Once upon a time, a woman had a baby boy, and it was a very lovely child. But no sooner had the child been born that he began to speak and to complain.
He said:
‘Woe is me; so this is what life is all about. Why was I brought into this world; I never knew it would be so difficult here. All I can see everywhere is filth and I certainly will not stay long here’
And even as he finished saying this, he rose from his crib, went into the bathroom and washed himself with soap and water. Then he covered himself with a soft warm blanket and sat on a chair. Not long after, he went into the kitchen and ate six large loaves of bread, he would have eaten more, only there was no more bread. And he came out crying from the kitchen because there was no more bread.
All these were unusual things for a baby to do, and soon people came from all over to see the miracle child, and he was very angry with them.
On the seventh day when he was to be given a name, his parents prepared a feast for guests and very many were invited for the naming ceremony.
‘My name is Ajantala,’ he said to all of them, when it was time to give him a name.
Now when the food for the feast was being cooked in the kitchen Ajantala had ceaselessly complained. He complained about the food, he complained about the cooks, he complained about how slow they all were. After a while, he found a ladle and began to stir the stew in the fire, to the utter surprise and annoyance of the cooks.
‘What a horrible child’ they all complained. And when he heard this he found a whip and beat them all so severely that they fled the kitchen and the house. And even when the feast had begun, his anger had not abated. He again found the whip and beat the guests so much that they fled in all directions.
All this continued for a whole month, of which the entire town lived in terror of Ajantala, and he became to be known as dangerous for anyone to confront him.
There was a very powerful witch doctor in this town and he was indeed widely known for his magic skills. ever since he had heard about this terrible child, he had boasted:
‘He’s only a difficult child; troubled by evil spirits no doubt, but on the very day that I meet him face to face, he will be cured.’
So one day the witch doctor dressed himself in his magic charms and in black battle clothes and headed for Ajantala’s house. When he got there, he met Ajantala eating, but he paid no attention to the child. He went to the mother who sadly sat watching from a distance.
It was quite an astonishing sight indeed to see Ajantala eating for he had enough food on his enormous plate to feed ten men, and his spoon was almost as large as a shovel. Clearly, nobody could eat from the same plate as this demon child.
As the witch doctor and Ajantala’s mother conversed, they came to mention the child’s name in their conversation.
When he heard this, Ajantala stood and hurled a large piece of yam at the witch doctor’s chest.
Then he took his bowl of stew and emptied it unto the man’s head. Even as the witchdoctor sat surprised and dumbstruck, Ajantala took hold of his robe and tore it apart, and then he seized the witch doctor’s bag of charm and whipped him over the head with it so hard that the man begged and ran screaming for his life.
The witch doctor found a way to escape and fled the house; but Ajantala chased after him all the way to his home, before returning to his lunch and to continue eating it. The witch doctor, his body covered in sores, and left with only his trousers looking a sorry sight indeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkBSGEGwd2c&t=84s
Someone asked:
‘What happened to you?’ the witch doctor responded.
‘That child is extremely evil, Ever since I was born I have never met with such a miserable thing as I did today. I have never been beaten so much in my life; the child nearly flogged me to death.’
‘Was it that bad?’ one of his friends asked ‘Did you not take all your magic charms with you?’
`What magic charm’, the witch doctor sneered.’ He took them all away’
‘What about your clothes? Did you go there naked? Did he also take away your cap?’ Someone else wanted to know, and the witch doctor was very angry.
‘Stop asking me foolish questions’, he shouted back at them.
‘Did I not just tell you how he took all my clothes and magic charm? And here you stand asking me about my cap. If I had not run, do you think he would not have taken my trousers also? If their is any more of you going the way of that evil child’s house my advice is that you make sure that if you do meet him, run as fast as you can else your death is near.
So did Ajantala become to be known as a terror at home and in the streets; and so much an embarrassment that his mother was no more able to bear it.
Therefore, one day, she took Ajantala with her on a journey through the forest, and midway she told him to wait for her, while she goes to bathe in the river. But she headed back home instead, leaving Ajantala all alone in the forest and there was not a soul in sight.
As Ajantala wandered about in the forest, he found five animals living together in a very cordial relationship. They were an elephant, a lion, a leopard, a wolf and a goat. When he got to them, Ajantala pleaded to be allowed to live with them, and to be their servant; and they all agreed to these terms.
It was the duty of one of the animals to go out to look for food each day, and they all shared this task. Therefore, when one of them goes out on a particular day, the rest would remain home and when the food came, they would all share it.
This was how they had lived in harmony for many years until Ajantala came. When he got to these animals, it was night, and it was Goat’s duty to look for food the next day. As he was still a guest, Ajantala behaved himself on that night and was very pleasant to all.
The next morning, Lion gathered the animals and said: ‘Now that we have a servant, I suggest that every day when each of us goes out to look for food, our servant should go along.’
All the animals, including Ajantala, thought that this was a very good suggestion.
Therefore when Goat set out to hunt for food on this day, Ajantala went along. But as Goat searched for food, Ajantala was just playing. However Goat left him in peace: after all, he was a mere child and not wise yet, the Goat thought.
After he had put all the food in a sack, the Goat called Ajantala to help lift it onto his back. But when Ajantala got to the Goat, he seized the Goat by the legs, pushed him to the ground and began to kick the goat until the Goat’s face was swollen all over. The Goat shouted for help but there was nobody near. Ajantala beat him to an inch of his life.
‘When we get home, if you tell anyone that I beat you I shall certainly kill you,’ Ajantala warned after he finally left the Goat alone.
After Goat had stopped crying and cleaned himself up, he lifted the sack of food onto his back and headed for home; and Ajantala followed behind whistling cheerfully.
They soon got home, and when the others saw the Goat’s battered face, they shouted in horror.
‘What on earth did this to you?’ Lion demanded. But Goat did not dare tell them the truth.
‘When I was looking for food, I came across a bee hive and the bees stung me all over the head,’ the Goat lied. ‘And as I ran, I fell upon a wasps’ nest and they again stung me from head to the hoof. That is why my face and eyes are so swollen.’
The next day, it was Wolf’s turn to go hunting for food, and Ajantala went along with him. And when the Wolf came home in the evening, his face was also swollen and his body covered with sores.
‘What on earth did this to you?’ Lion again sought to know.
‘What happened to the Goat yesterday also happened to me, and I think it shall certainly happen to all of us,’ Wolf said with a bitter laugh. Wolf’s eyes met with the Goat’s and both sadly shook their heads, but Ajantala whistled nonchalantly.
So did Ajantala did with all the animals until it became the Lion’s turn to go hunting for food. After being beaten nearly to death, the Lion gathered the rest to a secret meeting that night.
‘Let us run away and leave the evil child behind’ the Goat desperately advised.
‘Yes, let us run away before dawn and before he wakes up’ the rest of them agreed.
Therefore in the night they packed their belongings into a cart and prepared to quietly sneak away at dawn. But while they planned, little did they know that Ajantala had been listening.
And when Ajantala saw that they had gone to sleep, he hid himself inside the cart in which they had packed their belongings. This was not too difficult, because Ajantala was no more than a foot and a half tall.
Before day broke, the animals left the house and headed for deep inside the forest, as they ran away from Ajantala. After a while, the Goat got hungry and planned to steal some of the food inside the cart.
‘Go on, I need to rest for a few minutes’ the Goat told the others; but it was a lie and all he wanted to do was steal the food. After they had gone, the Goat began to look for the food box that was inside the cart.
But out jumped Ajantala and Ajantala beat him so much that Goat would never forget this day for the rest of his life. Finally, he left Goat to go and again warned him to say nothing about what had happened to him.
‘When you catch up with the others give the cart to Wolf, and let me see whether he is also as foolish as you’ Ajantala told the Goat.
The Goat ran with the cart and soon caught up with the others, and handed it to the Wolf.
‘I am weary, take this cart for a while,’ he said to Wolf, who agreed to it.
Soon after, the same thought occurred to Wolf – to stay behind and steal some of the food. Ajantala again seized him and Wolf had never suffered so much in his life as he did on this day.
He could have screamed to call his friends for help but Ajantala held him by the neck and would have strangled him. It was a terrible day for the Wolf. When Ajantala was tired, he left the Wolf to go.
Again he told the Wolf to hand the cart over to someone else when he catches up with the rest. This was how this terrible child tormented the animals. Elephant was the last to fall into his hands, but as he took hold of Elephant by the ears, the Elephant trumpeted in fear and fled after the rest and together they raced madly away from Ajantala, in hot pursuit.
In utter fear, the animals cried aloud as they fled and the forest echoed their cries and footfall. However, Ajantala was wiser. He took a shortcut and arrived ahead of them further up the forest path.
And after finding a tree, he climbed up this tree to wait for the fleeing animals.
They soon arrived, even as he had expected, quite exhausted.
‘He is no more chasing after us’ the Wolf observed ‘I think he’s gone away, let us rest in the shade of this tree’. All the others agreed, and as they rested they cursed and insulted Ajantala.
‘We would not have been in this mess if Goat had not asked that we allow the little demon child to stay with us’ the Wolf accused, but Goat denied it.
‘Shut up, or I will trample you to death; the Elephant warned the Goat.
‘And remember, all that running had made me hungry right now and goat meat sounds delicious’ the Lion growled at the Goat.
However, the Goat rose and nonetheless made a passionate defence of himself.
He said:
‘If it was I who suggested that Ajantala be permitted to live with us, let the ground open and swallow me up, the Goat swore. ‘But if it wasn’t me, let that same evil wind that brought Ajantala into our midst bring him again this very instant.’
When Ajantala heard this, he gleefully jumped down from the tree into their midst, and they fled for their lives. And since that day the Goat fled to the safety of places where human beings live; the Elephant fled to Africa and to India, the Leopard and Wolf fled into the jungle, and the Lion into the grasslands.
