honifome: ilorin people are cowards,they could not defeat the fulanis.Their forefathers folded arm and watched the fulani taking over government.They expected yoruba counterparts to pursue the fulanis which is not possible because Afonja had declared independece against oyo.I challenge you,I might be more knowledgeable of your town history than you.

filebe777: I can't wait for true federalism to happen.All the yorubas coming together as one.from there we invite our brothers in benin and togo and also the carrabean(trinidad and tobago,brazil et al).I see a beautiful nation with no hurdles one ideology reigns.
ODUA NATION
We will write our books,showcase our civilization and tell our stories the way it is rather than telling my kids how mary sclessors stopped the killing of twins in Nigeria(I want my kids to go to school and Read about the greatness of their people that long before mary sclessors.the yourabs stopped killing twins before the white man came (*p.s Read about ondo and ileoluji,why the call each other omo iya kan kan)
This beautiful yoruba stories let me see the greatness of my people rather than a pale skin white lady came to rescue the niggers.
I believe the yorubas will right these stories,make video games of their own heros(imagine playing shango combat on play station! Awesome and priceless.
We will build our skools,roads hospitals,utilise our resources gainfully etc
I'm I saying too much? Well I will finish by saying welcome to my new world
DAMN!!! I can't just live with the IGBOs.
Terrible people...... ERANKO NI WON!!!!

El fenómeno:

Bro, kindly stop this your blind nationalism. I'm also Yoruba, a historian. The Fulani did defeat us at Ilorin, they also killed the traitor, Afonja. From Ilorin, they sacked Oyo ile, don't you that the present Oyo isn't the Capital of the Old Oyo Empire? Old Oyo was upper ward when compare to the present one. However, you're right about Ibadan defeating them in 1840 at Oshogbo and the Ibadan forces made a grave mistake by not chasing them out of Ilorin. At that time, if the other Yoruba States had align with Ibadan, Sokoto itself could have been a Yoruba city, I said so because we've had access to European riffles and Canons at that time whereas, the Fulanis were using calvary, swordmen and archers. The insult at Ilorin is the reason why any sane Yorubaman should consider the Hausa/Fulani as our eternal enemies. Tinubu and co, need to learn from history.

EL-AGAIE:
all of u ar tribalistic

Akanbi_edu: Ilorin was conquered by the Fulani
so it is commonsense that whoever
wants Ilorin back will have to
conquer it. The general masses of
a conqured territory would have to
obey whatever system is put in
place to rule them.

Katsumoto: [b]@ 9jacrip & macof


A few books provide that there were small states within Ife – Oke Ora under Oduduwa, Idena under Oreluere, Itapa and Ideta under Obatala, Ita Yemoo under Yemoo (Obatala’s wife), Igbo Olokun under Olokun (Oduduwa’s wife). It would appear that Oduduwa conquered the other areas because there are separate accounts of revolt against Oreluere and Obatala.

Sources
Culture, Politics and Money Among the Yoruba – Toyin Falola
Ife Before Oduduwa (Isola Olomola) an excerpt found in Professor Akijogbin’s The Cradle of a Race
American, African, and Old European Mythologies – Yves Bonnefoy

See excerpt from Olodumare, God in Yoruba Belief – Bolaji Idowu

‘It is not certain what his original name was, but it could have been Oduduwa ….. We learn from Oral Tradition that when Oduduwa arrived in Ile Ife, there was already a community of aboriginal people under the leadership of Oreluore. The tradition persists that when Oduduwa arrived with his colonizing party, he at first did not pay any respect to Oreluere or recognize his headship. He was haughty and disdainful in his attitude.’


But in the absence of reading those books (It is almost impossible to find that Akinjogbin book today), please see below.


