomina, Ekiti and Akoko were under threat; Ogbomọṣọ, Ẹdẹ, Iwo, axis were under attack-even Oṣogbo had been defeated and taken by Fulani. Ibadan would not allow the onslaught to continue, by 1840, Ibadan soldiers defeated and pushed Fulani warriors back to Ilọrin.

However, the only regret was that, Ibadan did not follow through to Ilọrin. This military success stopped further Fulani attack on Yoruba land throughout 19th and early 20th centuries- the period that covered British annexation of Lagos in 1860, creation of Southern Protectorate to promote and to preserve the commercial interest of Royal Niger Company; the creation of Northern Protectorate and the amalgamation of January 1, 1914, leading to the formation of Nigeria.
Ibadan was not done with wars yet, because it engaged in many more wars in Yoruba land in order to establish its supremacy. One of such war was Ibadan/Ijaye war of 1860-61. We should remember that Atiba, Oluyọle and Kurunmi were trio who fought the Eleduwẹ war during Alaafin Oluewu, to liberate Yoruba from the Fulani in Ilọrin. At the war front- these three warriors became covenanted friends; at the end of the war- their friendship became even stronger- especially, when Atiba succeeded Eluewu as the new Alaafin.

Unfortunately, their friendship later turned sour, when Alaafin Atiba changed an age-long tradition in Ọyọ by abolishing the practice of Arẹmọ from dying with Alaafin. Kurunmi became enraged with the change in custom and tradition of Ọyọ, and vowed not to recognize any Arẹmọ chosen as Alaafin in Ọyọ.

Alaafin Atiba died in 1859, his son Arẹmọ Adelu became the new Alaafin, Kurunmi refused to recognize Alaafin Adelu. Ibadan did not only recognize Adelu as Alaafin, but supported Ọyọ; this created enmity between Ibadan and Kurunmi of Ijaye. Earlier, Alaafin Atiba had made some far reaching administrative changes in Ọyọ, he divided Ọyọ into two sections, Kurunmi headed the (west) and Balogun Oluyọle in Ibadan led the (east). These changes regardless, created more problems than it solved, as Kurunmi Ijaye engaged in supremacy battle with Alaafin on who should control upper Ogun towns and villages around Ṣaki. Since the matter was not resolved before Alaafin Atiba’s death, Kurunmi saw his death as an opportunity to establish his control over Oyo West; without further delay, he declared war on Ọyọ in 1860.
Ibadan war machine under Ogunmọla came in support of Ọyọ, routed Kurunmi-Ijaye/Egba alliance (forces), killed all his sons. When Kurunmi saw the direction of the war, and knew that he could not win, rather than being captured, Kurunmi committed suicide and Ijaye was destroyed by Ibadan army. Although, Oyo/Ibadan alliance paid off, yet, the war created more troubles and crises in Yoruba land- and for two more decades- there was no peace in the land. Again, another Yoruba town with its power and influence went out of existence in Yoruba land.

The Ibadan/Ijaye war had just established Ibadan military superiority in Yoruba land, more important, the future role Ibadan would play in the politics of the region. Ibadan was not done with wars in Yoruba land, rather, it had just begun.
Prominent Ibadan leaders of 19th century were:
Baṣọrun Oluyọle
Baṣọrun Ibikunle
Baṣọrun Ogunmọla
Baṣọrun Latosisa
Iyalode Ẹfunṣetan Aniwura.
Between 1860 and 1885 Ibadan engaged in five different wars simultaneously. In 1877, Ibadan went to war against Ẹgba/Ijẹbu for attacking Ibadan traders, when coming from Port-Novo. The Ijẹṣa/Ekiti seized the moment, in 1878, attacked despotic Ibadan Ajẹlẹs (viceroys) in their territories; Ibadan declared war on Ijẹṣa and Ekiti.
The conflict between Ibadan/Ijẹṣa & Ekiti went on for sixteen years, the worst war in Yoruba land.
Ogedengbe- the Seriki of Ijẹṣa army, Fabunmi (of Oke-Imesi) and Aduloju (of Ado-Ekiti) held Ibadan down, as Ibada engaged in other wars with the Ẹgba, Ijẹbu, Ilọrin and the Ifẹ. The Ibadan/Ijesa & Ekiti parapọ war got to its peak at Kiriji, near Ikirun.

