Oyo Empire reached its climax in 18th century, unfortunately, it began declining towards 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 Ajagbomogun-Ileti Are-Elemele), 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 Yorubaland as there was no more central or unified defense system, more important, there was a radical shift in power in Yorubaland. 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 (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 Yorubaland. 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 Yorubaland. Ibadan had no Ọba, whose occupant is by inheritance, 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”; head of all Ibadan women, 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. However, most senior title holder from either lines can become Olubadan, when the stool becomes vacant.
Iba or Baa’lẹ was the political head of Ibadan, 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 leader of Ibadan women. 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, 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 at this time were under threat. Ogbomọṣọ, Ẹdẹ, Iwo, axis were under attack-even Oṣogbo had been defeated, occupied by Fulani. In fact, the entire Yoruba land was under Ilorin-Fulani siege. Ibadan would not allow the onslaught to continue, by 1840, Ibadan soldiers defeated and pushed Fulani warriors back to Ilọrin.

continue @: http://proudlyoruba.com/yoruba-history-after-the-fall-of-the-oyo-empire/

Interesting.

I HAVE NEVER STOP THINKING ABOUT THE COURAGE OF THOSE LEGENDARY YORUBA MEN That stood against JIHADIST, using religion to perpetuate evil. May Eledua continue to bring PEACE upon the GRAVE to the great men that FOUGHT and DIED for YORUBA's PRIDE and RACE. THAT IS THE MORE REASON YORUBA UNITY IS PARAMOUNT. AND WE MUST ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE IBADAN'S POSITION IN OUR HISTORY. I doff my cap once and forever to Ibadan's BRAVERY in leading the DEFENCE and Final ASSAULT on the ILORIN's jihadists at Oshogbo that diminished ILORIN'S power around 1839/1840.They made it possible for Yoruba's victory, even till date, Ilorin Emirate is sitting on a gun powder except a YORUBA king is installed and not from Alimi's lineage, no matter how much they have intermarry with some Yoruba elements. Aponle ni Gambari, Fulani, ni Fulani njé..

I HAVE NEVER STOP THINKING ABOUT THE COURAGE OF THOSE LEGENDARY YORUBA MEN That stood against JIHADIST, using religion to perpetuate evil. May Eledua continue to bring PEACE upon the GRAVES of the great and gallant men that FOUGHT and DIED for YORUBA's PRIDE and RACE. THAT IS THE MORE REASON YORUBA UNITY IS PARAMOUNT. AND WE MUST ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE IBADAN'S POSITION IN OUR HISTORY. I doff my cap once and forever to Ibadan's BRAVERY in leading the DEFENCE and Final ASSAULT on the ILORIN's jihadists at Oshogbo that diminished ILORIN'S power around 1839/1840.They made it possible for Yoruba's victory, even till date, Ilorin Emirate is sitting on a gun powder except a YORUBA king is installed and not from Alimi's lineage, no matter how much they have intermarry with some Yoruba elements. Aponle ni Gambari, Fulani, ni Fulani njé..