‘While no one could precisely say what motivate ‘ogboni’ cult or confraternity, to come into being in Ife-Oodaye, but postulations in Yoruba mythology, shed light on the pre-Oduduwa era in the IIe-Ife, when ‘Obatala’ and Oreluere were the ruling chieftains of the Aborigine Ife-speaking community. ‘Awo’ ogboni, among so many other ‘Awos’(i.e cults) in Ife then, became so prominent and relevant, more as a pressure group to protest the unceremonious arrival of the great colonial master in history, (i.e.) Oduduwa, just as certian people of today’s Nigeria, first resisted the coming of the British imperialism, so also, the aboriginal Ife people and their particularly leader, Obatala; vehemently resisted the unexpected arrival of Oduduwa and his followers into Ile-ife. But when they could not withstand the might and high political network of Oduduwa, these ancient Ife people, resorted to cover activities, by making use of their ogboni group to determine oduduwa’s authority. And in most cases, against oduduwa’s people themselves, who were not their members. Most of these terrorist acts take place during the life time of Queen MOREMI, an Ofa indigene, married to ORANMIYAN, one of the Ife kings at that time.’

http://oloolutof./ogboni-fraternity-the-oyo-perspective/



So to settle the debate between 9jacrip and macof – there are two accounts which are intertwined.
1. A cosmogonic/mythological one which provides that Olodumare gave the task of creating the world to Obatala but Oduduwa ended up completing the task with Obatala creating man - macof
2. A more realistic historical one in which Oduduwa surreptitiously conquered the Ife area by defeating Obatala (who may have also been Oreluere). This account is strengthened by the abandonment of Ife by the Ugbo (Ilaje/Mahin) but who later resort to guerilla tactics to retake Ife. I believe this ties in with the Moremi legend. It also fits in perfectly with the Itapa festival that is celebrated in Ife. - 9jacrip

Thank you to both of you. I have had to revert to old books for this which has provided some clarity for me. I have often wondered why Agboniregun was in Ife when Oduduwa arrived there. Something else to ponder, according to Akinjogbin and other Yoruba historians, there were at least 93 kings before Oduduwa. This fits in well with my belief that there were several Yoruba groups around at the same time as Ife pre-Oduduwa and why the Ijebu have always maintained that they are not from Ife.

Desola:

Thank you ojare, Eyan iyi!

Ibrahim mr fish:
So did u hear me say that I'm Hausa?I am Igala and my mother is nupe.I don't have single Hausa in my family.And by the way,we don't have Hausa indegen of kogi.That don't make us less northerns than them.Stop lying to urself,that will not change a thing.U can shout 4m now,to the end of the world.That will not change a thing.Kwara,Kofi,Niger,Nassarawa,Benue,Abuja and Platue are north,believe that.

bola4dprec: There are well laid down criteria for creating a state including identifiable geographical area, cultural affinity, geographical contiguity, viability adequate population, linguistic similarity etc. Many of the areas being demanded to be carved as a state do not qualify to be a state with the above criteria in mind. Their demand is shrouded in creating a kingdom for their leaders.

The only geo-political zone that needs an additional state as a matter of necessity and priority is the South East zone of the country which has the least number of states among the six geo-political zones and which is being cheated in everything including revenue allocation, representation in National Assembly, ministerial appointment and other federal appointments.

However if equity and fairness are to be maintained each geo-political zone should have a maximum of seven states to bring the total number of states in the country to 42 to end state creation exercise in the country. This will necessitate the expunging of state creation from the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to end the malady. No one has heard how many new states are being created in USA, India, China, Britain or any other African country. Why should state creation be an endless exercise in Nigeria?

JaaizTech: I really do not get what the OP is trying to drive at. Nigeria is indeed a diverse place, just like the rest of the world. States were not created in order to sectionalize tribes, but Nigeria was divided into states for administrative purposes. It really doesn't matter that KWARA is grouped into the Northern part, that is just a question of geographical location and has nothing to do with the people living states. Kwara being located in geographical North doesn't imply the people of Kwara can not be Yorubas!

We need to stop hating ourselves, because all I can see here is a by-product of the dislike south has for North and vice-versa, but let me tell you that even amongst the Yorubas there is in-fighting, Ife-Modakeke clash is still fresh in memory. Issues exist between the different Yoruba tribes, lump them together as one region and this issues will become pronounced.

We should not allow ourselves to be used to sow the seed of discord but the seed of unity; what I would encourage the youths of this Nation to clamour for is rotational Presidency & Governorship. We need a system that gives everyone a sense of belonging. There is ethnic strife within every region: Ijaw Vs Itsekiri; Igbira Vs Igala; Hausa vs Gbagi etc; and the reason for this strife is that the minority groups feel they are being marginalised. A system that ensures every ethnic group has a fair chance of participating at the highest level of Governance is what Nigeria needs now.