As these wars raged on in Yoruba land, no attempts were made to caution the warring groups, unfortunately, the leaders (Ọbas) in Yoruba land then were suspicious of themselves, and got tangle in bitter rivalry. The Church (CMS) and other religious organizations that should have played the role of peace-makers looked the other way. Sadly to say, Lagos colonial administration stood aloof as entire Yorubaland was on fire.

In 1884, events changed, partition of Africa was under way; British which had more investments in the region than other rivals did not want the French or the Germans to have an upper hand.The realities on the ground made British stepped up, abandoned its lookwarm attitude, and actively involved in resolving the internal strife in Yoruba land. Through the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and Lagos colonial administration, reconciliation began among the warring Yoruba groups (Ibadan, Ijesa/Ekiti, Egba, and Ijebu). At a time, Lagos Governor Maloney went to Ikirun in 1885 during the Kiriji War between Ibadan and Ijesa/Ekiti alliance to find permanent solution to the crisis on hand. Finally, the combatants in the crises were tired of several decades of wars.

Through negotiations undertaken by the Church, but spearheaded by Samuel Johnson, Charles Phillips, and Lagos Governor Maloney in 1886, peace started returning to Yoruba land as the warring groups sheathed their swords. At a time, Governor Carter had to use force on some Yoruba groups to open trade routes earlier closed. According to (Ayandele, 1967) the military onslaught on Ijẹbu in 1892 to open trade route and the attack on Ọyọ in 1895, the defeat of Ilọrin by the Royal Niger Company in 1897 subdued entire Yoruba land. Thereafter, the history of Yoruba land changed by 1900 and even beyond. Ibadan maintained its influence and dominance on Yoruba, for years, it became the political and administrative headquarters of Yoruba land. Even, if today’s politics have changed the dynamics of Yoruba nation, Ibadan will always be remembered for its roles in shaping, and creating a new Yoruba nation in 19th century.

Ijẹbu-the 19th Century Power in Yorubaland.
Ijẹbu Yoruba live in the thick-forest/mangrove belt–south of Ọyọ Empire. A highly urbanized and entrepreneurial group- whose economic dexterity is a common knowledge. There are several claims on the origin of Ijẹbu nation, the most popular of these stories is the Ọbanta (the king outside)version, the Ifẹ man; other historical versions are the “Biblical Jebusites” the Waddai story, and the Kingdom of Owodaiye of Ethiopia. Each version of these stories has been intellectually presented to the public- for instance, the oral historians believed that Ijebu migrated to their present abode from Waddai, in Sudan, several millennia ago; even before King Solomon of Israel and the “famous Makida” the Queen of Sheba.

Protagonists have cited cultural and historical similarities between the Ijebus, the Nubians and the Southern Sudan/Ethiopia- in names resemblance, such as (Saba/Shaba, Esiwu, Meleki/Menelik); tribal marks, and household items with socio-political significance. Obanta version as presented by Samuel Johnson in his book “History of the Yorubas” is different totally from the traditional/oral historians’ presentation.

However, these three fundamental and incontrovertible issues make Ijebu history very interesting:
One, Ijebu people have been part of Yoruba history for centuries,
Two, Ijebu people had undergone several transformational stages over the centuries- that could have affected their history.
Three, Ijebu like other sub-groups within Yoruba nation- has contributed significantly to the greatness of Yoruba- through culture, education, Christianity, nationalism, and above all, its unequal entrepreneur spirit.

There are several Ijebu towns, communities and village today; Ijẹbu-Ode is the political/cultural headquarters of all Ijẹbu, and the paramount ruler in Ijẹbuland is Awujalẹ. Awujale is produced by any of these four ruling houses: Tunwase, Fidipote, Ogbagba and Gbelegbuwa.

After the king there are three civil authorities in Ijebu, these are:
The Osugbo or Ogboni,
The Ipampa, and
the Lamurin.

These three bodies were so powerful, and should they enact laws, no human (even the king) could repeal or annul them. By tradition, Oba should be a member of Osugbo.

Ijebu land has a unique political system within Yoruba nation; there are over two hundred Ijebu towns, villages and communities (called “Egure”) with individual obas and baales, and their individual socio-cultural/political structures; yet, these communities are still part of a larger Ijebu kingdom under Awujale. Ijebu-Ode is the capital of Ijebu land, where Awujale lives. Olisa is the traditional head of Ijebu-Ode.