What happened to Ajantala thereafter? Did he begin to wander ceaselessly in the jungle?
No, God finally saw that he had no human qualities and he sent for Ajantala to be brought back from the world.
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ILE-IFE, LAND OF THE MOST ANCIENT DAYS: OLOJO FESTIVAL 2020.
The archeological existence of Ile Ife was dated as far back as the creation of the Earth.
In the beginning, Olodumare created the Earth with the emergence of light and the light struck from the epicentre of the world which is believed to be AGBEDEGBEDE in Ile Ife, and the light subsequently brought the sun which rises from the East and rotate back to the West.
This assertion was evidently supported by the Holy Books, the Holy Quran and the Holy Bible unequivocally.
Biblically, it was written in the Book of Genesis chapter 1, verses 1:5 (KJV) and also in the Quran, Surah An-Nur, (The Light) Quran chapter (Surat) 24, verse (Ayat) 64, juz 35 which was revealed @ Medinah to show the mystic parable of the Light of God.
Scientifically, this has also been proven by the “Big Band Theory”.
The first Ife was MOPE AYE known as IFE OODAYE where the first era of Super Human began (The Land of the Spirits).
The inhabitants of this land were believed to be giants with mystic abilities, looking averagely scary and have little or no human resemblance.
Tradition claimed that, the lives of these people and this era came to an end as a result of the flood which flooded the entire Community.
The survival of this flood were the sixteen (16) Patriarchs, led by Orisa Lua or Lua known as Noah, Ajebatala known as Obatala, Okanranjigbo Osangangan known as Oranfe Obamakin, Obameri, Obaluaye, Obawinrin, Oreluere, Ogun, Osun, Olokun, Esu, Yemoja, Obarese whom founded the first Palm Tree (Emu Olufon) mystically with his Staff at Oko Irese, now the present Arubidi in Ile Ife and host of others.
These Patriarchs later came together to form a nuclear Community with these three (3) items; Iha, Oge and Eyele which brought about the beginning of the second era of mankind and the second Ife which was known as IFE OOYELAGBO.
Historically, the generation of mankind in human nature began with the offsprings of these Patriarchs whom has human capacity and this brought about the denotation of “Omo-Lua-Bi”, the generation of Lua.
During this era, language began to change when the generation challenged Olodumare about the existence of human nature and this caused separation of different entity which led to the Kingship system.
Ife Ooyelagbo and the second era lasted until the emergence of ODUDUWA.
Oduduwa, the progenitor of the entire Yoruba race descended from an heavenly deluge on the dry land by the means of a chain rope and a full beaded crown, the Aare Crown.
With him, is a long staff of Authority, a five (5) legged cock, a commanding charm known as ” Ase”, a pouch containing some flirt sands and he Oduduwa, covered his body with a wrapper half knotted at the left shoulder.
Thus saying….”Oduduwa Afewonro”.
The emergence of Oduduwa and his arrival in Ile Ife subsequently brought about the beginning of the third era and the existence of the third Ife known as ” IFE AKANLUBEBE “, which is the present Ile Ife.
Upon his arrival in Ile Ife, the Patriarchs whom are the aborigines willingly relinquished their authorities to Oduduwa and gave him the leadership which made him to ruled over the kingdom and thus became the first Ooni having consulted the Oracle where the king of the major Odu Ifas’, Eji Ogbe was revealed.
Let it be known that, Oduduwa has several children and grandchildren whom they all moved from Ile Ife and settled all over the world.
This has been supported and proven by a recent research showing that, Yoruba race is the oldest race in the entire universe which their existence was dated back to about 90,000 years ago. (Genome Harvard Study, 2018).
ILE IFE, the land of the most ancient days, undoubtedly, where the dawn of the day was first experienced.
Succinct to say that,….”Ile Ife, Ile Owuro, Ibi ti Ojumo ti mo waa”…..
From the ancient time, Olojo Festival in Ile Ife has always been celebrated in a grand way commemorating the emergence of the light and the creation of the first day….”Ojo ti ojo d’ojo”…..also it meant to pay homage to Ogun, the god of iron and the modern science whom created the pathway for emergence of Oduduwa.
This year celebration will not be an exceptional as the Festival is already on the top gear with the theme: *HERITAGE BRAND FOR THE PROMOTION OF DOMESTIC TOURISM. One Yoruba… One Source…. One Festival.
Last week Saturday, 19th September, the Festival started with “Gbajure” which heralded the commencement of the Festival.
This is usually done to cleanse the land and propitiate to the gods prior the entry of Ooniriisa to the seclusion on Sunday, 20th September, to pray to the ancestors for six (6) days before he wear the Sacred Aare Crown and move to Oke Mogun Saturday, 26th September, after his arrival from the seclusion.
As a true son of the soil, I hereby beckon on all Ife Indigenes both home and diaspora and the entire Yoruba sons and daughters to come to our ancestral soil and celebrate with His Imperial Majesty, the Arole Oduduwa, Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Akande Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on this year Olojo Festival.
Let’s sing along as we all move down to Ile Ife…….”O yaa kaare lee, O yaa kaare lee….Ile misuu oo, Ile misu gbajumo s’ajo……O yaa kaare lee ooo ee”…..
Signed:
Aare (Amb.) Balogun Olakunle.
Publicity Secretary Gboba Niyi SocialClub Ile Ife
Friday, 25th September 2020.
What is all this fuss about the hierarchy in the land of Oduduwa, if I may ask? I read of two abortive attempts to settle the confusion. Now, the dissident group will be ostracized by other sons of Odu’a and their sympathizers from Wadai.
A boycott will hurt, very much so; but will it resolve the real issue? There can be no order until the obas return to the path of truth.
For the moment, let me turn over to you, extracts from the Government Gazette of 28 February, 1903, revealed that there was a dispute between the Akarigbo of Sagamu and the Elepe of Epe as to the latter’s right to wear a crown.
The then governor, Sir William Macgregor, sent his special hammock to Ooni Olubuse I (father of the late Ooni Okùnadé Sijuade, Olubuse II), to carry him from Ife to Ibadan from where he took a train to Lagos.
At the council meeting, Sir Macgregor told the Ooni that “he had received a telegram from the Alake of Abeokuta who requested to be advised of the time the Ooni was leaving Lagos for Ife. The Alake expressed a desire to arrange to meet the Ooni outside the walls of Abeokuta in order to pay him respect.”
The governor then informed the council of the purpose of the meeting – “the crown case of Elepe of Epe.”
The Gazette continues: “But before introducing this question, His Excellency informed the council that he had heard with great sorrow that the great town of Ogbomoso was burnt and that 60 persons, including the Lemomu, perished in the conflagration. The governor had sent to the Baale to express his sorrow and also 100 pounds for distribution among the people in their distress.”
Having heard the main question, the Ooni was reported in the Gazette as saying: “A man should speak only what he knows to be true. Only the Akarigbo and the Awujale have the right to wear crowns; even if the Akarigbo is a chicken, he is the head of his government and is entitled to wear a crown”.
But the Akarigbo and the Awujale had their crowns originally from Ife. I had only been a few days as Ooni before the present Akarigbo was installed. To knock out the claim of Elepe, the Ooni went on. Besides Akarigbo and the Awujale, I do not know of the rights of anyone else in Ijebu to wear a crown. No one on the face of the earth has power to give the Elepe of Epe a crown, unless the Ooni of Ife. Even the Alake of Abeokuta has not this power.
“THE ALAKE OF ABEOKUTA AND THE ALAAFIN OF OYO HAD THEIR CROWNS ORIGINALLY FROM THE OONI OF IFE”.
The following are the rulers to whom crowns have been given by the Ooni of Ife:
“The Alake of Egba (Abeokuta), the Olowu of Owu (Abeokuta), the Alaafin of Oyo, the Oba Ado, the Osemawe of Ondo, the Awujale of Ode (Ijebu), the Alara of Ara, the Ajero of Ijero, the Orangun of IIa, the Owa of Ilesa, the Alaye of Efon, the Ore of Olure, the Akarigbo of Remo (Ijebu), the Alaketu of Ketu, the Elekole of Ikole, the Olowo of Owo, the Ewi of Ado, the Oloko of Oko (Abeokuta) the Alagura of Agura (Abeokuta)”.
This piece settles a number of issues which the sons of Oduduwa must now reconcile in present day events in Oduduwa land. Well, the Gazette goes on: “The Ooni further explained that on the occasion of original assignment of a crown, a fee of 50 pounds (then one hundred naira) at least was paid to the Ooni of Ife. This fee was demanded only from the first ruler of the territory for which the crown was assigned. His successors are not again called upon to pay the fee.
“But each new ruler on succeeding his father is required to announce his assumption of the crown to Ife, and at the same time to send presents and offerings for an auspicious reign.”
Some great rulers, for example, the Alaafin of Oyo on succeeding to the crown, paid over again and the fee due to the Ooni of Ife. The Ooni also stated that some rulers sent him annual presents, and he showed the council the horse-tailed staff which was sent to him by the Alaafin of Oyo”. The last ruler that paid for his crown to the Ooni of Ife, was the Akarigbo of Sagamu.”
The governor asked the Ooni whether the Elepe could be permitted to wear a crown if he now paid the 50 pounds. The Ooni replied that all crowns are hereditary and that a man could not wear a crown. The power vested in the Ooni of Ife was to confirm the title to the right. All crowns are hereditary.
There was in 1931 another dispute, this time it was over the seniority of the Ooni over the other obas and chiefs and there was also the issue of seniority as between the Alaafin (then called the Oloyo) and Oba of Benin (then called Oba Ado).
The senior district officer, Captain HLM Butcher, sent minutes to the then commissioner, Western Province, in which he said, among other things:
“I have discussed this with several chiefs and old men in various places and the evidence seems to me to show clearly that the Ooni of Ife is the leading Yoruba chief.