I would also advise that people travel around this country, only that way would they appreciate the importance of the unity of this country. We have very little to gain dividing, but a lot to lose.

El fenómeno:

Bro, kindly stop this your blind nationalism. I'm also Yoruba, a historian. The Fulani did defeat us at Ilorin, they also killed the traitor, Afonja. From Ilorin, they sacked Oyo ile, don't you that the present Oyo isn't the Capital of the Old Oyo Empire? Old Oyo was upper ward when compare to the present one. However, you're right about Ibadan defeating them in 1840 at Oshogbo and the Ibadan forces made a grave mistake by not chasing them out of Ilorin. At that time, if the other Yoruba States had align with Ibadan, Sokoto itself could have been a Yoruba city, I said so because we've had access to European riffles and Canons at that time whereas, the Fulanis were using calvary, swordmen and archers. The insult at Ilorin is the reason why any sane Yorubaman should consider the Hausa/Fulani as our eternal enemies. Tinubu and co, need to learn from history.

Kwara State (Ilorin and Kabba Province) was created by the military Government of Col Yakubu Gowon in 1967 as WEST CENTRAL state. Kogi was carved out of the state in 1991 thereby reducing its original size. Geographically Kwara State is located in the WESTERN part of Nigeria. Let's assume we want to locate only four grid on the Nigerian map I. e North, West, South, East. Kwara is the WESTERN part of Nigeria, Abuja is right in the miidle, Taraba/ part of Adamawa EAST, Rivers SOUTH and Katsina NORT. North Central is a multi-ethnic group with 65 percent of the settlers christians. Benue has the highest percentage of christians followed by Plateau then kwara with 44 percent christian population. Ilorin the state capital has more muslim population than christians (55 percent muslims, 41 percent christians and others (4 percent) although ilorin indegienes are majorly muslims (87 percent). The most popular language in kwara is yoruba (even more popular than English as the minority parts (Edu, Lafiagi,Baruteen and Kiamo LG speak "scanty" yoruba)
Kwara is made up of 16 Local Government Areas, the above LGAs are none yorubas (and are the most sparcely populated) while the remaining 12 are yoruba LGAs namely: irepodun (2nd largest LG in Nigeria, ifelodun (largest LG in Nigeria) , Offa, Moro, Oke-Ero, Ekiti, Oyun, ilorin West, ilorin South and Ilorin East local government.
Out of this 12 local government only 2 ilorin W and E have traces of other tribes like nupe, fulani and hausa (who all speak yoruba). This fulani minorities all have yoruba names as their middle name e.g ibrahim Kolapo Zulu Gambari (emir of ilorin) Dele Belgore, Babatunde Belgore etc. I once met a girl who is a grand daughter of the Emir of ilorin. After telling me her 1st name (yoruba name of course I thought I was talking to an oyo or osun girl untill I saw her I D card. I Was confused and this was the conversation that followed:
Me: Thesame 'Zulu-Gambari' ?
girl: YES! She answered.
me: so you are a fulani girl?
girl: Rara oo (nooo, she said)
Me: critically appraise what you mean (I said jokingly but was really intrested in that topic)
girl: em em em m well, I am not fulani but ilorin
Me: is ilorin a tribe?
Girl: technically I am ....(My phone rang and I had to leave her immediately. I haven't seen her since then.
I have always asked this question;
WHY IS KWARA CLASSIFIED as a northern state?
Geographical location? (NO)
Tribe? (NO)
While in school my friends used to make jest of me by calling me "aboki" It saddens my mind but what I usually do was to joke around it. I got really pissed one day and I called two of them (they are both ondo indegines)
Me: we all know the meaning of Oyewale (my name) and Ogundiran (surename) pls tell me the meaning of MIMIKO or AGAGU and I will accept the aboki title
(I saw myself as beign more yoruba than them)
Friends: jokingly they said "go ask them na"..
(they didn't know because those names don't sound like yoruba)
I have read different stories of how Afonja was killed by Alimi and also read about the mistakes made by the colonial government (Richards' Commission). To some extent I can argue that there are more ibos reciding in ilorin than the fulanis but that is a topic for another day. Recently the President set up a committee on the proposed Sovereign National Conference and I think the issue of kwara (ilorin) and yorubas in Kogi should be on the agenda. Why can't we have an Oba (say Afonja or Onilorin) of ilorin? I don't have anything against the Emir because he is a peaceful person and intelligent man too. -the only language he speaks in public is yoruba language, I don't know if he understands hausa/fulani languge but I know most of the fulanis in ilorin dont. Infact you won't know the educated ones among them are fulani untill you are told.
