kettykin:
This hear wrecking story is about the Central city of illorin and how it was lost forver to the fulani Caliphate and the danger it portends to the city of Lagos and Jos which are currently facing similar threats of being lost finally to the New owners.

Ilorin perhaps came into existence five to seven hundred years ago. It was a place with hard rocks for repairing or sharpening weapons. It was surrounded by hills and forests inhabited by many wild animals – elephants, lions, snakes and several birds. The original place was not far from one or two fountains which are now sources of two streams that flow into Asa River. Thus, it was a centre for hunters to sharpen their tools mainly made of metals.

There is confusion over the origin of the word “Ilorin.” Several historians and writers related it to abundance of elephants and believed the origin of the word “Ilorin” is “Ilu Erin.” But the most acceptable origin of Ilorin is “Ilorin” that is “Ilu Irin” that is town, city or village of metal weapons. It might be mentioned that this later meaning must be considered as the correct one, in view of place also called “Oko Erin,” where we now have the Ilorin Stadium and Queen School, and the areas around where elephants were very predominant.


Before the defeat of Sokoto in 1904, Ilorin had grown in size because the Nupe had started extending Southward from Niger to take slaves for sale to the colonial people. Oyo became the principal centre of the Yoruba speaking people with Alaafin as the ruler. The Oyo I am referring to was in the North –West of Ilorin. It is now in a forest reserve because of the Nupe incursion especially from Igbominas, Yagbas, Igbirras to Kukuruku.

Yoruba for a long time have had people of Muslim faith probably up to 1,000 years, but belief in Islam for them at that time had no negative bearing on their traditional beliefs. The Yorubas have merged with many indigenous peoples to the extent that their language has been so influenced in this connection. They had the influence of the Arabs from a place called Sudan and people from the present Yemen. The word “Bani” in Arabic has the plural as “Yar.” When the Hausa describe a Yoruba man, they call him Ba Arabe but still maintain the plural for “Yarabawa.” Whoever listens to Hausa, Yoruba or Kanuri has ease in detecting many words of Arabic origin.

Ilorin in 1800 was not a very big city. It had not become what it is known for now. The daughter of an Alaafin of Oyo had a son called Oladerin who was rich and was influential because of the mother who was a princess. Oladerin died young leaving many children in Oyo town. Of course, his wealth was based on slaves caught for sale to Europeans who took the slaves to America and the Islands of West Indies. In 1800, the son of Oladerin, Afonja moved to Ilorin and built a house at Idi Ape. He built a shrine opposite his house. The shrine is now occupied by the old central Mosque.

He moved south east of Oyo town and got very powerful because he had his army and constantly raided his neighbours. The Alaafin of his time, Oladerin, that is, his cousin, came from the female side. His tribal marks were “Keke” rather than “Abaja” but his wealth and military strength made Alaafin uncomfortable. He decided finally to make him Aare Ona Kakanfo as no Onakakanfo ended comfortably. He then started defiling the Alaafin and making life uncomfortable for him, after a hostile exchange between him and Alaafin through messengers.

Around 1808, Alaafin sent him a calabash. In Oyo tradition, this meant that one had been sentenced by the Aalafin to death and the victim’s skull would be sent back to Aalfin. Afonja sent the calabash back with yam flour inside meaning, “what Alaafin asked for is impossible except if you could convert the yam flour to fresh yam” indirectly declaring war on the Alaafin.

Before this time, Muslims from various parts of West Africa and from Sudan were moving down to Yorubaland as teachers and preachers. Among these Islamic scholars was Muhammad Saleh who came from a little ancient town called Bunza now in Kebbi State. Saleh first went to Nupeland. He was in Bida before crossing river Niger to the south and got to Oyo. From Oyo, he moved to Iseyin where he virtually converted every citizen to Islam. The Alaafin heard of him and asked him to come to Oyo. Alaafin decided he would accept Islam but subject to his own former beliefs in sacrificing human beings, which Saleh refused to accommodate. He then moved southwards to Ogbomoso which was being then ruled by Barubas. After about a year and half at Ogbomoso, he moved to a place called Kuo near the present Ilorin Airport. It was there he stayed with his scholars including those who came with him and those who joined him. His name Muhammad Saleh is almost forgotten except the nickname he was given – Mallam Alimi. Many Yorubas still have pride bearing that name Alimi.