Agẹmọ is a major traditional festival, there are sixteen Agẹmọ in all Ijẹbu land, and in every July, these Agẹmọ masquerades meet at Ijẹbu-Ode, before moving to Imodi-Mosan where the Agẹmọ festival holds. Other Ijẹbu towns are Ijẹbu-Igbo, Ijebu-Ife, Agọ-Iwoye, Ọsọsa, Ikenne etc.

Ijẹbu played a major role in the history of Yoruba during the 19th century, because of its geographical location.
It became trade routes for Yoruba towns and villages to do business with Europeans who stayed and lived in Lagos. Unlike other Yoruba towns and kingdoms, Ijẹbu did not have strong military; rather it relied on “mercenaries”.


http://yorupedia.com/subjects/yoruba-from-19th-to-date/after-the-fall/

The spambot hid the Egba post.

Ẹgba-Abẹokuta From A Refuge Town to A Power Broker in Yoruba Land.
The Yoruba Ẹgbas lived in the southern part of old Ọyọ Empire, and its current location has not changed significantly. Ẹgba’s journey to nationhood began in 1796 when Lisabi Agbongbogbo Akala revolted against Ọyọ under Alafin Aolẹ. Ẹgba became independent, but the journey to nationhood within Yoruba land was very rough and tough.

For the next sixty-five years (1796-1860), it was marked with struggles for survival- because of several military attacks from within Yoruba nation. In fact, the formation of Abẹokuta, the major Ẹgba town which means “under the rock” owed its existence to constant military attacks as the Egbas needed a more secured location from fellow Yoruba and the rampaging Dahomey slave traders. Abẹokuta was founded in 1830, by Seriki Ṣodẹkẹ who led thousands of refugees from Ibadan- a major outcome from the fall of Ọyọ Empire.

Abẹokuta was built by refugees- majority came from Oyo and Ibadan, while several other groups with similar experience elsewhere joined. Between 1817 and 1824, Owu a prominent Ẹgba division, a traditional enemy of some Yoruba towns suffered a joint military attacks from Ijẹbu/Ifẹ/Ọyọ alliance. From history, we are told about a minor issue on “alligator pepper” which happened between Owu man and Ijẹbu woman at Apomu market a matter that would have been resolved amicably, if there was peace in Yoruba land. However, historians see the Ijẹbu/Ifẹ/Ọyọ and Owu war as a pay-back to Owu for its hostility and many won wars against some Yoruba towns.

The coalition forces destroyed Owu town beyond repairs with several lives lost. In fact, this incident with the disaster that followed contributed in a large way to the founding of Abẹokuta much later. Unfortunately, Owu was not the only victim, Ikija was attacked by the coalition army for supporting Owu. Besides, Ẹgbas in Ibadan were subjected to hostility, in the atmosphere of crisis and uncertainty, Ẹgba had no better choice than to leave Ibadan, and to move southward under Seriki Lamodi, who died on the way, but the movement was completed under the leadership of Seriki Ṣodẹkẹ.
These migrants settled at Itoko, their host was Adagba, thereafter other Ẹgba groups started moving to Abẹokuta, and by 1834, Owu joined.

Egba had a large territory which extended to Ijaye up to Ogun River at Olokemeji. It also shared boundary with Ibadan, to the east is Remo division, on the west is the Egbado (now Yewa) and to the south are the Aworis. Most of the prominent families came from Oyo, most Egba chiefs were descendants of Esos especially the Sagbuaa. Towns and communities were formed under individual leaders, the community operated a loose confederacy.

Egba Towns were:
Egba-Igbehin had Ake, Ijeun, Kenta, Iporo, Igbore- (this Egba group shares boundary with Remo) under Alake.
Egba-Oke-Ona is located close to Odo-Ona River and had the following towns: Ikereku, Ikija, Idomapa, Odo, Podo under Osile.

Egba-Gbagura is situated near Oyo, this group is known as “Oyo-Egba” their towns include: Ilugun, Ibadan (before Egba/Ibadan war), Ifaye, Ika, Ojo, and Ilawo and several smaller communities. This group has Agura as its head.