CAPTAIN BUTCHER ALSO TOLD US: “THE OBA OF BENIN CALLED OBA ADO IS THE SECOND, WITH THE ALAAFIN CALLED OLOYO THE THIRD.”
He added for good measure, there is no definite order of precedence for the other oba. I have never heard that the Oba of Benin recognized the suzerainty of the Alaafin 300 or 400 years ago. I can see no reason why he should, as he was nearly always, be the more powerful of the two.” You can interpret or misinterpret these extracts, but the truth is contained in them.
Extracts from Ooni of Ife in Yoruba History by Dele Awoyinfa 1992 (Pages 67-71)
On the 23 February, 1903, the Ooni of Ife travelled to Lagos at the invitation of Governor William Macgregor and was lodged in a mansion at Tinubu Square, Lagos.
On the following day, the governor met the Ooni of Ife and informed him that the purpose of the invitation was to have direct evidence from the Ooni of Ife as to who among the Obas of Yorubaland were entitled to wear a crown.
The Ooni was scheduled to address the newly constituted Native Council which was divided on the issue as to whether a particular Chief at Ijebu was entitled to wear a crown. The Ooni’s statement of tradition was preceded by the customary greetings which included this passage from the Government Gazette of 28 February 1903.
The Ooni of Ife also said that it was only out of respect for his friend the Governor that he had broken through the tradition of the country and had come all the distance.
Kabiyesi, the Ooni added that the other chiefs, when they heard of his departure from Ile-Ife, left their palaces and were living outside the walls and there they would remain until the returned, even the Alaafin of Oyo was now living outside the palace.
The above was good example of rigid observation of traditional protocol by the Obas of Yorubaland who regarded themselves as the sons of Oduduwa (the Ooni of Ife). What it amounted to in tradition was the silent message of the governor in Lagos, that none of them would cooperate with him until their father returned safely to Ile-Ife.
Living outside the palace, meant that life in the whole community was paralyzed. If an Oba for reason of tradition, had to stay outside his palace, all his chiefs and his Baales in the villages would do the same thing and all the Arabas (Chief Priests) would be busy making sacrifices to the 401 gods of Yoruba tradition. All markets in the towns and villages would cease to function normally.
The return of the Ooni would be greeted by gun salutes and jollification throughout the empire, all markets will resume normal commercial activities and each monarch will travel to Ife to pay homage and act as communication link between the subjects of each Kingdom and the Ooni, as to what transpired in Lagos.
Governor Macgregor acceded to the request of the Ooni that no member of the native council could behold him face to face during the meeting and so, it was the voice of the Ooni that the meeting heard, as no inferior monarch or subject could behold the countenance of the Ooni without unpleasant consequences.
After giving the names of those entitled to wear beaded crown, the following testimonies by members of the council were recorded at page 167 of the Government Gazette of 28 February 1903.
Kasumu Giwa: Our fathers have told us that the Ooni of Ife has the power to issue crowns to the rulers of Yoruba.
Sufianu: If a crown does not come from Ife it is a worthless thing.
Sunmonu Bashorun: It is the Ooni who gives crowns to all the rulers.
Oshonisi: (Chief native doctor): We cannot go beyond the Ooni’s statement.
Bale of Ebute-Metta (Egba): I stand by what the Ooni says.
Seidu Olowu: It is a truth widely known in Yoruba that the Ooni gives crowns. I am on the side of Ooni.
Ogbogun: It is well known that only the Ooni can issue crowns. Ife is the cradle of our race. All power and authority come from Ife.
Brimah Edu: If the Ooni had not come, we would all have talked nonsense.
Chief Musa Bababiokun: I agree with the Ooni in all what he said.
Chief Ashogbon: I agree with the Ooni.
Chief Soenu: All the rulers in Yoruba have their crowns from the Ooni.
Chief Ojora: It is a wonderful thing to see the Ooni at Lagos, Ooni is right.
Chief Aromire: His Excellency has done a great thing in bringing the Ooni down to Lagos. This is a wonderful thing. We never expected it, the Ooni is our greatest authority on the subject.
Chief Obanikoro: The Ooni has told us many important things today, which we never knew before. The Ooni is the only authority on the subject and we abide by his decision.
Chief Eletu: We are much thankful to the Governor for inviting the Ooni of Ife to Lagos.
On 20th July 1903, government minute from Ibadan confirmed that “The power of the Ooni to confer crowns is universal and unique in Yorubaland”. In 1984, the late Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Moses Awolesi Erinwole II, received the late Ooni of Ife, the Arole of Oduduwa, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, in his palace at Sagamu.
In his welcome address, the Akarigbo who was over 90 years old at the time, declared that Oba Sijuwade who was considerably younger, was his father. He told his people that his father had arrived “Baba ti de”.
In 1932, by a letter dated August 11, the then Awujale of Ijebuland wrote to the Ooni of Ife referring to him as “Dear father” and a most cordial reply of 17 October 1932 from the Ooni referred to the Awujale as “My dear son”.
In 1937, the first conference of all Obas of Yorubaland held at Oyo, The Ooni of Ife presided. In 1938, the second conference was held at Ife, the Ooni of Ife presided. In 1939, the conference was held in Ibadan, the Ooni of Ife presided.
In 1940, the conference of Yoruba Obas was held at Abeokuta, the Ooni of Ife presided. In 1941, the conference was held at Ijebu-Ode the Ooni of Ife presided.
In 1942, the conference was held at Benin City the Ooni of Ife presided. It was the custom at the conference for the Ooni of Ife to sit in the east and the other Obas on his right and left.
The governor sat in the west with members of his staff, the governor would depart with his entourage and the Ooni would take control. The Royal dynasty of Yorubaland extends to Benin Republic, Warri and other parts of the world such as the Akoos, of Sierra Leone and the Bahians of Brazil.
In the United States of America, a strong “resorgimento” in African culture and tradition has identified itself with Ife. When the late Ooni of Ife visited Trinidad and Tobago, many Yorubas of the diaspora thronged to have a glimpse of the Ooni whom their most ancient grandmothers and grandfathers had told their grandchildren was the custodian of the primordial mystical powers of the Yoruba race to which they belong.
Some of them in reverence kissed his toes. In Cuba, the great Fidel Castro himself gave a rousing welcome.
Extracts from “Ooni of Ife Through Time” An Exhibition of Ife King list (A publication of the National Museum Ile-Ife Osun State Nigeria 20th November 2000, Pages 8-9 ORANMIYAN THE 6TH OONI OF IFE
Oranmiyan, the youngest son of Oduduwa was said to have lived between 1200 and 1300 A.D.
He was a great warrior and the husband of Moremi, the great heroine of Ife. The present day Benin dynasty was said to have been founded by him when the people of Benin sent to Oduduwa for a king to rule over them.
Oranmiyan was sent and when he got to Benin, he organized and established a system of government as obtained in Ife. He married one of their daughters who gave birth to Eweka who became the first Oba of the present day Benin dynasty.
Oranmiyan having completed the task left Benin and settled at Oyo where he also left a son, Ajaka on the throne as the Alaafin of Oyo.
Thus, Oranmiyan was the only Ooni of Ife who had the honour of crowning two of his sons as the Oba of Benin and the Alaafin of Oyo respectively.
Extracts from Guardian Newspaper Friday 30th January 2009 “Politics Page” HOW A NEW YORUBA LEADER WILL EMERGE, BY LATE OBA OKUNADE SIJUWADE
The Ooni spoke extensively on the political history of the Yorubas with particular reference to the raging leadership tussle between some prominent Yoruba Obas, especially in Oyo State where the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana and the Soun of Ogbomosho, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, Ajagungbade III who have locked horns over some issues of Obaship supremacy.
Recalling the bickering between him and the Alaafin over the headship of the Council of Obas in the old Oyo State, the Ooni said contrary to beliefs in many quarters, the creation of Osun State from old Oyo State by the Babangida military administration in 1991 has nothing to do with Alaafin’s attempt to make the chairmanship seat of the then council of Obas rotational between him and the Alaafin.
Going deeper into the 19th century history of the Yorubas, the Royal father said the Oyo Empire which Alaafin is still hanging on to is no longer in existence because it collapsed and disintegrated in September 1793 under the Alaafin Aole and that the Alaafin also lost his beaded crown with fringe benefits during the episode and the crown was never re-consecrated by Ile-Ife up till today.
For Alaafin to be claiming to be number one Oba in Yorubaland is a taboo which his fore bearers never attempted to do because they knew it would be an abomination, he stated. On the current raging crisis that is rocking the Oyo State council of Obas, the Ooni said he had been approached by millions of Yoruba people in Nigeria and abroad on the need to intervene, stressing that his stand at this moment is to make sure that there is peace.
The Royal father added: “But honestly speaking, the Olubadan crown has nothing to do with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi as the controversy has finally settled and laid to rest in 1976 at a meeting between the then governor of old Oyo State. Maj. Gen David Jemibewon and the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Sir Adesoji Aderemi who was the chairman of council of Obas at that time and himself, then as Prince Okunade Sijuwade in attendance.
He said: “I was actually approached by my friends from Ibadan, including Late Chiefs Lekan Salami, Adisa Akinloye, S.O Lanlehin, S.L Durosaro and late Oba Adeyemo to return home from London to support the then governor at the special meeting which was very short and precise because of Ibadan’s historical background and affiliation to Ile-Ife.
As the first founder of Ibadan, Crown Prince Adio Lagelu was a direct son of Ooni Luwo Gbagada who had a beaded crown with fringe benefits sent to settle in Ibadan in 1401AD.