About 3 years ago Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state was invited by Muslim Law students in OAU and he was made to believe that there was an unbrella body for Northern Students in the school. He donated N500000 and promised to give more in future. So we were to form an Association for Northern Students in OAU. The association was formed and almost 70 percent of the members were yorubas majorly from kwara with a significant number from Kogi, We were to elect leaders for the association and while the plans to nominate members of the electoral committee was going on, the core Northern Students made a request that the posts of President, VP and Gen Second should be restricted to them alone (ie NW,NE and the core North). They made that request because they felt the chances of having core Northern students hold key posts in the association was very slim (if charisma and population was considered) and they wiould be relegated in the association that was supposed to promote the intrest of the North. It become very obvious they would not allow a Babatunde Samuel (just an e.g) be the President as the association (-I understand there plight) as his identity doesn't depict North in any way so the association was dossolved and I learnt they formed Arewa Student Association not long ago.
....(KWARA students are OUTCASTs here)
Kwara Students have very slim chances of getting scholarships. The state government is definately doing very little in this area (I spent 5 years in Ife and I didn't receive any assistance from the government in form of schorlarship/Bursary. I am not a fan of Saraki/Ahmed so I never expected much/anything from them. -Politically kwara is doomed and only divine intervention can deliver us. I don't belong to any political party but I know for sure that 80 percent PDP's rigging machines are in Kwara (let's not even talk about the Offa LG election). - Jonathan truely won kwara in the last election (They may have rigged for him but kwara people prefered him to Buhari). He (jona) has not impressed me at all as he is misplacing his priorities and very little is beign done to purnish corrupt politicians. "I see a confused man at the helms of affairs of the country even though he has good plans and trueely desired a better Nigeria" HIS GOVERNMENT TOTALLY RELEGATED THE YORUBAS. Back to the last general election in kwara PDP did RIGGED the election as there was no way they could have won in Kwara South. Saraki also rigged kwara central senatorial seat for himself as he would not have defeated Oniyangi of APC in a free and fair election (not my business though).
Governor Ahmed is from my senatorial district. He is 100 percent yoruba and"Aregbesola is not more yoruba than him"
He is by far the MOST POWERLESS GOVERNOR IN NIGERIA'S HISTORY and He himself will atteast to that.
The various scholarships for yoruba students are usually restricted to South Western Students which is very wrong. The Afenifere and other yoruba groups should do something very urgently about this as we(kwara students) are really suffering from this.
I don't know what will be the criteria for selecting delegates to the Soverign National Congress but I know traditional leaders and socio-cultural groups will be part of the delegates.
I love Nigeria and have never for once thought about disintergration but I can never sacrifice yoruba for Nigeria. NEVER I love YORUBA more than I love NIGERIA and love NIGERIA much more than my state (KWARA) because I have never really benefitted any tangible thing from KWARA.
I have the following suggestions which am sure would definately make Nigeria a much better place :
1. Nigeria should scrab either the Senate or House of Reps (we don't need two chambers. There primary assignments are not well done (most of them only wait for alerts from bank after each seating. I can name atleast 40 past and present senators/reps who didn't make up to 10 contributions throughout their 8 years in the senate/HoH. You always see them dozing/sleeping and wakes up when only to say HI and NA even when they don't know what is being discussed. Besides that the cost of maintaining them is too high which is while other sectors like education, aviation, heath, power etc are suffering
2.The present 36 states too needs to go and should be replaced with only 5 regions (North Central should be dissolved)/ this country needs to be regrouped. The grouping should be tribal sensitive as NO PART OF THE MAJOR TRIBES SHOULD BE MINORITIES IN OTHER REGIONS I.e all yorubas should be together including those in kwara and Kogi states. Same thing with other tribes (hausa and fulani should be together as they have very similar culture and tradition and have never really had problems living together)
3. TRUE FEDRALISM. Each of the 5 regions should operate like the 50 states in U.S.A

