olorisa:


This write up still did not state Owa at any time waged war against Ile-Ife.
And I might have misconstrued what the bolded part means but is it saying there was founder of Oyo and Benin (Oloyo and Ado) were Oduduwa's offspring and different people? What happened to Oranmiyan? Oduduwa grandkids never included Oba of Benin or Alado, let's be guided.

Orafiyan the grandson of Oduduwa succeeded his grandfather on the throne. He was a very brave and warlike Prince, and of an indomitable courage. He was the founder of the order of the Esos. His body-guard consisted of 150 well- tried soldiers.

How he headed his brothers on an abortive expedition to the east to avenge the death of their great-grandfather, and how they quarrelled at Igangan and dispersed from that place, has been told in Part I. After founding the city of Oyo where he resided for a time he was said to have pushed on to a place called Okd, leaving Oyo in charge of one of the princes. This is not unlikely when we remember that that was not an age of settled government, but that the warlike and restless King was engaged in extending his dominions far and wide. Much that was known of him has been told in Part I. He resided at 6k6 for many years and according to some died there, but others affirmed that he died at He Ife, where his grave is shown to this day. But the Yorubas have a custom whenever any one died away from home, to cut the hair of his head and pare his nails, and these are taken to the place where they would have him buried, and there ceremoniously and religiously deposited. It may thus have been the case here.
But an anecdote connected with his later years must here be told :It was said that after a long period of reign an urgent necessity made him revisit the city of He Ife, which he had left for so long a time perhaps to arrange some family affairs, or to possess himself ; of some of his father's treasures left in charge of Adimu. He left his son Ajaka as Regent and went. Having stayed much longer than the time fixed for his return (communication between the two places being then dangerous and difficult) the people thought he was dead, or that at any rate he would no more return to 6k6 ; the OYO MESI who were the authorised rulers of the town consequently confirmed Ajaka on the throne, investing him with full powers, and all the insignia of royalty.
But his father was returning ; and having come within a short distance of the city, his attention was arrested by the sound of the Kakaki trumpet—a trumpet blown for the sovereign alone. Upon enquiry, he learnt what had taken place. He thereupon retraced his steps quietly to Ile Ife where he spent the rest of his days in peaceful retirement. An obelisk termed Opa Oranyan (Oramiyan's staff) erected on the spot he was supposed to have been buried is shown at Ile Ife to this day. This would seem to confirm the view that he died and was buried at Ile Ife and not at 0ko.

olorisa:




Bro, after Owa Ajibogun and Agigiri (founders of Ilesa and Ijebu Ijesa respectively) came back with what was needed to cure their father, Owa Ajbogun (founder of Ilesa) was made to pick a starting point of his land to any extent and he started from the Aafin gate to as far as near Ekiti. Ijesa for once never had any war with Ife, instead relationship between Ife has been one of the best ever. You'd always find Ijesa supporting Ife in most situation and vice-versa.

When the Olofin became blind from old age he was much depressed in mind from this cause ; efforts were put forth to effect his cure, all of which proved fruitless, when a certain man came forward and prescribed for him a sure remedy which among other ingredients contained salt water. He put the case before his children, but none made any effort to procure some for him save his youngest grandson. This was a very brave and warlike prince who bore the title of Esinkin amongst the King's household warriors, a title much allied to that of the Kakanfo, He was surnamed Ajaka, i.e., one who fights everywhere, (on account of his proclivities) being fond of adventures. He volunteered to go and fetch some wherever procurable.

Having been away for many years and not heard of, the aged sire and every one else despaired of his ever coming back ; so the King divided his property amongst the remaining grown-up children. Although the Alado (king of Benin) was the eldest yet the Oloyo was the most beloved, and to him he gave the land, and told him to scour it all over, and settle nowhere till he came to a slippery place, and there make his abode ; hence the term Oyo (slippery) and hence Oyos are such slippery customers !
After they had all gone and settled in their respective localities, all unexpectedly, the young adventurer turned up with water from the sea ! The monarch made use of it as per prescription and regained his sight ! Hence the Ijesas who subsequently became his subjects are sometimes termed " Omo Obokun," children of the brine procurer.
Having distributed all his property he had nothing left for Ajaka he therefore gave him a sword lying by his side with leave to attack any of his brothers, especially the Alara or Alado, and possess himself of their wealth, but should he fail, to retire back to him hence the appellation " Owa Ajaka Onida raharaha " (Owa the ubiquitous fighter, a man with a devastating sword).