According to him, Ibadan has always been the political headquarters of the Yoruba people where the late Papa Obafemi Awolowo served as the first Premier of the defunct Western Region followed by the late Chief S.L Akintola and it was also from Ibadan the first African governor in person of the late Ooni, Oba Adesoji Aderemi emerged followed by late Chief O. Fadahunsi.
The matter of the Soun of Ogbomosho, he added also came up at the special meeting with the governor and it was settled. But what people may not know is that the mother of the first Alaafin was Ibariba Aishatu and the first Alaafin Ajaka served in Katunga where the Ibaribas originated from and the first wife of Alaafin Ajaka was the senior sister to the progenitor of Soun’s dynasty and their crown has been settled with Ajaka’s dynasty long before 1600AD through his wife.
This, according to him was why it was easy for Oba Soun Luwusi in 1832 to instruct his Baale Oja in Ogbomosho territory to settle Prince Atiba and the remnants of the Oyo people when they were exterminated from their home base to where is now known as Oyo Alaafin (Ago-Doyo) through his subject Baale Oja, the father of Ashipa in 1832.
The history of northern Yoruba, the Ooni noted cannot be complete without the “Ibaribas” and “Nupes” and as a matter of fact, there are some other traditional rulers wearing beaded crowns with fringe benefits who must be able to stand tall at all times.
These are the Aresa, Olugbon, Onipetu, Olukoyi and a few others in the part of northern Yoruba area who should be able to settle their differences whenever the need arises even though they have been handicapped because they have been ravaged by the Fulani Jihad war when they nearly lost everything they had.
Compass Newspaper Thursday August 21st 2008, Page 47 – OPPOSITION MOUNTS OVER IYALODE YORUBALAND TITLE
Monarchs, Fasehun, Olajide, others kick
Traditional rulers and some Yoruba leaders have kicked against the proposed conferment of the Iyalode of Yorubaland title on the Abeokuta industrialist and deposed Iyalode of Egbaland, Mrs. Alaba Lawson.
To them, the title to be conferred by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, on Saturday is strange in Yorubaland and an attempt to encourage Lawson to continue disrespecting the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo.
Although Oba Adeyemi had explained that he chose to honour Lawson for her contributions to industry and commerce, some of the people who spoke to the Nigerian Compass on the matter expressed shock that “some Obas are bastardizing the Yoruba culture by creating artificial titles, thereby contributing to the disunity in Yorubaland.
From the Vice-Chairman of Osun State Council of Obas and Olojudo-Alayemore of Ido-Osun, Oba Aderemi Adeniyi-Adedapo came a statement, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Compass, in which he disowned the decision of the Oyo monarch, saying he was not representing Yoruba Obas.
Let us make it crystal clear and for record purposes that the Alaafin of Oyo has no power over any title, carrying Yorubaland appellation. The truth of the matter is that whichever titles have been previously conferred carrying the Yorubaland appellation like the so-called impending one like the Iyalode of Yorubaland are fake, a ruse, null and void.
Digging into the history of the old Oyo Empire, Oba Adeniyi-Adedapo said “no Alaafin of Oyo has any superiority over any Alake of Egba, the public must not be deceived because unfortunately, Oyo Empire disintegrated since September 1793 AD under Alaafin Aole.
Founder and President of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC). Late Dr. Frederick Fasehun told the Nigerian Compass that only the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade could make such a general conferment.
As a 73 year old man, I have never heard about any Iyalode of Yorubaland in my life. This is an entirely new thing. We have Iyalode in many Yoruba towns and villages, definitely not of Yorubaland.
If any oba confers such a title, it is very wrong, it is of no effect; it is a cheer waste of time. Nobody will respect any individual carrying such a title. Only the Ooni of Ife has the power to confer any title covering the entire Yorubaland.
To the former Secretary-General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr. Kunle Olajide, it is not proper for any traditional ruler to appropriate the award of any traditional title to himself as it is bound to create disaffection among other obas.
Olajide argued that such generalized title would not command the respect of all, advising obas to restrict the conferment to their domains. According to him, the Oyo Empire which extended to Benin Republic crumbled centuries ago.
Hence no Alaafin had the power to confer any title which influence goes beyond his domain. Olajide counseled obas to always do things that will unite us instead of those that will cause more disunity.
An official at the palace of the Ooni, who craved anonymity, recalled to our reporter that when the Jagunmolu of Yorubaland title was conferred on the former military president, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, it was a joint decision of all the obas, who performed various roles on the occasion.
Besides, he explained that the then Ooni of Ife presided over the conferment of the Aare Onakanfo title on the late Ladoke Akintola, former Premier of the old Western Region. He expressed regrets that what the Alaafin of Oyo is doing is to encourage the woman (Lawson) to continue showing disrespect to the paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Gbadebo. It’s very wrong.
The official cited the example of the legal icon, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), who was made the Aare Bamofin of Yorubaland by the Alaafin, saying “you would have noticed that in all the adverts in which people congratulated the man, all of them carried the Aare Bamofin of Oyo Empire.
The man must have told them he preferred it like that. He added; “Even the cap he wore on that day, if he had his way, he would have removed the Yorubaland from it but you know the thing must have been prepared for him by the palace”.
Extracts from NIGERIA TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY 4TH DECEMBER 2013, PAGE 3 – PROPOSED NATIONAL CONFAB SHOULD GIVE NIGERIA STABILITY, PEACE – YORUBA TRADITIONAL LEADERS, OTHERS.
Yoruba traditional rulers and leaders of thought, on Tuesday in Ile-Ife, tasked President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the proposed national conference gives Nigeria and its people the much needed stability and peace.
The Yoruba leaders, leaders of thought and other socio-cultural groups, including Afenifere, Afenifere Renewal Group, Yoruba World Assembly, Odua People’s Congress (OPC), Yoruba Council of Elders, Yoruba Unity Forum, among others who converged on the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, submitted that the forthcoming national conference must provide strong platform which could guarantee peace and stability of the nation.
After a closed door meeting, which lasted for almost five hours, the Yoruba obas in a 4-point communiqué signed by Yinka Odumakin also appointed former Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae and General Alani Akinrinade respectively as the chairman and secretary of the Yoruba Obas and Leaders of Thought.
In conclusion, “we also express our profound gratitude to the Adimula Oodua, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade for the initiative of calling the meeting and pleads with Kabiyesi not to relent in reaching out to all necessary constituencies to fully solidify the House of Oduduwa.”
THIS IS ILE-IFE BY OMOTOSHO ELUYEMI – A SHORT HISTORY OF ILE-IFE
Ile-Ife, Ooye Lagbo, More mope aye, Ibiti ojumo tii mowa, Oodaiye, Olori aiye gbogbo, Ile owuro.
Translated:
Ile-Ife, the city of the survivors where the dawn of the day was first experienced, Head of the whole universe, the land of the most ancient days.
The history of Ile-Ife is wrapped in a thick fog of myths and mythologies. And the above quotation aptly shows the appellations of the city. To the European foreigners during the early colonial days it was a “holy city”. To the descendents of Yoruba in other parts of the world, Ife was the original home of all things and the peoples.
To the Yoruba in Nigeria it was “the home of divinities and mysterious spirits”. To the Ife people themselves it was “Ilurun” that is, “the gateway to heaven”.
Ile-Ife and the Yoruba Nation:
Ile-Ife was the capital of the Yoruba Kingdom before the emergence of Oyo Empire. After the death of Oduduwa many of his children and grand-children left Ile-Ife to found other Yoruba Kingdoms.
Before the series of wars of the last century in the Yoruba country, Ile-Ife was the capital of an extensive kingdom. To this effect, C.H.H. Moseley, the acting Governor of the colony of Lagos in 1904 confirmed that “the Province of Ife lies adjacent to the colony of Lagos”.
ALAROYE – YORUBA MAGAZINE BACK PAGE 25TH NOVEMBER, 2013 – WHERE DID ODUDUWA COME FROM.
A man called the father of historians who lived around 484 to 424 BC (Before Christ) HERODOTUS wrote in one of his books that between 3000 and 1000 years BC (Before Christ) there were five nations in Africa and Ile-Ife was (is) one of them.
Also Reverend Johnson said all YORUBA NATIONS throughout the world traced their SOURCE TO ILE-IFE.
The conclusion from this scenario is that ILE-IFE is the only TOWN known to be HOME FOR ALL the YORUBAS and this is not in dispute whatsoever.
REFERENCES:
1. Extracts from Government Gazette of 28th February 1903 by the Late Governor of Ogun State Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo – “Ayekooto” (First published in his life time and post humously published again in Nigerian Tribune of Saturday 25th April 2009).
WRITTEN BY PRINCE JOHNSON
ADETUNMBI ADEMILUYI
(DIPLOMA – YabaTech, FCMA-uk, FCA)
Did you know that the concept of Yoruba Nollywood movies showing that Babalawo foresee through walls, clothes or even pot is wrong?
Read through to know the truth.
It is rare to watch Yoruba movies especially village movies and not see a Babalawo. Ifa is an integral part of Yoruba culture, hence movies about Yoruba culture, traditions and norms could barely survive without featuring a Babalawo (Ifa priest).
But how are they portrayed? In the right way or the wrong one. I have seen several Yoruba movies and when they show a Babalawo (Ifa priest), they mostly don’t show them casting Ifa divination and when they do, they just jump into viewing what they foresee through clothes or through the wall. This concept is actually wrong.
Also, a lack of understanding of how they truly foresee has demonized Ifa reading as a form of mysteries or metaphysical power. This is in accordance with a saying which says: “People hate what they don’t understand “.
To explain further, it is necessary you know that even though Ifa divination system employs spiritual mediumship, it does not rely on a person having oracular powers instead it works on a system of signs that are interpreted by the Ifa priest or Babalawo (the diviner).
How do Babalawo then foresee?
