ILỌYA ONIBODE ÀPÒMÚ

- Founding of Agb'eni area in Ìbàdàn

I feel like sharing this story, or the story behind the proverb above. I understand that it is one of the most popular proverbs in Yorùbá lands. But majority don't know the story behind it. And, don't know that "ilọya Onibode Àpòmú" is actually the short version of "ilọya Onibode Àpòmú, wón kó ni'fa, wọn gbà l'obìnrin, ọpẹ̀lẹ́ tí yíò tún fi tọ ẹsẹ̀ rẹ ajá tún gbé lọ. Wọn ní, 'ilọ yà àbí kò yà?' Ó ní, ilọ yá..." Before I translate the Greek I wrote, let's treat history!

Note, I Jimson Jaat Taofik stands corrected on this.

Àpòmú is a city in Ọsun State, Nigeria. You get to it first while coming from Osogbo, the State capital while going to Ìbàdàn. But if coming from Ìbàdàn, it's the first to reach. It's closely beside IKÒYI ILE.


After Àlàáfín Abiọdun Adegorolu (29th Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́), Aolẹ Arogangan was crowned. This happened in the year 1789. Do you remember Aolẹ? The Àlàáfín who cursed all the Yorùbá..Well, that is a story for another time.


On the King's accession, according to custom in those days, there will be a time when he would send expedition out led by the sitting Ààrẹ Ọna Kakanfo to go any town and fight it. The Ààrẹ must either come victorious or his corpse be sent home within 3 months. So, when the time came for him to send out his first expedition, he was asked who was his enemy, that they should fight him. He named *the Balẹ of Àpòmú.

Hence Àpòmú was doomed.

The alleged cause of offence will clearly show how much of corruption there was at the fountain head in those days.

Apomu was the market town where Ọ̀yọ́s, Ifẹs, Owus, and other Yorùbá met for trade. It was situated in Ìfẹ́ territory then, and middle of the border of the Olowu's dominion.

Raiding, man-stealing were rife at those times. Ọ̀yọ́ particularly were in greater danger, as they came from afar. During the last reign several Ọ̀yọ́ were stolen and sold here, and hence King Abiọdun (29th Aláàfin) sent orders to both the Olówu and the Ọọni of Ìfẹ́ to keep a strict watch and prevent the recurrence of these practices. And both in turn sent strict orders to the Balẹ of Àpòmú, and his surrounding hamlets to be on the watch, and arrest any offender.

Aolẹ who was then a private man used to trade in these parts with a friend who was also his attendant; and on one occasion, he bartered away his friend for merchandise! So faithless and heartless were the princes in those days. The Ìjẹ̀bús were actually taking him away when it was reported to the Balẹ of Àpòmú that an Ọ̀yọ́ man was being sold away.

Fortunately for the man by the prompt action of the Balẹ he was rescued at a certain spot named Apata Ọdaju (the rock of the heartless), so named from this circumstance, and brought before the Balẹ.

Investigation soon showed who the slave-dealer was; but as Aolẹ was an Akẹ́yọ̀ ( Ọ̀yọ́ Prince) and could not more severely be dealt with, in order that justice may not miscarry, he was ordered by the Balẹ to be severely flogged. This was the reason why Aolẹ now named the Balẹ of Àpòmú as his enemy.


Aolẹ sent aroko ogun (symbology of war) to Balẹ of Àpòmú through a man called Agbe'ni Má F'ọhun (Agb'eni in short) to the Àpòmú. Unknown of the content of the symbology, he gave the Imperial verbal message that the Balẹ must yeld before 7 days. And being the Àlàáfín's messager, he was accorded due respects and given a hut tó stay at the outskirts/boarder of Àpòmú (ẹnu ibodè). He and his wife.

I think the name Agbe'ni Má F'ọhun was actually a nick name. For the name literally means, 'an unquestionable confiner or detentor'. I think so for three reasons: being a messager of the Aláàfin the name was befitting, nicknames were common in those days, and the name doesn’t sound like anyone would give his child; no matter how 'crude' we were in those days. These are my thoughts, though.

Let's get back on the rail: when the Balẹ of Àpòmú received the message; that war was declared against his town on his account he took refuge in the court of the Ọọni
of Ìfẹ́ (Àpòmú's over-lord), and whose orders he had obeyed. But as the offence was against the Suzerain, even the Ọọni could not save him; so this faithful chief, in order to save his town and his people from destruction, committed suicide, and his head was cut off and sent to Ọ̀yọ́ to appease the offended monarch!

On the 6th day of Agb'eni when the Balẹ has 'acted like a man', he was called tó Balẹ's house and given the head. Shocked, he made enquiry and the enraged chiefs told him that the head was the answer to the message he brought.

They chased him afterward, but while he was at the Balẹ's house, the chiefs had secretly sent the youths to go put his hut tó flame and sold his wife to slavery. Thus when he got to the hut he could see it put to flame and his wife was nowhere to be found.

After Agbe'ni Má F'ọhun delivered Balẹ of Àpòmú to Àlàáfín Aolẹ, he didnt tarry in Ọ̀yọ́; he went straight to settle at Oko Lakalẹ in Ìbàdàn, beside Ògúnpá River. Till date you will be hearing motorists saying "Agb'eni-Ogun-Dugbẹ"

Now let me try to translate my Greek: "ilọya Onibode Àpòmú, wón kó ni'fa, wọn gbà l'obìnrin, ọpẹ̀lẹ́ tí yíò tún fi tọ ẹsẹ̀ rẹ ajá tún gbé lọ. Wọn ní, 'ilọ yà àbí kò yà?' Ó ní, ilọ yá..." (it's time to go, Àpòmú boarder guard. He was putrefied; robbed of Imperial bounties, his wife taken [sold to slavery] and so also his divinity instrument. They afterward asked, 'is it time to leave or not?' He replied in affirmation".


Interestingly, this story also birthed another proverb: selling of firearms; pellets, bullets (ẹtu, ààya, ọ̀tá, ajẹ̀) were also banned, reason being Òwu Kingdom was just made perished and Yorùbá wanted to contain another War from happening. Thus, the locals who wanted to engage in this trade devised a name for it in whole: àṣàa (powder puff). Upon discovery, the chiefs were fascinated by the name, thus birthed the proverb, "èké de aiyé, àṣàa de Àpòmú" (trickery has come, powder puff is traded in Àpòmú) ]

N.B Agbe'ni Má F'ọhun was of Olókùn Ẹṣin ancestry, thus they add it to their oríkì, 'Ilọkọ ọmọ areelu, ọmọ aj'ọba lo leele...' (Ilọkọ the fighter, those who dutifully/sternly obey King's order....
When we get there sha ����


Fully Written By Jimoh Taofik Adekunle
(Jimson Jaat Taofik)
The MAD Writer: Pen Priest
Facebook: Jimoh Taofik Adekunle
Twitter: @jimsonjaat01
Gmail: deskofinsanity96@gmail.com
Phone: 08144510532

Read and enjoyed every bit of the history you wove...

I would love to see more of your historical works.

Have a fantastic day

Great read.

Observations:

1. Your application of aàmì is sometimes misplaced, rendering those words to mean another thing entirely.

2. I think Agbé'ni Má F'Ohùn could mean "The Stealthy Kidnapper."

Great write up though. Kudos.

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