The Owa Ajaka settled a little way from his grandfather, and on one occasion he paid him a visit, and found him sitting alone with his crown on his head and—out of sheer wantonness—he cut off some of the fringes with his sword. The old man was enraged by this act, and swore that he would never wear a crown with fringes on.^
The Aregbajo was one of those who had a crown given to him, but the Owa Ajaka, paying him a visit on one occasion, saw it, and took it away, and never returned it : hence the kings of Igbajo never wear a crown to this day.
The Owa also attacked the Olojudo and defeated him, and took possession of his crown ; but he never put it on. On every public occasion however,it used to be carried before him. This continued to be the case until all the tribes became independent.

olorisa:

I noticed that but Ayikiti being a past 'Ooni' should be known by his popular name of 'Ayikiti'.

olorisa:

This is a good and insightful read but you'll have to agree with me that the bolded names were at no time Oonis, hence the write up is still subjective. Goto: http://theooni.org/pastoonis.htm see if you can find the names or any almost similar names.

olorisa:

This is a good and insightful read but you'll have to agree with me that the bolded names were at no time Oonis, hence the write up is still subjective. Goto: http://theooni.org/pastoonis.htm see if you can find the names or any almost similar names.

olorisa:

This is a good and insightful read but you'll have to agree with me that the bolded names were at no time Oonis, hence the write up is still subjective. Goto: http://theooni.org/pastoonis.htm see if you can find the names or any almost similar names.

The Are was greatly disappointed, especially in his own slaves. He said he had thought that come what might he could always count upon a thousand at least to stand by him for weal or woe, but alas he was deserted. However, he comforted himself with this reflection : " There is no one who may not suffer a defeat, for even the prophet of God (Mahomet) suffered a defeat." After this all the interior war-chiefs returned to their homes but Ayikiti and the Ife war-chiefs. Several offices had to be filled amongthem. Also the office of the Owoni of Ife was vacant by the death of Ayikiti's father, and he was desirous of succeeding him. The Ifes,however,were for another prince and not Ayikiti, but he so pressed his claims that the Are had to give in, and so on the 8th April after titles had been arranged for all vacancies in the Ife chieftaincies, messengers from the Ibadan chiefs followed Ayikiti home to crown him the Owoni of Ife.

On the Balogun's recovery from his illness the Are proposed another expedition and was determined to make a longer stay in the Egba farms this time and thus draw them out to a fight. Hitherto the raids lasted only three days each time and only the Ibadan war-chiefs were concerned, but now he proposed inviting outside help as well. For that purpose he sent the Otun to clear the road leading to Arawo, that is a place midway between Ibadan and Abeokuta on the caravan route. He also invited the war- chiefs of Ife, Modakeke and other subject towns. He could not count upon the complete loyalty of the Ibadan war-chiefs because of their opposition to this enterprise, and because he knew how deeply he had offended most of them ; but he knew the courage and intrepidity of the Ifes and relied more on them. The expedition left Ibadan on the 24th of March, 1878 and encamped next day at Alakisa a few miles beyond Arawo. Having this for their base they ravaged the farms on the right as far as Iberekodo, and on the left as far as they could go. They lived on the spoils of the farm and destroyed the rest, setting the barns on fire. The Egbas however, did not show their faces, but contented themselves with bravely manning their walls against any attack. The Ife army arrived on the 28th and joined them in the field.
At the end of nine days the Are summoned a council and announced that as the Egbas did not take up the challenge and come out for a fight, they should take a roundabout course and capture Osiele before they returned home. He was opposed by the whole of the Ibadan war-chiefs without exception . They alleged
1. That they were already exhausted by this 9 days useless exposure.
2. That Osiele not being taken into account before they left home, they had not first consulted the gods nor offered propitiatory sacrifices as they usually did before attacking a town.
3. That to go to Osiele from where they were was too risky and inadvisable, because they would leave rear and base exposed to attack by the Egbas should they undertake to attack them by way of Atadi. If Osiele is to be taken why not go home first and make a direct attack from home by a route shorter and safer ? The Are replied " You had better go and reconsider what you intend to do, as for me, my mind is made up. I am decided, and if there remain only my slaves and Ayikiti the Ife General and the Modakeke people with me, I shall take Osiele."

olorisa:

[size=14pt]Ife relied on jazz as well as money not solely by virtue of Sijuwade being rich, there are so many 'underground' wealthy Ife indegenes who supported the 'war' while Modakekes relied on jazz, money and external support from Oyo*. The Modakekes were not invited as you've claimed, the bulk of Modakeke is/are of the Owu group who were displaced as a result of Owu war, so their migration to Ile-Ife is regarded as a 'return back home' since their progenitor was the first son of Oduduwa (Olowu Asukungbade)*. The Ooni of the period welcomed them back home, gave them a location to settle and most were employed as farmers on Ife farms.