Some of the wars Ẹgba fought on their way to nationhood were:
Ẹgba/Ijẹbu Rẹmọ war (Owiwi) of 1832
Ẹgba/Ibadan war 1834
Ẹgba/Ọta war to control the access road to Lagos, 1842
Ẹgba/Ado war to punish the Ado for supporting Ọta in 1844
Ẹgba/Ibarapa war 1849
Ẹgba/Dahomey war under King Gezo 1851
Ẹgba/Ijẹbu the Ere war of 1851
Ẹgba/Ijaye war 1860-1862
Ẹgba/Makun war 1862-1864
Ẹgba’s leadership role in Yoruba land was not measured by its military successes, although, Ẹgba won most of these wars and lost, but a few; rather, its contribution to a new Yoruba through western education, Christianity, introduction of constitutional monarchy, and above all, the introduction and provision of infrastructure in a municipal run system- second of its type after Lagos, placed Ẹgba ahead of towns and villages and opened a new chapter in the history of Yoruba.

At inception, Ẹgba had more than 200 settlements grouped into five independent towns with individual kings. These towns are:
Ake, the traditional head is Alake
Owu, the Ọba is Olowu
Gbagura, the head of the community is Agura
Oke-Ọna, the king there is Ọṣhinlẹ
Ibara, the Ọba is Olubara.

Each community ran an independent, but a centrally coordinated administration under the leadership of Alake of Ẹgbaland-a title created in-1854.

Apart from confederacy structure, Ẹgba had several councils of local chiefs running to over (4000 chiefs); these councils were:
Ogboni Society headed by Oluwo, the council had so much influence on the Oba (even to date). Other titles in Egba-Ogboni cults are: Aro, Apena, Ntowa, Bala, Basala Baki, Asipa, Asalu, Lalija, Apesi, Esinkin Ola, and Odofin
Military Council was headed by Balogun and Seriki, second to Ogboni society.
Parakoyi (business/commercial council) headed by Babalaje of Ẹgbaland.

Both the Christian and Muslim communities had representatives on these councils. In 1854, the office of Alake was created; earlier, Ṣomoye, Ẹgba military commander established the Ẹgba United Board of Management (EUBM), but the body died with Ṣomoye in 1846. Ẹgba took various steps to consolidate its power; first, through British officials by treaties; second, through the Church which had its headquarters in Abẹokuta. Abẹokuta, after Lagos became another center of activities in Yoruba land, because of the Church and the Saro Yorubas. The Saro Yoruba changed the political/economic dynamics, even religion.

By 1893, the governor of Lagos, recognized Ẹgbaland as independent nation, and five years later Ẹgba United Government (EUG) came into existence. Ẹgba became part of Yoruba land within the southern protectorate that formed Nigeria in 1914.

Egba-Alake Rulers from 1829 to Date.
Names of Egba-Alake Rulers Status of Ruler ship Period
Seriki Shodẹkẹ War leader 1829 – 1845
Ṣomoye Regent 1845 – 1846
Ṣagbua Okukẹnu Regent 1846 – 1854
Ṣagbua Okekẹnu (1st Alake of Ẹgba land) from Ọyọ-Ẹṣọ Ṣagbua stock First Alake of Egba land (office created in 1854) 8th August 1854 to 1862.
Ṣomoye Regent (2nd time) 1862- 1868
Ọba Ademọla Alake 2nd November, 1869-20th December, 1877.
Ọba Oyekan Alake Jan. 1879- 18th Sept. 1881.
Ọba Oluwajin Alake 9th Feb. 1885-27th Jan. 1889
Ọba Ọṣọkalu Alake 18th Sept. 1891 – 11th June 1898.
Ọba Gbadebọ 1 Alake 8th August 1898 – 28th May 1920.
Ọba Ladipọ Samuel Ademọla 11 Alake 27th Sept. 1920 – 27th December, 1962. (went on exile from 1948 to 3rd Dec. 1950).
Ọba Adeṣina Samuel Gbadebọ 11 Alake 29th Sept. 1963 – 26th Oct. 1971.
Ọba Samuel Oyebade Mofọlọrunṣọ Lipẹde Alake 5th August 1972 – 3rd Feb. 2005.
Ọba Adedọtun Arẹmu Gbadebọ 111 Alake 24th August 2005 to Date

Nice thread.
Following

Nice. But why spambot

Interesting piece. The Yorubas right From a ancient times have always had an organized political and social structure. Very enlightened and organized people.