Understanding of Ifa is very important, for a Babalawo to be competent and certified, he must have acquired a certain volume of knowledge of Ifa. Ifa’s knowledge is inexhaustible, limitless or never-ending, call it whatever you want, so you only need a certain degree to be competent.
However, during divination, an odu Ifa is revealed for the person(s) the Babalawo is consulting for and this would just be one out of the two hundred and fifty-six (256) corpus of Ifa present. In each odu (corpus), there are about 256 verses(Ęsè Ifá) full of messages.
It is from these verses that Babalawo derive their information from. These ęsè Ifà are the most important part of Ifa divination as they are the ones that contain Ifa messages. They are chanted by the priests in poetic language and they reflect Yoruba beliefs, history, medicines, philosophy, mythology, cosmology, cosmovision, language and contemporary social issues. Mostly, a verse contains three parts and all the parts are written in stanza:
A. OLÚWO IFÁ
This is the first few stanzas of Ifa verses before the Adifafun (that is who the Ifa was casted for).
It can contain information in a direct form or in-form of a proverb that still need to be explained.
If it doesn’t have any message, it would be the name of an ancient Babalawo who made the first divination.
B. ĘNI ADÍFÁFÚN
This part contains the person the Ifa was first divined for, his/her/its problem(s) (Ifa sometimes talk mythologically about non-living things hence, it) and the solution that was applied to that problem.
Concerning the name, the real name of the first person the Ifa was consulted for might not be used, sometimes areas of concentration might replace this such as “adífáfún Ęni ti mowú tíse omo bíbí inú àgbonnìrègún” which means casted divination for he who wants me.
You will see that this is not really a name but rather an area of concentration. For the solution part, Ifa doesn’t see a problem without providing a solution to it hence the proverb ” akìíbá ìrújú lo sí ilé Babaláwo, kábá ìrújú bò ( we don’t meet Babalawo with a confused mind and return with such).
C. ÌKÁÀDÍ
This is the concluding part of all Ifa verses, it always indicates if the person did the sacrifice, followed the advise, did the needful or even achieve his or her aim. It is also a crucial part of the verse because it contains the lesson learned from the verse.
Most of the time, the three parts will contain messages, and sometimes only two or even one will contain the message.
For example: from the corpus of IROSUN OGBE Ifa says:-
Part A
Òrò rę tó báyìí,
Your matter is as bad as this,
Bę ará ilé láwon kògbó,
Your relatives said they are not aware,
Òrò rę tó báyìí,
Your issue is a bad as this,
Ará ilé rę láwon kò mòn,
Your relatives show no concern
Òrò rę tó báyìí,
Your matter is as serious as this,
Ará ilé rę nitún rínwon rínwon,
Your relatives are now the making jest of you,
Part B
Adífáfún Enití ayé yí o mon bùkù,
Cast divination for he who is belittled by the world,
Tí Olódùmarè yì o mon bùkún,
That Olodumare will keep blessing,
Ebo wóníkí ó mon se,
He was advised to make a sacrifice,
Part C
Modúpé, orí mi fęràn mi,
Am grateful, my Head loves me,
Modúpé, orí ìyá fęràn mi,
Am grateful, my mother’s head loves me,
Modúpé, orí baba fęràn mi,
Am grateful, my father’s head loves me,
Modúpé, Ifá mi fęràn mi,
Am grateful, my IFA loves me,
Modúpé, Olódùmarè mi fęràn mi,
Am grateful, my Olodumare (the creator) loves me,
Eni tí Orí dá kòse fi arawé,
Never compare yourself to him who is specially made,
Eni tí Olórun dá kòse bùkù,
He who is created by the creator can not be belittled.
Message:
Even without explaining, you can easily derive all the IFA messages from this verse even from all the parts but i will explain for better understanding:
Part A
Says, this person’s relatives have no concern about him or her even though they have all the resources to lift him but they won’t. He shouldn’t take them as enemies but should know that his or her goodness is not coming from them.
At the last stanza, Ifa is saying any time he or she tells his/her relatives his problems, they will only show concern while he is there but they will start making jest of him once he leaves.
Part B
Now, there was a divination for eniti aye nbuku, ti Olodumare nbukun.
This means, he has been belittled by many but he or she should remain focus after doing the needful sacrifice (a form of prayer to Olodumare), Olodumarewill bless him or her abundantly.
Part C
Now, he is being reminded that his head loves him, his mothers head loves him, his fathers head loves him, his Ifa loves him and Olodumare loves him and he shouldn’t expect much love from relatives and friends. His/her blessing is coming from people he currently has no connections with.
Now the sacrifice:
He will have to appease his head, buy something edible and also tangible for his mother and father, make offerings to Ifa and also help the needy as a message to Olodumare.
As said earlier, there is still possible of getting message only from the two or one parts of Ifa corpus.
Example:
From the corpus of Ika Oyeku which says:
Part A
Odán abi orítilè,
A name of a Babalawo,
Part B
Adífáfún wonní ìka àìkú,
Casted divination for them in the clan of Ìká aiku,
Níjótí Ikú ńwáwon kiri,
When untimely death was looking for them fervently,
Ębo wónní kíwon kíse,
They were advised to make a sacrifice,
Part C
Ìká wa yękúnù nígbàmí, àwa kòkúmón,
Our Ifa (the Ika) avert our death this time, we shall die no more,
Ębo larú, ni kú mònyę,
It was a sacrifice we made to avert death.
Message
From this, you will see that part A is just a name of the Babalawo and that stanza is only acknowledging him and this brings a direct message to us.
But part B is talking about a clan, a family, a community that untimely death is rampant there, they are then advised to make ebo.
And to conclude this, part C now tell us what they did to avert that death which is sacrifice. After this, the person would be given the prescribed sacrifice to do.
How then do this message match the person we are divining for? Am sure this question would be on your mind now or have crossed it. Ifa being a voice of Olodumareand Orunmilabeing the witness of destiny (Ęlęri Ìpín) both have access to every messages and information about each and every one of us without discriminating about race or tribe.
The purpose of divination (systematic collection of the divine message and its processing and interpretation) is to access the esoteric information. The esoteric information is accessed when a divine connection is derived between your Eleda (head spirit), soul and Orunmila, the power derived from this connection will determine the Odu (ese ifa or Ifa verse) that would be picked.
Every information in this verse will be related to your present, past and future. Even though you need the power of your mind and also your thinking faculty to understand the message, they have nothing to do with the message.
For example, you thinking about yes to a question doesn’t mean you will get yes from Ifa and even if you eventually get yes, there will be a backup message telling you why yes is chosen.
In conclusion, the interpretation of Ifa priest by Yoruba Nollywood through their movies is wrong as it is not dogmatic, mysterious or sibylline or even as vague as claimed hence accessing Ifa information doesn’t require oracular powers, it only involves the acquisition of knowledge of Ifa.
Stay blessed.
Written by:
Awo Amosun Ifakorede Oladosu
Traditional spiritual consultant
and Physiologist (BSc)
Even in the colonial time, Ogbomoso was fully represented in the struggle for emancipation.
Only a few people know the fact that an Ogbomoso man, Nathaniel David [ND] Oyerinde was the first Nigerian professor.
By 1904, he was a teacher at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary [NBTS], Ogbomoso, also, he later found himself in politics as a nominated member of the Nigerian Legislative Council as contemporaries of Herbert Macaulay.
It is popularly believed that Ogbomoso has produced just Three (3) Aare Ona Kakanfo, namely, Toyeje, Ojo Aburumaku and Ladoke Akintola, but I challenge this insinuation, Jabata is one of the villages under Ogbomoso, Jabata is under Surulere Local Government and Two Aare Ona Kakanfo were from Jabata, Adeta and Oku who were 3rd and 4th Aare Ona Kakanfo respectively were from Jabata, if Jabata could be linked to Ogbomoso, that means Ogbomoso has produced Five (5) Aare Ona Kakanfo, this is truly a heroic past.
After the colonial turbulence in Nigeria, Ogbomoso has had ambassadors that have contributed enormously, both nationally and regionally. One wouldn’t forget the powerful roles of Benjamen Adekunle in keeping Nigeria one as a country.
It will also interest you to know that not only the first Professor but also, the first higher institution in Nigeria was founded in Ogbomoso.
With all these prowesses and antecedence, today, Ogbomoso still remains like a city that is hurdling to live up to the standards of the 20th Century even when we are already in the 21st Century.
Development in Ogbomoso is specifically at its lowest ebb, hardly you point to factory or industry that could be reckoned with nationally or regionally.
In fact, the economy of Ogbomoso heavily relies on the only University of Technology (LAUTECH) located in the City due to the consuming capacity of the students, but even this University is presently bedridden.
Thanks to Late chief Isaiah Abisara Oke that also brought Best Legacy College of Education as an additional. In Ogbomoso, Our agricultural system still remains subsistence in nature.
Some of us grew up to know about Alata Group of Companies as the only popular Industry in the past that employed our people, but today, it only remains an infringement of our elusive memory and yet, no replacement to fill the vacuum left behind.
Today, Filling Stations, Private Schools, Okada Riding, Churches and Mosques are the major employers of Ogbomoso citizens.
Those infrastructures that befit city of this century are totally lacking, in fact, Ogbomoso exemplifies a sleeping giant.
Should we continue to bask in the euphoria of the elusive past?
Never! Time to wake up.
My little research has clearly shown to me that there are more successful people of Ogbomoso’s descent outside Ogbomoso than in Ogbomoso.
In fact, there are eminent personalities that have excelled in various aspect of life nationally and internationally from this root, but it is obviously pathetic that the fatherland is neglected, they are detached from the root.
Today, many people still harbour the sentiment that one witch or wizard from his father’s house or mother’s house would destroy his fortune if he comes home, I’m pleased to announce to you that those are the mere fairytale of 17th century.