The Ijeshas never for once terrorized Ile-Ife, 'Enu-Owa' which means where Owa's point (starting/stopping) simply denotes where Ijesha land starts given how Owa was given a large parcel of land - the reason Ijesha land extends to as far as Ekiti.

[size=14pt]
This is right to an extent aside the crossed out part. The Modakeke people started encroaching as a result of the population boom, demanded for a beaded crown king and also a local government which Ife people saw as an insult. There can't be 2 kings in a single town/community. These demands which Ife people countered was met with hostility from Modakekes and got to a boiling point which erupted to war.[/size]

[size=14pt]LMAO! OOni Olubuse I led the war campaign against the Modakeke and was successful in routing them out of Ife (I've never heard of baby sacrifice my nigga).

Plus Ikire was never part of Modakeke, Ikire came into existence as a result of migration of a family house in Ile-Ife. The family house is still in Ife today, the head is called Akire same as the King of Ikire village and their family deity/god Orisakire is still worshiped in Ife and Ikire respectively.
[/size]



[size=14pt]Well, they were given a crown king and were also attached to Ife-East local government.[/size]

hitman2911:

@ nawti. Can you please provide link for this historical facts. I believe this is a write up of a foreigner telling by the spellings.
It seems there has been animosity from the word go between the two and modakeke has become too big for Ife to deal with
Going by this excerpt It seems Ife would have been destroyed but for the respect of her been a benefactor and the cradle of the yorubas

Let get more facts but I wish the animosity will stop forever because any little thing triggers it. Reminds of the perennial Ofa and. Erinle almost yearly wars.

Animosity of century long always due to farmland. Na wa oo
Thumb up Nawti. This is what nairaland should be, an educating forum not tribal e war ground

war chiefs saw this accomplished before they went to their own homes. But the Ifes not only did not punish but condoned the action of the ringleaders on their side, and were prepared to give battle the following morning. Oyebade nearly lost his life by trusting himself too far among the Ifes trying to explain that they were not sent home to fight but to punish the ringleaders and respect the oaths ; he was luckily pulled back in time. On account of the oath the first shot fired by the Ifes was by a man who climbed up a tree to do so ; the idea being that to break the oath standing on the earth on which the oath was taken would surely result in disaster. But notwithstanding this, when they joined battle the Ifes were defeated and driven away out of the city and many of them were taken captives. He Ife and Modakeke being practically one town with only a small stream separating the two, they had not to go outside their walls to fight, the battle took place at the Akogun market. It was practically a civil war. The Are and Ibadan chiefs hearing this ordered that the Ife captives be released, and Toki was sent again with a sheep and a cat to worship at the tomb of Orafiyan, and to bring both parties together again into a covenant ratifying the same with an oath on the blood of these victims. But ere this could be done the Ife young men had collected another force and made a determined attack on Modakeke. This was on the 1st December, 1882. Victory was again on the side of Modakeke, but the victory was dearly bought ; Oyebade their commander-in-chief was mortally wounded and he died a short time afterwards leaving the command of the army to Adepoju. While all this was going on at home the Ife war chiefs were in the Ibadan camp at Kiriji fighting against the Ekitiparapos but one night before daybreak they left the camp in a body with their wives and children and went over through the battlefield to the Ekitis. They were received with open arms and sent home to join their comrades to make efforts to destroy Modakeke. Modakeke now became the third seat of war. Reinforcements came to the Ifes from the Ijesas and Ij§bus. An Ijesa force under their war chief Ayimoro encamped on the north-east and the Ijebus under their Seriki Ogunsigun of Igbo crossed the Osun river and encamped in the south. The Ifes themselves were encamped in a village eastward of Modakeke. From these three points Modakeke was attacked at one and the same time. The fall of Modakeke would mean an attack in the rear for the Ibadans at Kiriji and consequently they were obliged to send as reinforcement the following chiefs on the 4th December, viz., Akintola, Sanusi, Bamgbegbin and Aturu. At this new development the Ekitis redoubled their energies to overwhelm the Ibadans in the camp the battle raged at Kiriji with unabated fury and many valuable lives were lost on both sides. Of the men of note on the Ibadan side were : Ali Laluwoye the Otun (from illness) Aderibigbe son of the late Bale Olugbode (from wounds previously received) Awo the son of the late Labosinde, the Baba Isale, Ogunrinde son of the late Agbakiu. Some of the reinforcement at Modakeke had to be recalled when the fighting at Kiriji was becoming too strong leaving Akintola alone and subsequently Sumonu Apamp'a was sent to join him. Thus stood the Ibadan lion at bay facing fiive fronts, with ammunition spent, yet flinching from none, at Ofa, at Kiriji, at Modakgke and against the Egbas as well as the Ijebus at home.