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ShyM-X:


I already posted a complaint in the complaint thread of the culture section, but the mod who's from "you know what tribe" saw it and refused to unhide the posts because the thread isn't about his people. I saw him on the thread this morning, yet he refused to open it.

If this had been the other sections, especially the politics and foreign affairs sections, the posts would have been opened by now. And when people get mad at these people for being clannish and bigoted, they'll start fuming and crying that everyone hates them. smh

I always log in and glance around when I'm busy. When I'm freer during the day (like now) is when I do what needs to be done. No need to "ethnicize" this matter whatsoever.

odumchi:

I always log in and glance around when I'm busy. When I'm freer during the day (like now) is when I do what needs to be done. No need to "ethnicize" this matter whatsoever.

I hear that.

Cool.

Lagos politics and the Ijaye war
Lagos politics during the early 19th century were complicated by a long dynastic dispute which culminated in the deposition of Oba Akitoye in 1845 by Kosoko, his nephew. Kosoko was a leading slave-trader, and the chances for 'legitimate' trade in the area were regarded as poor by the British as long as he remained in control. In exile, Akitoye gained the support of the British at Badagry. He promised to stop the slave trade at Lagos if reinstated, and Kosoko was expelled by force. He fled with his followers to Epe, but continued to interfere in Lagos affairs. After Akitoye's death, the British administrators installed his son Dosunmu as ruler, but in the interests of trade (and to the disgust of the missions) they eventually came to an understanding with Kosoko, who was allowed back to Lagos (Kopytoff, 1965: 146). With the establishment of British consular authority over Lagos, trade with the interior increased rapidly, as did cotton production in Abeokuta and the exports of palm oil from Lagos (Smith, 1974: 405). To allow firmer control over trade, and to protect British interests, Lagos was annexed as a colony in 1861 and a governor was appointed. But by now the political situation in the interior had deteriorated and trade was being increasingly interrupted.

After the defeat of Ilorin by Ibadan in 1840, rivalry between Ibadan and Ijaye grew. In Ibadan the population had increased to over 60,000 by 1851. The Oyo Yoruba had come to dominate the political life of the town, and a political system gradually evolved which was well suited to military expansion (Awe,1967). There was no Oba, and chiefships were not hereditary. The chiefs were organised into four lines: the civil chiefs, led by the Bale; the military chiefs in two lines, headed by the Balogun and the Seriki; and the women chiefs led by the Iyalode. Within each of these lines the titles were ranked, and each chief moved up a rank as those above him died or were killed in battle. The bottom ranks were filled by magaji, the elected leaders of the Ibadan descent groups. The most senior title, that of Bale, was usually filled by a Balogun who had proved himself in war. The fact that there was no oba reflected the theoretical suzerainty of the Alafin, though from its foundation Ibadan pursued an independent foreign policy. In the 19th century the military chiefs usually had the greatest authority. Promotion to a title depended on a man's ability to mobilise a following and on military skill. Prestige and wealth came from warfare and the result was an aggressive policy of expansion.

Ijaye was founded about the same time as Ibadan, by refugees from the Ikoyi area, led by Kurunmi, described by Johnson as the 'greatest soldier of his age'. It became an important communications centre, and under strong leadership it prospered. Mann, the CMS missionary, lived in the town in the 1850s, and he provided much first-hand information on it. By this time, Ijaye probably had a population of 40,000 or more. Initially, relations with Ibadan were good, but rivalry between the two gradually developed. An issue for a final confrontation was provided by the death of Alafin Atiba in 1859. He was succeeded by the Aremo Adelu, and Kurunmi refused to recognise the succession. Ijaye and Oyo were already at loggerheads over the control of the Upper Ogun towns around Saki. In any case, Ibadan sided with the new Alafin and war broke out. Kurunmi died in 1861, before the final capture and destruction of his town.