If nobody can stop your success wherever you are now, nobody will also stop it when you domesticate it at home, only the weak gives an excuse for their misfortunes.
The good news is that Otunba Alao Akala became Number One Citizen in Oyo State even while living in Ogbomoso. Your cherished fortune could be doubled if you are productive and kind to your root.
It is high time we started thinking about how to develop the fatherland, we cannot continue to bask in the euphoria of the glorified past, Ogbomoso must gain her befitting status of a 21st-century city.
Developing Ogbomoso is a task that all the Ogbomoso sons and daughters, both at home and in the diaspora must make a priority.
I’m passionately appealing to everyone that has met fortune on his or her way to come and replicate it at home.
I appeal to our politicians to woo investors to the fatherland, I also appeal to our traditional rulers to put a halt to the internal discords and crave the indulgence of the gods to the path of development.
Developing Ogbomoso is a task for all of us. Ogbomoso is our own Jerusalem.
Written by Ogunwoye Samson Gbemiga (Ogunsamson).
Ogunwoyesamson@gmail.com
OJO AGUNBAMBARU was one of the surviving sons of the renowned Basorun Gaa. He had escaped to the Bariba country at the general massacre of Gaa’s children and relatives During the reign of Aláàfin Abiodun.
None of Alaafin Abiodun’s numerous children succeeded him on the throne. Aole Arogangan, a tall and handsome prince, a cousin of the late King was elected in his stead.
Hearing of Aláàfin Aole Arogangan’s death and the present state of the deteriorating Oyo-Ile (Old Oyo Empire), he thought there could never be a more favourable opportunity for him both to avenge his father’s death and also to obtain his title without opposition.
He returned from the Bariba country with an immense army, and entered Oyo. Under the pretext of espousing the King’s cause, he put to death indiscriminately most of the influential citizens who were named as Afonja’s friends and allies.
The Òwòta, one of the “Esos” was the first victim of his ambition and revenge. On the whole, about 100 chiefs were despatched, who were either his father’s enemies or who might have opposed him in his main object.
He now set off for Ilorin to measure strength with Afonja the powerful Kakanfo, whose father was one of those who swelled Kakanfo Oyabi’s army for the overthrow of his father the Basorun Gaa, and who had succeeded the same Kakanfo Oyabi of Ajase in his title as Kakanfo.
These were his grievances against Afonja; but besides these, Afonja was the only person in the land after Opele of Gbogun, who might have opposed him in his designs.
If Ojo had acted with prudence, he might have succeeded without the slightest doubt but his indiscriminate slaughter of the chiefs and others in his track, and his threats against the Onikoyi, tended to weaken his own strength at the outset.
Fire and the sword marked his path to Ilorin, and so great was the dread of him, that such towns as Ogidi, Ogele and others, were deserted at his approach.
Adegun the Onikoyi being one of Afonja’s secret friends, was on his list for destruction but he was reserved till after the war. Both were kept informed of all Ojo’s movements, policy and designs by the Oyo people who followed him trembling, not really as friends, but rather as traitors, their minds having been prejudiced against him, on account of his excesses, and a secret combination was formed between them and the Onikoyi, to desert Ojo at the most critical moment.
Ojo’s army was further swelled by recruits from all the Yoruba towns who feared his vengeance should victory crown his efforts without their help and even the Onikoyi who knew himself to be a marked man, declared for him and swelled his army.
Afonja met this large army a great way off but he was defeated on three successive engagements. His army being completely routed he fled precipitately to Ilorin to fortify the town against the approach of the conqueror.
Ilorin had not been walled, and there was no time to think of doing so now, so he had to extemporise fortifications, erecting stockades with the locust and shea-butter trees.
Ilorin was soon besieged and was nearly taken, as Afonja’s courage was failing from repeated reverses, private messages from the enemy’s camp were sent to encourage him to hold out a little longer.
At last, the final decisive battle was to be fought, Afonja and his army were hard pressed on every side, being shut up within their forts, and the town was on the point of being taken when Adegun the Onikoyi and his accomplices suddenly gave way, in the heat of the battle, and the great conqueror irretrievably lost the day.
The traitors fled away in confusion, but Ojo and his trusty Bariba troops retreated orderly. The Kakanfo could not follow up the victory by pursuing Ojo Agunbambaru from the dread he had of the Baribas, who were renowned for being good archers, and for their poisoned arrows.
Ojo Agunbambaru made good his escape with the remnant of his army. Being thus deserted by those whose cause he professed to espouse, Ojo Agunbambaru considered himself unsafe among them and therefore returned to the Bariba country with the wreck of his army watching for another favourable opportunity.
Reference:
Samuel Johnson; The history of the Yorubas: from the earliest times to the beginning of the British Protectorate; C.M.S. (Nigeria) Bookshops, Lagos, Nigeria, 1921
THE STORY BEHIND THE DEATH OF AN IBADAN POLITICAL DIGNITARY IN 1958, ADELABU ADEGOKE (PECULIAR PENKELEMESI)
When next are you going to be in the city of Ibadan? One of the places you must endeavour to visit in the historic town is the Taj Mahal in Oke Oluokun.
That’s the residence and final resting place of Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, the Lion of the West. Adelabu needs no introduction. He was the afternoon star that scared the elderly.
He was the morning dew that drenched both friends and foes. More than six decades after his death, he refused to be forgotten.
Gbadamosi Adegoke Adelabu died at his prime. He died when his sun was at its zenith. It was a death like no other. It was not the death of an individual. It was not the loss of a family. Adegoke Adelabu’s death was a national tragedy. Ibadan stood still.
Lagos was stunned. Nigeria went into a state of shock.
How did Adelabu die? Was it an act of God? Was he killed by his political opponents? Was Adegoke a victim of political conspiracy? What was Adelabu’s business with his Lebanese friends? What actually happened on that fateful day in 1958?
If there was a politician who understood the psychology of his people, it was Adegoke Adelabu. He was a master in the art and science of political psychology. And like the consummate politician he was, he spoke the language of the people. He was a compound polyglot.
His Yoruba was flawless. His English was impeccable. Adelabu was not the one to mix Yoruba with English in the same sentence.
Though small in stature, he was intellectually a giant. With his brilliance, he dazzled and dwarfed his peers. According to Bola Ige, Adelabu was “a short man, but with boundless energy, he always seemed to be on the move, he went on foot from village to village.
He dressed and appeared like a rustic villager. He never seemed to smile, not to talk of a laugh. His Yoruba was devastating in pithiness and sarcasm. He knew how to leave every audience with a phrase that could not be forgotten.”
Coming from Chief Bola Ige, who himself was a wordsmith, that was an eloquent testimonial. If any evidence of Adelabu’s mastery of language is required, you need to look no further than Penkelemesi and Ebullition.
The final journey of the grassroots politician did not start in 1958 when he breathed his last. It actually started three years earlier in 1955 when Adelabu was appointed the Minister of Natural Resources and Social Services.
The appointment was indeed a giant leap for Adelabu, who started life from a weaver’s shed. His Lebanese friends, the Younan family, saw his appointment as a golden opportunity to market the Penkelemesi brand.
It was decided that textile materials bearing Adelabu’s image and name be produced and sold. It was expected that the cloth would also serve as a subtle campaign strategy for Adelabu who was aiming to become the premier of the West.
When the first shipment arrived, neither Adelabu nor the Younan family, expected what happened. They had expected sales to be slow and gradual.
To their pleasant surprise, the Penkelemesi fabric became an overnight bestseller. It became the social uniform, not only in Ibadan but throughout the Western Region.
It was no longer aso ebi. It became aso ilupeju – a global uniform. It was used for weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals, housewarming, and every form of social function.
Tailors were praying daily for Adelabu. There was no tailor in Ibadan that did not get one or two yards to sew.
The Younan family did not wait for the stock to run out before the second shipment was ordered. It also recorded massive sales.
This time around, Idumota traders and Onitsha merchants joined the bandwagon. The Lion of the West was the toast of the moment.
He was not only a successful politician; he had also demonstrated that he was business savvy.
With the 1956 elections approaching, and with his rising political profile, Adelabu was sure of victory at the polls. He was a master strategist.
As a populist leader, he gave people what they wanted. In areas of Ibadan where the indigenes were in the majority, Adelabu ensured that natives were the candidates of his party.
In non-native areas, the Political Genius fielded non-natives. It was a strategy that never failed him.
He was confident of becoming the premier.
His business partners were also confident. It was decided that in addition to the penkelemesi cloth already in the market, a special cloth should be ordered for his inauguration as the premier.
The cloth was indeed special. It showed Adegoke Adelabu as the Premier holding the keys to the Western House of Assembly! It was going to be a hot cake.
To finance the project, Albert Younan obtained a loan from African Continental Bank. ACB was one of the big indigenous banks in Nigeria then.
The bank became distressed in 1991 and was taken over by the Central Bank of Nigeria. It was later revived and was one of the banks that formed the present-day Spring Bank.
The bank even had a football club. I can see elderly people reading this nodding as they remember ACB FC of Lagos!
Adelabu had however not taken into consideration the political wizardry of Obafemi Awolowo.
As fate would have it, it was Awolowo who became the Premier. Adelabu became the Leader of the Opposition.
Of course, you know that it is the Premier and not the Leader of the Opposition that would hold the key to the House of Assembly.
You want to know what happened to the cloth already ordered.
You are not the only one. The management of ACB also wanted to know. More importantly, the bankers wanted to know how the Younans were going to repay the facility.
Yet the cloth could not be sold as Adelabu did not become the premier.
Albert Younan found himself in financial jeopardy. The bank was writing to him every day demanding repayment of the loan.
The cloth was in the warehouse, unsold. Adelabu was in the House, but not as the premier. This was not an ordinary matter.