These will make the local governments independent, empowered and more effective/functional.
.... To be continued....

bola4dprec: Its unfortunate that Nigeria is not a nation rather its just a geographical location, when we are talking about national conference that will lead to national unity someone is lamented on Kwara and Ilorin could you believe that major problem of Nigerian is hypocrisy attitude, going by the record of oyo empire they spread their slavery trade towards Ilorin metro in order to make cash for the superior in the empire is not in the interest of masses whether emir or onilorin that is not an issue all we need now is national unity neither been a Muslim or whatsoever hausa/fulani, yoruba or igbo I blame our leader for not abolish state of origin for state of residence so far the constitution stated it cleared that Nigeria is one nation

Akanbi_edu: This topic is about Kwara but I will comment on Ilorin since both Kwara north and south seem not to be contentious.

The idea that people will choose wherever they want to with doesn’t work. No matter which way one looks at it, such decision rests largely with the elites. If the elites in Ilorin are Fulanis/Yoruba-Fulanis or comfortable with Fulani rule, no external force can influence the decision of Ilorin masses. It is cheap populism to think common people have a say in such decision. That should naturally lead to the next question. Why would Ilorin elites want a change? You have a system you benefit from, why would you want to change that? What will be your position in the new arrangement? Asking Ilorin decision makers to identify with Yoruba is like asking Nigerian elites to divide Nigeria.

Ilorin was conquered by the Fulani so it is commonsense that whoever wants Ilorin back will have to conquer it. The general masses of a conqured territory would have to obey whatever system is put in place to rule them.

I think people need to move on. Since the city was captured, the people have mixed up so much, don’t appear to have problem with the ruling structure, and generally speaking are living together in peace and harmony, then there is no need for arguments about being Yoruba or Fulani. Yoruba or Fulani are not stagnant entities that can not change. Afterall, as Omonnakoda pointed out before, Yorubas at a time saw themselves as Egba, Ijebu, Ekiti. We may just be having a new identity on our hands; Yoruba-Fulani “Nothing spoil”.

Akanbi_edu: This topic is about Kwara but I will comment on Ilorin since both Kwara north and south seem not to be contentious.

The idea that people will choose wherever they want to with doesn’t work. No matter which way one looks at it, such decision rests largely with the elites. If the elites in Ilorin are Fulanis/Yoruba-Fulanis or comfortable with Fulani rule, no external force can influence the decision of Ilorin masses. It is cheap populism to think common people have a say in such decision. That should naturally lead to the next question. Why would Ilorin elites want a change? You have a system you benefit from, why would you want to change that? What will be your position in the new arrangement? Asking Ilorin decision makers to identify with Yoruba is like asking Nigerian elites to divide Nigeria.

Ilorin was conquered by the Fulani so it is commonsense that whoever wants Ilorin back will have to conquer it. The general masses of a conqured territory would have to obey whatever system is put in place to rule them.

I think people need to move on. Since the city was captured, the people have mixed up so much, don’t appear to have problem with the ruling structure, and generally speaking are living together in peace and harmony, then there is no need for arguments about being Yoruba or Fulani. Yoruba or Fulani are not stagnant entities that can not change. Afterall, as Omonnakoda pointed out before, Yorubas at a time saw themselves as Egba, Ijebu, Ekiti. We may just be having a new identity on our hands; Yoruba-Fulani “Nothing spoil”.

Femolacaster:
Can u shed light on how Awo fought for it with regret? From all your posts, i could deduce that you are "fulani-ilorin", you are just been sentimental and u are defending your own clan.

silent don:
Hear yourself.