When Afonja defiled his Alaafin by refusing to commit suicide, the Aalafin sent a powerful force to confront Afonja to bring him to Oyo dead or alive. The force was so formidable. One of the options opened to Afonja was to run away from Ilorin. The only place he could run to was to the Nupes who might enslave him or to wait and fight with certainty of defeat. However, many of his followers, according to some historical evidence including some of his children had become Muslims and scholars with Mallam Alimi. On their advice, Afonja came to Mallam Alimi for help. Mallam Alimi on seeing Afonja welcomed him and would not pray for him or fight on his side because he Afonja and his Alaafin were not believers in Allah. Afonja then told Mallam Alimi that he did not believe in Islam but if Mallam Alimi’s prayer would help him, it would make him to be a strong believer in islam. Mallam Alimi then said, “In that case, we shall pray for you, we shall fight on your side and with Allah’s blessings, we shall humiliate any force sent by the Alaafin against you.”

Afonja then said, “Mallam Alimi, but you are not many.’’

Mallam Alimi replied, “Everyone you see is more than one thousand solders of Aalafin.”

The Alaafin sent a powerful force which Dr. Johnson described vividly in his “History of Yorubas.” The Alaafin never anticipated defeat and decided to put Afonja away and to witness Afonja’s defeat

The Alaafin followed his troops after a bloody battle. He was humiliatingly defeated and a lot of his warriors were captured both by Afonja and Mallam Alimi’s forces. Mallam Alimi’s forces captured the Alaafin with some of his top warriors and took them to Kuo. There was shock all over Yorubaland because of this disastrous war. Mallam Alimi expected Afonja to come immediately and declare he had become a Muslim. After almost three weeks, Afonja never came to thank Mallam Alimi. Instead he sent to Mallam Alimi asking for surrender of the Alaafin to him, which Mallam Alimi would not do. However Mallam Alimi asked Afonja’s emissaries what Afonja would do with Alaafin who was his king
They told Mallam Alimi that Afonja would sacrifice Alaafin at the shrine. There and then Mallam Alimi arranged the escort of Alaafin back to Oyo.

For Alaafin the humiliation was too much and unbearable but for this Fulani, Afonja would have sacrificed him on the shrine. So he took four arrows and shot one in each direction and said, “As I have shot the arrows North, South, East, and West so will Yorubas be scattered. They will never be united.” He then took poison and died.

kettykin:
This hear wrecking story is about the Central city of illorin and how it was lost forver to the fulani Caliphate and the danger it portends to the city of Lagos and Jos which are currently facing similar threats of being lost finally to the New owners.

Ilorin perhaps came into existence five to seven hundred years ago. It was a place with hard rocks for repairing or sharpening weapons. It was surrounded by hills and forests inhabited by many wild animals – elephants, lions, snakes and several birds. The original place was not far from one or two fountains which are now sources of two streams that flow into Asa River. Thus, it was a centre for hunters to sharpen their tools mainly made of metals.

There is confusion over the origin of the word “Ilorin.” Several historians and writers related it to abundance of elephants and believed the origin of the word “Ilorin” is “Ilu Erin.” But the most acceptable origin of Ilorin is “Ilorin” that is “Ilu Irin” that is town, city or village of metal weapons. It might be mentioned that this later meaning must be considered as the correct one, in view of place also called “Oko Erin,” where we now have the Ilorin Stadium and Queen School, and the areas around where elephants were very predominant.


