The Role of Ogbomoso and Aare Tóyèjẹ Àkànní Before 1840

Before Emir Abdulsalam, the son of Alfa Alimi, became the first Emir of Ilorin, the city was ruled by Láderin, Pàsín, Alùgbìn, and Àfọ̀njá.

Alfa Alimi was a traveling Islamic scholar who arrived in Ilorin to spread Islam. Although Islam had already been introduced to Yorùbáland—particularly in Ẹdẹ, Ìwó, and Ọ̀yọ́—by Islamic scholars from Mali, Alimi’s arrival marked a significant moment. Islam in Yorùbáland is often referred to as “Èsìn Ìmàle.”

Upon his arrival, Àfọ̀njá invited Alfa Alimi to stay and assist his army. Àfọ̀njá placed his trust in Alimi’s followers, known as the Jamaa, more than in his own people. However, this trust proved misplaced, as the Jamaa, under Alimi’s leadership, eventually rebelled against Àfọ̀njá, killing him and seizing control of Ilorin.

Before the Ìbàdàn warriors and the Òsogbo War, Báálẹ̀ and Ààrẹ Tóyèjẹ Àkànní, nicknamed Alébíosù, succeeded Àfọ̀njá as the Kakanfò and also served as the Báálẹ̀ of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́.

Tóyèjẹ Àkànní, also known as Alébíosù, led several attempts to reclaim Ilorin from the Fulani:

• Battle of Ogele (1824): The first attempt to recover Ilorin from the Fulani.
• Mugba Mugba War (1825): The second attempt to reclaim Ilorin from the Fulani.
• Battle of Pamo (1830): A battle against Adégún the Oníkòyí, who had allied with Ilorin.

Despite his efforts, Tóyèjẹ Àkànní was unable to recover Ilorin due to the lack of cooperation and treachery among other powerful Yorùbá leaders. He focused his efforts on his beloved hometown, Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́, until his death. Despite Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́’s proximity to Ilorin, the Fulani were never able to subjugate it, regardless of their efforts.

In 1840, the Òsogbo War broke out. Unable to pass through Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́, the Fulani opted to route through Òsogbo to fight and attempt to conquer Yorùbáland.

Ìbàdàn, having emerged as a formidable city of warriors after the fall of the old Oyo Empire (Ọ̀yọ́-Ilé), played a crucial role. The brave Ìbàdàn warriors fought valiantly, defeating the Fulani and preventing their advance. The surviving Fulani retreated to Ìlorin in fear of the Ìbàdàn warriors and never attempted to subjugate Yorùbáland again.

After the fall of Ọ̀yọ́-Ilé, following the death of Àfọ̀njá, Aláàfin Àtìbà decided to settle in Àgọ́, a region ruled by a powerful warrior named Ọ̀já. As the original landowners, the descendants of Ọ̀já became the Asipa, the seventh Ọ̀yọ́mèsì, when Ọ̀yọ́ relocated to Àgọ́.

Today, the present-day Ọ̀yọ́ is known as Àgọ́’dọ̀yọ́.