This was not the end of the matter. The Egba had supported Ijaye, and the Ijebu Remo had supported Ibadan. Remo lay on the most direct trade route from the coast to Ibadan. Egba attacked Remo, and Ibadan became directly involved because of its trading interests. Ikorodu, one of the Remo towns besieged by the Egba, is just north of Lagos, and the British became actively involved in the Yoruba wars for the first time. Governor Glover, one of the more aggressive administrators of the colony in the 19th century, had formed a view of the situation which successive governors were to share: that the Egba and/or the Ijebu were blocking the road to the interior and that this was the main issue in Yoruba politics. The wider political issues of the period, the struggle between Ibadan and the other states for supremacy, largely escaped them (Phillips, 1970). In Lagos, the administration was short of funds. It relied on customs dues and trade, and needed to keep the roads open. The merchants supported it at this stage, but the missions were still pro-Egba. Townsend was opposed to Glover's attempts to station a British viceconsul in Abeokuta, but his own influence in the town was on the wane. After some peculiar doubledealing, Glover expelled the Egba forces from their positions around Ikorodu by force in 1865, but failed to achieve either his political or his economic objectives. He merely antagonised the Egba, who were already worried by the British annexation of Lagos. There was a further dispute between the Egba and the British over customs dues and the presence of Lagos police on Egba territory. Egba hostility erupted in the ifole ('housebreaking') riots of 1867, after which both European missionaries and merchants were excluded from the town for fifteen years.

In the early period of British involvement in Yorubaland, the interests of the missions, the traders and the administration often diverged. The missions were reliant on the goodwill of the local rulers in the interior, and, in the absence of a British political presence, they were extremely vulnerable. Their strategy was therefore to act as spokesmen on behalf of the towns where they worked, and to oppose the more aggressive measures of the Lagos administration. The administration itself needed to protect British interests and prestige, but at the same time allow conditions under which trade could develop, so that it could balance its books. As Ikorodu and its aftermath showed, it was difficult to achieve both ends at the same time. After 1865, the Lagos governor lost some of his autonomy when Lagos was placed under the jurisdiction of Freetown and later of Accra.

The merchants needed the administration to protect their interests, but it did not want a political situation which would prevent trade. Thus, in the early 1860s they supported Glover's attempts to open the roads, but a decade later they were complaining to the governor at Sierra Leone over his plans to close the roads in order to put pressure on Abeokuta (Kopytoff, 1965: 155-6). During the consular period the merchants and the administration had united against the missions over their policy towards Kosoko. The slavery issue became less important after 1861 (Smith, 1974: 411), and the British merchants and missionaries united in their opposition to Glover in the 1870s. By the time of the Ije,bu expedition of 1892, on the eve of the British takeover in the interior, the interests of all three groups largely coincided. Many of the Saro on the other hand were becoming increasingly alienated.

http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/yorubat/yt2.html

Hmmmmm... I see you Shymmex. Je fais attention

Egba girl: Hmmmmm... I see you Shymmex. Je fais attention

Your people had great warriors...and they did defeat the Ijebu's a few times.

However, do you now agree that your were chased out of Ibadan by the Ijebu/Ife coalition? Ibadan used to be your homeland. Abeokuta isn't bad, anyway.

Your people also defeated Dahomey four times.

These are some of the wars fought and won by the Egba's:

Owiwi war- Between the Egbas and the Remos in 1832
Oluyole war- This war was between the Egbas and Oyo in 1834-1835
Iperu war- This was fought in 1836
1st Dahomey war- Between the Egbas and the Dahomey in 1844-1845
2nd Dahomey war- in 1851
3rd Dahomey war- in 1853
4th Dahomey war- in 1864

History of some of the wars fought by the Egba's

The first and major of these series of internecine wars was the one which broke out as a result of an incident at Apomu Market, now in the Irewolede Local Government area of Osun State. In 1821, an Owu man who sold alligator peppers was at Apomu Market selling his wares. He laid them out in piles containing 200 peppers each. An Ijebu woman came to the market and purchased a pile. She did not verify on the spot the correctness of the number of peppers in the pile she selected, but found it convenient to do counting on reaching home. She claimed to find only 199, which meant that one was missing.

The Ijebu woman went back to the market to accost the Owu man over the one pepper by which the portion she selected was less, and demanded restitution of the missing one. But the Owu man objected, maintaining that he was sure of his own count. The argument over this single pepper developed into an open quarrell between the two of them. Later, it blew out into a fracas in which people of Owu and Ijebu clans in the market took sides with their kith and kin. Sectional sentiments soon became whipped up into open confrontation in which a life was lost and several people were injured.