Before the defeat of Sokoto in 1904, Ilorin had grown in size because the Nupe had started extending Southward from Niger to take slaves for sale to the colonial people. Oyo became the principal centre of the Yoruba speaking people with Alaafin as the ruler. The Oyo I am referring to was in the North –West of Ilorin. It is now in a forest reserve because of the Nupe incursion especially from Igbominas, Yagbas, Igbirras to Kukuruku.

Yoruba for a long time have had people of Muslim faith probably up to 1,000 years, but belief in Islam for them at that time had no negative bearing on their traditional beliefs. The Yorubas have merged with many indigenous peoples to the extent that their language has been so influenced in this connection. They had the influence of the Arabs from a place called Sudan and people from the present Yemen. The word “Bani” in Arabic has the plural as “Yar.” When the Hausa describe a Yoruba man, they call him Ba Arabe but still maintain the plural for “Yarabawa.” Whoever listens to Hausa, Yoruba or Kanuri has ease in detecting many words of Arabic origin.

Ilorin in 1800 was not a very big city. It had not become what it is known for now. The daughter of an Alaafin of Oyo had a son called Oladerin who was rich and was influential because of the mother who was a princess. Oladerin died young leaving many children in Oyo town. Of course, his wealth was based on slaves caught for sale to Europeans who took the slaves to America and the Islands of West Indies. In 1800, the son of Oladerin, Afonja moved to Ilorin and built a house at Idi Ape. He built a shrine opposite his house. The shrine is now occupied by the old central Mosque.

He moved south east of Oyo town and got very powerful because he had his army and constantly raided his neighbours. The Alaafin of his time, Oladerin, that is, his cousin, came from the female side. His tribal marks were “Keke” rather than “Abaja” but his wealth and military strength made Alaafin uncomfortable. He decided finally to make him Aare Ona Kakanfo as no Onakakanfo ended comfortably. He then started defiling the Alaafin and making life uncomfortable for him, after a hostile exchange between him and Alaafin through messengers.

Around 1808, Alaafin sent him a calabash. In Oyo tradition, this meant that one had been sentenced by the Aalafin to death and the victim’s skull would be sent back to Aalfin. Afonja sent the calabash back with yam flour inside meaning, “what Alaafin asked for is impossible except if you could convert the yam flour to fresh yam” indirectly declaring war on the Alaafin.

Before this time, Muslims from various parts of West Africa and from Sudan were moving down to Yorubaland as teachers and preachers. Among these Islamic scholars was Muhammad Saleh who came from a little ancient town called Bunza now in Kebbi State. Saleh first went to Nupeland. He was in Bida before crossing river Niger to the south and got to Oyo. From Oyo, he moved to Iseyin where he virtually converted every citizen to Islam. The Alaafin heard of him and asked him to come to Oyo. Alaafin decided he would accept Islam but subject to his own former beliefs in sacrificing human beings, which Saleh refused to accommodate. He then moved southwards to Ogbomoso which was being then ruled by Barubas. After about a year and half at Ogbomoso, he moved to a place called Kuo near the present Ilorin Airport. It was there he stayed with his scholars including those who came with him and those who joined him. His name Muhammad Saleh is almost forgotten except the nickname he was given – Mallam Alimi. Many Yorubas still have pride bearing that name Alimi.

When Afonja defiled his Alaafin by refusing to commit suicide, the Aalafin sent a powerful force to confront Afonja to bring him to Oyo dead or alive. The force was so formidable. One of the options opened to Afonja was to run away from Ilorin. The only place he could run to was to the Nupes who might enslave him or to wait and fight with certainty of defeat. However, many of his followers, according to some historical evidence including some of his children had become Muslims and scholars with Mallam Alimi. On their advice, Afonja came to Mallam Alimi for help. Mallam Alimi on seeing Afonja welcomed him and would not pray for him or fight on his side because he Afonja and his Alaafin were not believers in Allah. Afonja then told Mallam Alimi that he did not believe in Islam but if Mallam Alimi’s prayer would help him, it would make him to be a strong believer in islam. Mallam Alimi then said, “In that case, we shall pray for you, we shall fight on your side and with Allah’s blessings, we shall humiliate any force sent by the Alaafin against you.”