Now, get educated>>> Ilorin city was Founded
in the late 18th century by Yoruba people, it
became the capital of a kingdom that was a
vassal state of the Oyo Empire. Oyo’s
commander at Ilorin, Kakanfo (Field Marshal)
Afonja, led a rebellion against Oyo in 1817 that destroyed
the unity of the empire. He was aided by
Mallam Alimi (a Fulani from Sokoto), by Fulani
warriors and slaves, and by Hausa slaves.
Afonja was increasingly dominated by the
Muslim Fulani in number , and was soon assassinated, upon his assassination,
Alimi’s son, Abd as-Salam (Abdul Salami),
became emir of Ilorin and pledged allegiance to the Sokoto caliphate.
So, as u can see, it was an act of betrayal Where the people he called to assist him in fighting his people at Oyo turned to his back and stabbed him after a failure to make in road into Yorubaland. You know nada bout ilorin's history nd it's so annoying when people like u claim to know.

silent don:
Hear yourself.

Now, get educated>>> Ilorin city was Founded
in the late 18th century by Yoruba people, it
became the capital of a kingdom that was a
vassal state of the Oyo Empire. Oyo’s
commander at Ilorin, Kakanfo (Field Marshal)
Afonja, led a rebellion against Oyo in 1817 that destroyed
the unity of the empire. He was aided by
Mallam Alimi (a Fulani from Sokoto), by Fulani
warriors and slaves, and by Hausa slaves.
Afonja was increasingly dominated by the
Muslim Fulani in number , and was soon assassinated, upon his assassination,
Alimi’s son, Abd as-Salam (Abdul Salami),
became emir of Ilorin and pledged allegiance to the Sokoto caliphate.
So, as u can see, it was an act of betrayal Where the people he called to assist him in fighting his people at Oyo turned to his back and stabbed him after a failure to make in road into Yorubaland. You know nada bout ilorin's history nd it's so annoying when people like u claim to know.

honifome: aftermath of fulani takeover,why can't you launch retaliatory attacks against them if truly you are not cowards.I learnt that yoruba used firearms,spears and swords for armoury while fulanis used spears and swords alone during the conquest

hercules07:

You learned wrong, most of the Ilorin Generals were Yorubas, infact, when Ibadans captured the Hausas and Fulanis, they let their leaders go but the Yorubas were executed, go and read more.

honifome: you see, yoruba generals killing yoruba while ilorin is being ransacked by united fulanis.is that not an act of cowardice SHAME!!!!

honifome: you see, yoruba generals killing yoruba while ilorin is being ransacked by united fulanis.is that not an act of cowardice SHAME!!!!

Tony Spike:

The Ilorin generals of Yoruba extract must have been beheaded because of their treachery towards their brothers. However, I still don't know why the Fulani generals were left alive.

Tony Spike:

The Ilorin generals of Yoruba extract must have been beheaded because of their treachery towards their brothers. However, I still don't know why the Fulani generals were left alive.

Tony Spike:

The Ilorin generals of Yoruba extract must have been beheaded because of their treachery towards their brothers. However, I still don't know why the Fulani generals were left alive.

Katsumoto:

It is time for Nigerians to move into the 21st century. Why should any bloody elite determine the fates of so many?

Sloan:

Your thinking and submission IS CLEARLY WRONG and COMPLETELY FAULTY! The reason you adduced that because the elites want something, THEREFORE everyone want the same thing is what Nigeria is trying to take down with the so called conference and it is one of the cardinal reasons why a conference is needed in the first place. That is WORTH FIGHTING FOR BY ALL NIGERIANS! Anything like ELITISM (ELITES) must be completely removed from your way of thinking. The LARGER problem that Nigeria is trying to solve is the stratification (elitism, big man, privileged, etc) and it is disgusting that you think perpetuating that way of life or thinking is in the interest of anybody! At the national conference, they have said no go areas, so no elitism! What you can do is to talk to people and if they buy you point of view and opinion, good vote along that line. However to come and say if Saraki's stomach has eaten, is full and fattened; then everyone in Ilorin is also full and filled is bull shit! Like the system in the West where all humans are the same, the same road, same swimming pool, same schools, same markets, so is the kind of system we are interested in creating where there is NO BIG MAN! To be a big man, you can do that in your personal house and family but as soon as you step outside your house, you are the same as everyone else!