Each side went home to narrate to their Oba, chiefs and townsmen the events of the day. As would be expected, each group took umbrage over what it considered to be a raw deal from the opposing camp. Within a matter of days, the fight over a single alligator pepper had resulted into a total war in which the Owu and Ijebu peoples threw caution to the winds and restored to open arms. Before this incident, the people of Ife had suffered defeats in the hands of the Owu people, and the Ijebu had similarly been routed by the Owu in a war fought over the slave trading.

Now, both the Ife and Ijebu saw the opportunity to settle scores with the Owu by joining forces to face the Owu. Even the remnants of the Oyo forces, just returned from their mission to repel a Fulani invasion, and who were by then mere lay-about, teamed up with Ife and Ijebu forces. The combined attack of the Ife-Ijebu-Oyo coalition forced the Owu homeland to fall after a long siege, and the events following this catastrophe gave birth to the founding of Abeokuta a few years after.

The fall of the Owu homeland was quickly followed by the fall of some other Egba towns, each being sacked in succession by the alliance of the Ife-Ijebu-Oyo forces.

The Egba towns which had folded their arms while the Owu people fought alone, now became victims of the ravening wolves represented by these rallies. The only pity of it was that among the first to fall was Ikija. Ikija was attacked because its people stood by the Owu people in the war of 'Alligator Pepper'. Before long, many Egba towns also fell and all the survivors eventually sought refuge in Abeokuta after a few years, and thus made Abeokuta their permanent place of sojourn.

Their decision to leave Ibadan for Abeokuta was nowever informed by the hostility of the Oyo, Ife and Ijebu, with whom they shared sojourn in Ibadan. Lamodi, a warrior of note, was credited with the initiative for the migration to Abeokuta, although he himself never saw the Promised Land because he died on the way. He was at the time the Balogun of the Egba people. Sodeke, who was then the Seriki of the Egba, took over and led the first wave of immigration to Abeokuta in 1830. Bringing up the rear of the migrants to Abeokuta were the Owu people in about the year 1834. Some others also came later.

The site they choose for Abeokuta was originally the farmland of an Itoko farmer whose name was Adagba. Adagba had no choice but to receive the Egba refugees with both hands and the credit he got was that Abeokuta became known by another name - 'OKO ADAGBA', meaning Adagba's Farmstead. On setting in Abeokuta, each community continued its main occupation of farming, cultivating mainly food crops and cash crops, notably cotton, palm-trees, and kola-nuts. A few did pretty trading and some practiced itinerant merchandising. There were also craftsmen, hunters, drummers, weavers and dryers; some practiced traditional healing, mingling it with some form of divination. They were very religious and each adhered to a belief in one God or another. They specialized in a genre of oral traditional poetry known as Ege which is both musical and philosophical in content and forms.

The first few years immediately following the settling in Abeokuta were fraught with difficulties - social, political and economic. But for the fact that they lived simple lives, they would have found the problems overwhelming. The problems of each group findings and selecting appropriate land to farm was enough to daunt them. And the quick succession of the waves of settlers posed problems with extra dimensions. The new pottage represented by the many group of settlers needed time to simmer and mellow down to attain acceptable taste. Then there were the need for food supply. Being new settlers, they needed a year or two to be able to plant enough food to feed themselves. So it was largely a question of scrounging for food on in the first two years by a people who had escaped from unsettling ravages of war.

Between 1830 and the turn of the century, the settlers in Abeokuta were forced into fighting several wars. In these wars, they creditably proved their mettle. In 1832, the Ijebu Remo people provoked the new settlers into taking arms against several Ijebu Remo towns in a war called - Owiwi war. In 1834, the Ibadan people also challenged them to a war which resulted in the defeat of the Ibadan army in what was known as the Battle of Arakanga.

In 1842, the settlers took the initiative of a war with the Ota people in order to ensure free movement through Ota territory each time they needed to get to Lagos to buy firearms. This led to another war in 1844 when they attacked Ado for assisting the Ota people two years before. The same year, the Dahomeans, under King Gezo, waged war against Abeokuta but were repulsed. The Dahomey army repeated the invasion in 1851 and suffered a similar defeat.