Afonja then said, “Mallam Alimi, but you are not many.’’

Mallam Alimi replied, “Everyone you see is more than one thousand solders of Aalafin.”

The Alaafin sent a powerful force which Dr. Johnson described vividly in his “History of Yorubas.” The Alaafin never anticipated defeat and decided to put Afonja away and to witness Afonja’s defeat

The Alaafin followed his troops after a bloody battle. He was humiliatingly defeated and a lot of his warriors were captured both by Afonja and Mallam Alimi’s forces. Mallam Alimi’s forces captured the Alaafin with some of his top warriors and took them to Kuo. There was shock all over Yorubaland because of this disastrous war. Mallam Alimi expected Afonja to come immediately and declare he had become a Muslim. After almost three weeks, Afonja never came to thank Mallam Alimi. Instead he sent to Mallam Alimi asking for surrender of the Alaafin to him, which Mallam Alimi would not do. However Mallam Alimi asked Afonja’s emissaries what Afonja would do with Alaafin who was his king
They told Mallam Alimi that Afonja would sacrifice Alaafin at the shrine. There and then Mallam Alimi arranged the escort of Alaafin back to Oyo.

For Alaafin the humiliation was too much and unbearable but for this Fulani, Afonja would have sacrificed him on the shrine. So he took four arrows and shot one in each direction and said, “As I have shot the arrows North, South, East, and West so will Yorubas be scattered. They will never be united.” He then took poison and died.

kettykin:
Afonja be described as a modern Day Judas who betrayed his people for a kingdom which he eventually lost or can he be described as a moden day Esau who sold Illorin into the hands of the fulanis for momentary pleasure

When Afonja defiled his Alaafin by refusing to commit suicide, the Aalafin sent a powerful force to confront Afonja to bring him to Oyo dead or alive.

FriendNG:
Rilwayne001 dagaskene ko tatsuniyace ?

Rilwayne001:


It's a mixture or of the two which cannot be taken as truth. There are different narrations of the story, this is just one of the many contradictory ones.

Bottom line is, Islam conquered ilorin and not Fulani.

FriendNG:

Is above the fact or your own contradictory version ?

What lead to Fulani emir?

Rilwayne001:


Most probable, unless you have a more convincing argument against it, let's iron it out.



Like is said, it is more safe to assume that after Alimi help Afonja in defeating Alaafin, Afonja gave him more freedom to do as he wills in ilorin. The main aim of Alimi was to introduce Islam to the pagan people of ilorin, and his aim was not to be king over anybody. Rumors also had it that Alimi had been teaching Ilorin people including Afonjas own household about islam and more and more people had been embracing the religion, this might have infuriated Afonja who was an ardent practisioner of traditional religion, and more that led to the fight in which he was killed.

orisa37:
The Caliphate is restrategising.
The Fulanis and The Arabs are coming and refocussing. The 36 States must be made fully autonomous on or before 2019.
Yorubas, Ibos and the minorities, please guide and guard your loins and be prepared to hold and control your Mainland effectively.
There is no Palestine in Nigeria. Ilorin and Eko(lago-de-kuramus) remain permanently Yoruba Lands. Soon or later, whoever that may be on them, whose administration is not responsible to Yoruba Council of Chiefs, Obas and Cocoa House will be expelled.

FriendNG:


It may be.

Story from Yoruba writers will be like yours while Igbo writers will be like this thread perhaps.

Only God knows the truth.

FriendNG:

OK. Waiting for you to expel the current emir of illorin

Rilwayne001:


Nevertheless, come to Ilorin, and you'll only find Fulanis in the bush except the ones related to the Emir. Even the Emir don't use fulani language in addressing people, he either speaks Yoruba or English.

Rilwayne001:


In this current dispensation we cannot, because there's absolutely no reason to. However, if things happen to change, we certainly will.