Ohun ti o mu bale ile wo aso iyawo re lo si oja, oro ti kuro ni se ko si nkan. Mewa nbe. (Whatever made the husband wear his wife’s dress to the marketplace has gone beyond ‘I hope there’s no problem’.)
On March 24, 1958, Younan sent a desperate message to Penkelemesi. It was a plea for help. The bank was on his neck. He had been given a final deadline by the bank.
Adelabu decided to assist his friend by following him to the head office of the bank in Lagos to plead for further credit.
Adelabu woke up very early the following day. In addition to the meeting with ACB in Lagos, he also had some issues to discuss with Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh.
He decided to use the same stone to kill two birds. He had just finished his morning prayers when he was informed that Albert Younan was outside. He bade his family farewell and promised to be back before evening.
..But he never came back!
The journey to Lagos was uneventful. The management of the Bank was happy to receive a politician with the stature of Adelabu.
He was assured that his request would be considered. Younan was happy. Adelabu was happy. He went off to see Okotie-Eboh.
It was on the return journey to Ibadan that the unthinkable happened. It was on a straight stretch of road between Ode-Remo and Iperu.
Albert Younan was the one driving the ash-grey Peugeot saloon car. Adelabu was seated beside him. Two of Adelabu’s aides were also in the car.
Without warning, the Peugeot collided head-on with a light yellow Austin which was on its way to Lagos.
The force of the collision was such that the Austin somersaulted and came to rest upside-down facing back the way it had come. The Peugeot cracked under the impact. It burst into flames.
Ha! Ikunle Abiyamo o!
Travelers who witnessed the accident rushed to the aid of the victims. They successfully extinguished the fire. Of the four passengers in the Peugeot car, only the driver, Albert Younan, was alive. Though he was injured, he was still breathing.
The driver of the yellow Austin was unharmed. It was as if he was not the one who drove the car.
His two passengers were however not as lucky. The two Britons in the car, who were representatives of the Royal Exchange Assurance Company, sustained slight injuries.
All of them, the dead and the injured, were quickly rushed to Shagamu Hospital. It was at the hospital that it was discovered that Penkelemesi, the Lion of the West, was one of the dead.
It was late in the evening that the news reached Ibadan. It started as a rumour. No one believed it. It could not have been Adelabu. Penkelemesi was a survivor. He was a fighter.
He would never allow death to take him. Even if he was involved in an accident, the Lone Star would be unscathed.
Bi Sango ba n pa Araba, bi o n fa Iroko ya, bi ti igi nla ko. If Sango, the god of thunder strikes at Araba tree and dismantles the Iroko tree, he must respect the baobab tree. Adelabu was baobab. He was beyond the reach of Sango.
It was not until the following morning when his death became the headline news that reality dawned on his teeming followers.
Tragedy Strikes screamed the Defender newspaper. Adelabu Is Dead announced the Daily Times.
Anthony Enahoro, as the Leader of the Western House of Assembly, proposed an extraordinary adjournment as a tribute to the dead Leader of the Opposition.
In his moving tribute, he said: “We did not agree with him or his methods, and he too did not agree with us or our policies.
Nevertheless, he was a tireless and doughty fighter who stood firmly by the things he cherished, and it may be that when the history of these times comes to be written, that is one attribute of Alhaji Adelabu which will be remembered better than any other.”
Chief Obafemi Awolowo saluted the man who had keenly desired to take his place as Premier of the West.
According to him: “Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu was, in his lifetime, and ever since he entered into politics, a fighter first and last, with all the characteristics of a fighter. He was fearless, formidable, forthright, often caustic, and uncompromising.”
It was a day no one who witnessed it would ever forget. Lanrewaju Adepoju, the redoubtable Yoruba poet, in a recent album, observed that Ibadan had never mourned anyone the way it mourned Adelabu.
More than 75,000 mourners assembled to pay their final homage to the People’s Hero.
According to an eyewitness account, the crowd was so dense that it took three hours for the funeral procession of over fifty vehicles to move from Molete to Oke Oluokun where he was to be buried.
Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe presented a coffin to the family on behalf of his political party, the NCNC.
It must have been a special coffin. I remember that one verbal abuse that was popular in the West when I was growing up was to describe someone as having a ‘long head like Adelabu’s coffin’.
Do you remember? Olori gboro bi posi Adelabu! (Long head like Adelabu’s casket)
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Leader of NCNC, was not physically present at the funeral but he was represented by top notchers of the party.
He later came to pay his last respects to his very distinguished lieutenant. At the graveside, Azikiwe announced that NCNC would provide scholarships for all of Adelabu’s 15 children. He also donated 100 pounds to the family.
Adelabu was not mourned by only the NCNC and the AG.
On behalf of the Northern People Congress, Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa sent two top Ministers: Muhammadu Ribadu and Inuwa Wada to pay condolences and pray at the grave of a fellow Muslim.
Adegoke Adelabu was dead and buried. But the Lion of West did not die alone. His supporters took to the streets. They paraded through the city and stoned public buildings, including Mapo Hall and the courts at Oke Are.
By the evening of that day, three people had been killed in various parts of Ibadan. It was speculated that Adelabu was shot by his political opponents.
An editor of a newspaper claimed that he saw Adelabu’s body riddled with bullet holes and that the car he was traveling in was deliberately crashed to make it look like an accident.
This claim was however without basis. Unknown to many at the time, Adelabu’s corpse did not arrive in Ibadan until late in the morning of March 26 because a postmortem was being conducted to determine the cause of his death.
The autopsy was witnessed by Chief Joseph M. Johnson, one of Adelabu’s friends. Johnson was the first and the only non-indigene to serve as the Chairman of the Ibadan Council. Adelabu died on Tuesday.
He was buried on Wednesday. By Friday, all hell broke lose. Reports of murders and violence began to come in by Friday evening.
One account put the number of death at sixteen. Another account sighted by Onigegewura recorded eighteen riot deaths.
All the victims were said to be members or supporters of the Action Group.
By March 30, more than 300 people had been arrested. Many of them were taken to Ilesha and Abeokuta prisons since Ibadan prison was already full.
It was also speculated that Younan had crashed the car deliberately in order to commit suicide as a result of his financial challenges.
This was however denied by Albert Younan who insisted that there was no special cloth printed for the 1956 election and therefore no financial loss. He claimed that he went with Adelabu to Lagos for unrelated business.
The family of Adegoke Adelabu did not appear to be convinced.
The family filed a civil suit against Younan and Sons Limited and the Royal Exchange Assurance Company. Their claim was for the sum of one hundred thousand pounds for the negligence of the two drivers which led to the death of their breadwinner.
The trial judge was My Lord Justice Samuel Quashie-Idun, a Ghanaian. His Lordship later served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
In his judgment, Justice Quashie-Idun held that no case had been made against the insurance company. His Lordship however found Younan and Sons liable.
The firm was ordered to pay 6,030 pounds as damages to Adelabu’s children and 350 pounds as costs.
Younan and Sons appealed the judgment. Their appeal was successful. The Federal Supreme Court reversed the decision of the trial court on the ground that the plaintiffs who sued as Administrators of the estate of Adegoke Adelabu had no capacity to bring the suit.
At the time, the Federal Supreme Court was not the final Court of appeal for Nigeria. The apex court was the Privy Council in Britain.
Adelabu’s family appealed to the Privy Council. The appeal was pending when the parties agreed to settle out of court.
The firm of Younan and Sons agreed to pay the family of the Lion of the West the sum of 3,000 pounds.
On the political front, a bye-election was conducted to fill the seat hitherto occupied by Adelabu.
Adeoye Adisa, a young lawyer who had returned to Ibadan two years earlier from his law studies in Britain emerged the winner of the bye-election.
Adegoke Adelabu died more than 63 years ago. He died at a tender age. He was 43. He was however able to cram into his short life what many who lived up to a century could only dream of achieving.
At the time of his death, he was holding three critical posts. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Western House of Assembly. He was the Chairman of the NCNC Western Working Committee. He was also the chairman of the powerful NCNC-Mabolaje Grand Alliance.
More than six decades after his last breath, his footprints are still indelible on the political landscape.
In recognition of his achievements as a nationalist, politician, orator, and mass mobilizer, the government of Oyo State in 2016 listed his Oke-Oluokun residence as one of the tourist sites in Oyo State.
May the soul of Gbadamosi Adegoke Adelabu continue to rest in peace.
Let others know more about him by sharing this history with your friends.
Thank you!
Credits: OldNaija
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Narrated by: Amosun Ifakorede Abiola Traditional spiritual consultant and Physiologist (Bsc)
Transcribed by: Johnson Okunade
A very long time ago before the advent of Christianity or Islam in Yorubaland, aborigines depend on Babalawo (Ifa Oracle Priest) to proffer solution to their problems. This was the same for Arira, a young man in search of a bride and Osoro, also a young and beautiful lady who was looking for a husband. They both consulted the oracle from two different Babalawo (Ifa priest). This was revealed in the corpus of Ifa (Ofun Otua) which says:
Agbe Omo ori igba kale Omo ori igba won gun rege Adi’fa fun Arira Arira n sunkun Pe oun o la’ya Esinsin ni o pate ileke Firifiri lo’ja ejigboro mekun Adifa fun Osoro Osoro n sunkun Pe oun o lo’ko
Ofun Otua of the Ifa Corpus
The above literally refers to two individuals; a male and a female. They were both looking for different but similar things. Arira was crying for not having a wife while Osoro was crying for not having a husband.
They both consulted Ifa oracle from two different Babalawo. As a form of sacrifice, Arira’s Babalawo instructed him to take a sheep to Ejigboromekun market and sell, while Osoro’s Babalawo instructed her to take a ram to Ejigboromekun market and sell.