The Revolt of the Ifes. —Although the Ife auxiliary army was with the Ibadans in the camp at Kiriji, yet it was known that the Ifes at home sympathized rather with the Ekitis than with their overlords and would long ago have attacked the Ibadans from the rear but for the presence of the Modakekes near them. There might be other reasons for their hostility against the Ibadans but the chief one alleged was the forcing on them of Ayikiti, the son of a tyrant, as their Owoni (or king) in 1877.
It will be remembered that the Are engaged the services of the Ifes and Modakekes in his raids on the Egba farms in 1877, and after the retreat from Osiele Ayikiti the Ife general requested as the greatest favour he could show him that he should place him on his father's throne in order to preserve his seed from utter destruction, which he was sure would happen in revenge for the great mischief his father had done during his reign. The Are demurred, being unwilling to force upon the Ifes a king not in consonance with their desire, but Ayikiti brought great pressure to bear, and the Arg felt bound not only to reward his services, but to secure at least the loyalty and friendship of one leading provincial king. But he very soon after turned against the Ibadans. Ayikiti however did not survive long but the Ifes all the same harboured a feeling of spite and resentment against the Ibadans on that account, and that they were seeking an opportunity to give effect to. The Modakekes at their doors rendered this impossible, they refused to join in any coalition against Ibadan and hence the Ife hostility was directed in the first instance to the Modakekes themselves ; they began kidnapping in their farms at first. Living in such contiguity to each other intermarriages of course were frequent and social intercourse unrestricted, but at this time several Modakekes who went to their relatives at lie Ife were heard of no more, some the Modakekes had to redeem back. A distinguished Ife chief, Akingbade by name, and the Agaju of Derin of Oke Igbo went and joined the Ijebu camp at Isgya to kidnap Yoruba caravans, and they made no exception of Modak§kes their neighbours. The Are hearing this sent over and again to conciliate them, and
urged on Derin rather to come over to He Ife and be crowned the Owoni and restore peace to at least that part of the country ; but Derin refused to comply unless the Ibadans would first cede to him the following towns which once may have belonged to Ifg but had ceased to be so for at least 50 years, viz., Ipetumodu, Odiiabon, Gbangan, Ikire, Apomu, and the villages in their vicinity. Otherwise (said he) he would not go until the close of the war which he thought could only end in one way, which would indubitably place these towns in his hands. To concihate the Ifes the Are sent one Toki to -mediate between the two parties, which done, they were to take a mutual oath of amity and to ratify the same with the blood of a sheep he took with him. But matters in the meantime had come to a crisis. The Ifes raided the Modakeke farms, caught and maltreated a woman by
cutting off her breasts, the Modakekes in turn resented the affront, they retaliated by raiding Ife farms, caught four persons and also sent to the camp at Kiriji to recall Oyebade their Balogun, for it was evident that war has now become inevitable. The Are did not hke the look of things. In permitting Oyebade to go home he sent also an influential Ife chief, charging each of them to go and quell the faction, put the ringleaders to death on either side and restore peace at home. These chiefs went by forced marches and took the precaution that the news of their coming should not precede them. They reached home together. Oyebade and Adepoju, his second in command, marched straight to the house of one Obalaiye, a known intriguer who was carrying on secret correspondence with the Ilorins and had obtained a horse from them, and stood before his gate. Hearing that the war chiefs were come, he came out to welcome them ; whilst these war chiefs lay prostrate to receive the greetings of this venerable man, a swordsman who had been
instructed walked round to his back and, ere he was aware, by one sweep of the sword his head fell off from his shoulders ! His house was immediately confiscated and levelled with the ground