In 1849, Abeokuta attacked Ibarapa for waylaying the Egba in their territory. Among other wars fought by Abeokuta were the Ijebu-Ere War in 1851, and the Ijaye War of 1860-1862, and the Makun War of 1862-1864, as well as a few others. In most of these encounters, they emerged victorious - although they suffered their own reverses in some as well. Among Egba war leaders were Sodeke, Ogunbona, Apati, Seriki Akoodu, Ogundipe Alatise, Sokenu, Basorun Somoye, Olufakun, Agbo, Lumloye, Iyalode Tinubu, Majekodunmi, and a host of others.
http://www.egbaprogressive.org/history_of_abeokuta.php

Well.....


It is abundantly clear that the Ibadan people were the ultimate saviours of the Yoruba race from the marauding fulanis...

Y'all should keep bowing and kissing the ring .....

TouchDown: Well.....


It is abundantly clear that the Ibadan people were the ultimate saviours of the Yoruba race from the marauding fulanis...

Y'all should keep bowing and kissing the ring .....

There was nothing like Ibadan people in the real sense. Ibadan pre-1800 was just another military outpost and by post-1800 had become a large community because of fleeing population from the North (due to Oyo's decline). By Mid-1800s, Ibadan had become so large and prosperous with pot-pourri of Yorubas from different language stocks. Get it?

Tony Spike:

There was nothing like Ibadan people in the real sense. Ibadan pre-1800 was just another military outpost and by post-1800 had become a large community because of fleeing population from the North (due to Oyo's decline). By Mid-1800s, Ibadan had become so large and prosperous with pot-pourri of Yorubas from different language stocks. Get it?

I concur. I believe 25% of today's is Egba, another 25% is Ijebu and most of the rest are Oyo. It was a military outpost of Oyo, when the Kingdom reigned supreme...and I guess that was why Ibadan became the de-facto leader after Oyo collapsed.

However, the Egba's have to be the bravest and strongest of all Yoruba subgroups, especially the Owu's. And I'm Ijebu. I rate the Egba's highly!

shymexx:

I concur. I believe 25% of today's is Egba, another 25% is Ijebu and most of the rest are Oyo. It was a military outpost of Oyo, when the Kingdom reigned supreme...and I guess that was why Ibadan became the de-facto leader after Oyo collapsed.

However, the Egba's have to be the bravest and strongest of all Yoruba subgroups, especially the Owu's. And I'm Ijebu. I rate the Egba's highly!

It was not until 1876 that Ibadan's dominance, tyranny and bully of Yoruba towns was challenged in the ever-prolonged Kiriji wars. That war was indeed a classic one where the Ibadans were matched skill for skill, weapon for weapon and tactics for tactics. Shortly after that, we found out that Ibadan only had brave and courageous men but lacked personnels with advanced war strategies and ideas (with think-thanks) while fighting armies of the Ijeshas and Ekitis combined, tacitly whupping their asses for 16 long years...buahahahaha

What about ekiti,ondo,ijesa and igbomina?

macof: What about ekiti,ondo,ijesa and igbomina?

What would you like to know about them, sir?

Tony Spike:

What would you like to know about them, sir?

Nothing in particular but you have given some history of other yoruba tribes while leaving this ones out

Hm.

shymexx:

I concur. I believe 25% of today's is Egba, another 25% is Ijebu and most of the rest are Oyo. It was a military outpost of Oyo, when the Kingdom reigned supreme...and I guess that was why Ibadan became the de-facto leader after Oyo collapsed.

However, the Egba's have to be the bravest and strongest of all Yoruba subgroups, especially the Owu's. And I'm Ijebu. I rate the Egba's highly!

The Egba Warlord, Ayikondu was was killed in the Egba campaign against Ado in a ditch battle of Imojulu.

Although they have their shortcomings, the Ibadan were really brave warriors and defender of the Yoruba civilization. The Jihadists were really interested in "deeping the Qurian in the sea" as they say, with sword in the other hand, if not for the ferocious Ibadan and the timely "Pax Britanica" intervention.

It is not by accident that the conquerors to the North gazette the Yoruba as "unbelievers" even in spite of the fact that they have Mohammedans in their ranks and file. The Yoruba however had devices to make the horse rider fall backwards to their savannah enclaves.

Imagine what our history would read like today, some sort of extension of "Ilorin-Afonja" everywhere. The present civility of Yoruba would not have been possible for yet another century, as the Yoruba often evolve with the mood of the time.

In my understanding okun is a major people of d yoruba descent. How & where do they fit in all these actions?

A treasure of a thread.