₦airaland Forum

Ibadan only stooped to conquer.

According to.the Odu Ose meji that birthed Ibadan, Ibadan has always had its way. Ibadan has never been defeated in any battle since inauguration though it is a new city. Ibadan contributed over fifty thousand troops to the British to force open Ijebu. Ibadan is always on the right side of any war. Ibadan preached to the rest of the Yoruba to embrace unity and peace but none of Ilorin, IJESA, Ijebu and etc agreed. All were forced under Ibadan eventually. Balogun Ogedengbe of IJESA agreed for a while and went on expedition to Benin on behalf of Ibadan and he was successful but when Fabunmi Okemesi started the rebellion that led to the Kiriji civil war, Ogedengbe broke his agreement with Ibadan and took over the leadership of the rebellion from Fabunmi Okemesi. Some Ekitis decided not to join the rebellion, seeing wisdom in choosing peace. The war started in 1877 and it led to the colonization of Nigeria. What Ogedengbe, Fabunmi and their men fought against was what eventually happened in 1957 according to Ose meji that birthed Ibadan. Ibadan eventually became the headquarters of the western region losing only Ilorin and territories that were hitherto under her to the North. Ilorin and Jebba were Ibadan provinces while Borgu was an ally. In many ways, Ibadan was a very successful capital according again to the Odu Ose meji, rolling out policies that were outstanding like free and compulsory education, a national investment company which till today is the largest conglomerate in Africa.
Ibadan having to defer to Britain before uniting the bulk of the Yoruba under her in the western region of Nigeria that became independent in 1957 according to the dream of Aare Ona Kakanfo Obadoke Latosisa was a case of stooping to conquer.

Idandan ni atupa ile
A difa fun won lode ilu NLA
Nibi won ngbe bi olu lomo
Ebo ni won ni kan se
Won gbebo won Rubo
Ero Po Ero Offa!
E wa GBE omo olu GE sin gogo

Ibadan enslaved the Yoruba

babasolution:
Ibadan enslaved the Yoruba

An attempt to unify a family is not enslavement. Yoruba are a family. I however agree with you that the rest of non Oyo Yoruba saw it as enslavement.

lawani:
An attempt to unify a family is not enslavement. Yoruba are a family. I however agree with you that the rest of non Oyo Yoruba saw it as enslavement.

Unify? when the Ibadan imposed heavy burden of taxes on other Yorubas

babasolution:
Unify? when the Ibadan imposed heavy burden of taxes on other Yorubas

Taxation is the cost of civilization. All nations and empires were built like that. It is not the taxation that was the problem but the idea of having to report to Ibadan. Yorubas are not a stranger to taxation.

lawani:
Taxation is the cost of civilization. All nations and empires were built like that. It is not the taxation that was the problem but the idea of having to report to Ibadan. Yorubas are not a stranger to taxation.

The ekitiparapo revolt was due to the heavy hand of the ajeles on the ekiti and ijesha,they were fed up with the oppression,the ajeles were raping their wives,imposing heavy taxes,taking goods forcefully in markets etc,the Eastern Yoruba could not bare it anymore they had to revolt

babasolution:
The ekitiparapo revolt was due to the heavy hand of the ajeles on the ekiti and ijesha,they were fed up with the oppression,the ajeles were raping their wives,imposing heavy taxes,taking goods forcefully in markets etc,the Eastern Yoruba could not bare it anymore they had to revolt

I am not an authority on that history but the Ibadan were not harsh. They were actually begging and forcing people. It was a mixture of diplomacy and force but the forest Yoruba's were used to their independence and that was the problem