The Oyos were by this time growing to be an important section in the community, having for their chief one Wingbolu a smelter of iron. The Ife nature and spirit of the times soon became evident. Notwithstanding the oath, a pretext was soon found for a civil war against their king, but he was too strong for them; he defeated and suppressed all the refractory chiefs among them.
After the civil fight the Owoni called Wingbolu and asked him why he and the Oyos were neutral at the time of the insurrection. He replied boldly " Had I been invited by your opponents, does your majesty think yoa would have proved victorious ? Or if you had invited us, would not your victory have been more
complete? " Thinking over these significant remarks the Owoni who had some strains of Oyo blood in him was resolved not on exterminating these Oyos as some others would have done but rather on emancipating them. He appointed them a settlement outside he walls of the city deputing one Adewgro to accompany Wingbolu to the site and mark out the settlement. On the Oyo chief himself he conferred the title of Ogunsuwa signifying One whom Ogun (the god of war) has blessed with a fortune. That has become the title of all the chief rulers of Modakeke to this day. By a royal proclamation all Oyos were to leave the city of Ife for the new settlement, and accordingly the settlement grew rapidly from new arrivals every day. The new settlement was named Modakeke, a term said to have been derived from the cry of a nest of storks on a large tree near the site. Modakeke was first built in a circular form as a single vast compound of about 2 miles in circumference ; the enclosed area was left covered with trees and high grass, each individual clearing out a small space in front of his dwelling. This was done for the sake of mutual protection as no one need to go out of the compound for sticks or thatch for roofing purposes. Modakeke was
in 1884 a town of between 50,000 and 60,000 inhabitants. By dwelling in a separate settlement it was not meant that they should hold themselves independent of the Ifes. They were still loyal to the Ow6ni. A sedition was again raised for the purpose of murdering the Owoni for emancipating the Oyos, but he receiving help from the new settlement crushed the rising completely, and all the ring- leaders were put to death among whom was the son of a rich lady called Olugboka. As Ab'ewe-ila could not be murdered by force of arms, the
Ifes finally succeeded in poisoning him and the first intimation the settlers had of the death of their benefactor was from the street song of the Ifes " They are deprived of their King, woe betide the Oyos." The late king was denied a royal funeral, and was buried like any common man and all his slaves were seized by the Ifes, but the Oyos amongst them went over in a body to the new settlement. Modakeke was soon besieged by the Ifes, but they were repulsed with a heavy loss in dead, wounded, and captives. The Modakekes captured about 12070 of them, but they had not the heart to enslave their former masters and benefactors and hence all were released. Thirty days after this defeat, one Ogunmakin an Ife chief receiving reinforcement from Oke Igbo, Modakeke was again attacked. The Ifes were again badly beaten and they were pursued right home, and the city of Ife taken by an assault. The victors now ventured to sell their Ife captives as slaves, but reserved of their women-folks for wives. The Ifes escaped to Isoya, Oke Igbo, and other Ife towns where they remained for many years till about the year 1854 when the Ibadans were engaged in the Ijebu Ere war. Chief Ogunmola of Ibadan sent messengers from the camp to negotiate terms of peace and bring the Ifes home, as it would never do to let the cradle of the race remain perpetually in desolation and the ancestral gods not worshipped. Kubusi was the then reigning Owoni who could no longer remain in exile, but promised that if allowed to return home the past would be obliterated ; no restitution of anything will be demanded of the Modakekes, not even of their wives who might have been appropriated. But no sooner did they return home than all the Ife women deserted their present husbands with all the children born to them and returned to Ile-Ife. Notwithstanding their present relations the Modakekes still acknowledged the supremacy of the Ifes and by mutual arrangement they had their representatives in the If e assembly. Thus they lived together harmoniously till the year 1878 when the whole of the Yoruba country was again embroiled in war, and the latent animosity broke out afresh in an open fight, and the Ifes were again worsted as we shall notice hereafter.

saxywale:
Modakeke is a town within ife hence they are surrounded by ife towns.

Modakeke's are originally from Oyo. They fled Oyo after the collapse of the Oyo empire to seek refuge in ife. A small area (similar to a large refugee camp) was mapped out for them within ife town. I dont know what happened in those days but Ooni Olubuse, chased them away, Ooni ademiluyi-Ajagun allowed them to return during his reign.

During the last war, they were chased away again and fled into forest and farms surrounding Ife. But the war ended and they were allowed to return. To give peace a chance, Ooni Sijuwade made their baale(community chief) a crown wearing king. But they won't be given a local government on their own which i believe was one of the reasons they went to war. Ife south, east and central are the only local governments in ife.

I have cousins from modakeke and we get along well although I am from ife central.