They both got to Ejigboromekun market, at the same time, even came across each other but didn’t pay attention to each other unlike the sheep and the ram. Osoro’s ram wanted to mate with Arira’s sheep, of which Arira didn’t approve. His Babalawo instructed him to sell the sheep, so he must protect the sheep from the fierce ram eager to mate with his sheep. He took a rod, ready to hit it on the ram so as to save his own sheep. When Osoro saw this, she sprung forward to save her ram from Arira’s harmful rod.
So a quarrel broke out between the two. Arira ready to preserve his docile sheep and Osoro determined to protect her agile ram. On seeing this, people at the market approached them to make peace. Each was asked the cause of the quarrel. Arira explained how he got to the market to complete the required sacrifice for him to put an end to the issue of not having a wife. Osoro also narrated how his Babalawo instructed her to sell a ram in the market for her to put an end to the issue of not having a husband.
Surprised, the concerned peacemakers exclaimed and said: “wo’ko wo’ko pade wa’ya wa’ya, wa’ya wa’ya pade wo’ko wo’ko, peki se peki niyen!” Which literally means: “a lady looking for husband met a man looking for a wife, a man looking for wife met a lady looking for husband; they’ve both seen what they are looking for!” On hearing this, they both set aside their differences and decided to become friends. They had a very soothing and agreeable discussion so they both started dating each other.
Ejigboromekun market, a very popular and populous market had various inns for people from far away places. After a while they both met again at Ejigboromekun market in one of the inns, one thing led to the other and they both consummated their new found love. Unknown to them, the copulation led to pregnancy and unfortunately, Arira died shortly after this.
By the time Osoro discovered she was pregnant for Arira, Arira was already dead. Osoro would go to Ejigboromekun market, looking Arira without knowing Arira died already. After looking for Arira in Ejigboromekun market without any success, she gave up after a while. Nine months later, Osoro gave birth to a baby boy she named Ojodu.
Few years after the incident, Osoro married another man with whom she was living together with Ojodu. Osoro gave birth to children for this new husband who was a farmer. Ojodu was very troublesome, whenever his mother and stepfather go to the farm, they would leave him at home to care for his step-siblings. Rather than do that, Ojodu would beat them and eat all the food alone.
This infuriated Ojodu’s stepfather. He spoke harshly to Ojodu, saying: “I’m not your father, why do you want to kill my own children, is it now a crime to give a fatherless boy shelter?” This made Ojodu think about his life and went to inquire about his father from Osoro, his mother. Osoro told Ojodu everything she knew about his father, Arira. She also told him Arira didn’t even know he got her pregnant. Ojodu asked her mother to help in finding out where Arira’s town is. After a while, Ojodu got the name and direction to Arira’s town. Determined to know his lineage, Ojodu together with his mother went to Arira’s town, asking for Arira’s house from people living in the town till the got to Arira’s house.
Unknown to Osoro and Ojodu, Arira was from a chieftaincy family, he was the only prince of that town. Arira’s father who was the king of the town just died. Arira family members were lamenting how Arira could have been the one to be coronated as appropriated in their dynasty. Unfortunately for Arira family members, Arira the only legitimate son didn’t just die untimely, he died without leaving an heir behind. The family had previously consulted Ifa Oracle on the issue and they were told to be patient, an heir is coming.
When Ojodu and Osoro got to Arira’s house and they described who they are, members of Arira family didn’t believe them. They accused them of being an imposter, only greedy enough to think they can usurp Arira family’s long heritage and right. So they asked them to come back in seven days time, so they can test and know if Ojodu is truly Arira’s son. Ojodu and Osoro had nothing to fear, so they agreed to come back in seven days time.
On the seventh day, before the arrival of Ojodu and his mother, the members of Arira house already loaded a gun. Determined to shoot Ojodu if it turns out that he was an imposter who only want to Usurp the chieftaincy title. To test and enquire if Ojodu is truly legitimate, they put open a cola nut that can be split into four in each of his hands after which they told him he’ll pour the cola nuts (Obi Olojumerin) in both his hands on Arira’s grave. The outcome of the colanut divination will determine Arira’s legitimacy. If the colanut divination acknowledges Ojodu as Arira’s son, he will be welcomed into the family, else he will be shot to death on the spot.
Ojodu, although a bit scared and uncertain, trusted in his mother and despite hearing he might be shot dead, went ahead with the colanut divination. Fortunately for Ojodu, the colanut landed on Arira’s grave with four of a splitted one quarter of the colanut facing up and four facing down; a success and acknowledgment of Ojodu as Arira’s son by the divination, hence the rightful heir to the throne.
So as not to waste the gun powder used in loading the local rifle they wanted to use in shooting Ojodu if he was an imposter, the gun was pointed into the skies and shot into the air. So from that moment, it became a tradition throughout Yorubaland that during the coronation, they must load a local rifle and shot into the skies.
They all sang the song before as the local rifle was being shot into the skies: Ojodu de omo arira Ojodu is here, the legitimate son of Arira Awa mondupe ore obi toyan We are grateful for the accepted Kola.
Since then, up till date; the shooting of gun into the skies became a custom in the Yoruba cultural setting during any coronation.
Narrated by: Amosun Ifakorede Abiola Traditional spiritual consultant and Physiologist (Bsc)
Transcribed by: Johnson Okunade
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In the late 80s, there used to be a signboard in Fiditi that pointed to the path to the village, the signboard had the inscription :
“WAY TO ILU AJE, HOME OF SCIENCE!”.
Lots of people used to fear the indigenes of Ilu Ajẹ because it was said that every man in Ilu Ajẹ is born of a witch, and every woman in ilu Ajẹ is a witch!
But that is not the case…
HOW THE NAME WAS DERIVED
Some sources claim that it was when Alaafin Ladigbolu was on the throne, while some claim that it was when Alaafin Adeyemi Adeyemi II; the father of the late Alaafin, Adeyemi III was on the throne.
When the son of such an entity gets missing, of course, it’s bedlam in the whole empire!
Like the shepherd who had 99 sheep but was despondent about the lone missing sheep, the father was heartbroken about his missing son.
Then on one market day by noon, an old tattered Ifa Priest called Akinyolu landed in the market square asking for directions to the Alaafin’s palace.
The market women looked at him with disdain as a result of his dirty and wrinkled look. After much ado, Akinyolu was led to the palace.
Kabiyesi was just looking at him in a non-interested way. Not to treat Akinyolu in a rude manner, Kabiyesi asked him to go ahead, but he should make it snappy.
Iwaju ọpọn o gbo Eyin ọpọn o gbo Olumu Ọtun, olukanran Osi Aarin ọpọn Ita ọrun…..
Hear o north of the universe Listen o south of the universe Hear o wise ones of the east Listen o knowledgeable ones of the west …..
It was clear, Akinyolu must be MAD! The chiefs concluded in there mind
But one tries everything to find a lost son. so, though the recommendations of Akinyolu was crazy, the Alaafin still carried them out. Behold, on the 21st clap, the king’s son came to them.
When the son was brought to the king and the events narrated, the Alaafin was said to have asked: “iru babalawo adifaṣẹ bi ajẹ wo ni babalawo un?”. (What sort of herbalist who makes divinitions that comes through like a witch’s proclamation is this?) Ibo ni o ngbe? (Where does he live?) The people anwered that he lived by a forest patch at the outskirts of Oyo.
The King instructed that Akinyolu be clothed in fine apparel and be treated like the important guest he was.
The king later told Akinyolu to ask for anything, just anything, he would be ready to oblige.
But Akinyolu said: “Your Highness, all I ask for at my advancing age is that I go back to my forest in peace, you may choose amongst your slaves to follow me back to the forest to live our own life there”
The King obliged and gave Akinyolu gifts and instructed that he should be given about 30 slaves to join him on his journey back to the forest.
Akinyolu was made the Baale of his old forest now a thriving town. As he was called “Aje” by the townsmen, so was his domain named “Ilu Aje” which literally means “The witch town”.
For a long time, when people want to describe the area where the herbalist lived, they would say “ilu adifaṣẹ bi ajẹ” (One who divines or foretells with precision like a witch). Over time, people just started shortening it to it “Ilu Ajẹ”, they omitted the “adifaṣẹ”.
That was how the town Got her name and Akinyolu ruled as the first Alaje of Ilu-Aje.
“ILU AJE” TODAY
Ilu Aje still exists till date in Afijio Local Government Oyo State.
To some people, it has been opined that because of the eerie feeling associated with the town as a result of the name, many, including government officials (who felt that witches would kill them if they agreed to work in the town), have since been keeping the town at bay in terms of relationship.
In order to remove the stigma, a one-time Head of the town later christened it “Ilu Ooye”, (Land where natural resources are deposited with people living in sound health).
The socio-political implication of the popular name (Land of Witches) had nevertheless stuck on the town, thereby getting investors and even philanthropists scared of having anything to do with the town.
The town is peaceful and the atmosphere is serene with the inhabitants harmoniously living with many Fulani people that settled there, carrying on their cattle rearing business, as well as, farming.
However, many social and infrastructural facilities are lacking in the town. It is one of the communities suffering from the common social amenities like pipe borne water, electricity, educational facilities, as well as, medical facilities, among others.
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Miyan taushe is a savory pumpkin dish, native to and quite popular with the Hausa and Fulani tribes of the Northern Nigeria, and interestingly, not really popular anywhere else. In fact there tends to be a lot of ignorance about the variety of native Hausa dishes even in Nigeria (specifically the southern, eastern and western regions), with most of the public awareness relegated to a few of Northern Nigeria’s food exports namely dishes like Donkwa, Fura da Nono, miyan kuka (Baobab Leaves soup), Suya, Meyan Geda (groudnut soup), kuli kuli, Tofu (Awara), Kilishi, and many more. Northern Cuisine seems the least understood of all the cultures in Nigeria. The reason behind this I don’t know, considering a lion share of the food consumed in Nigeria is grown in the North. As far as cooked food goes, Suya and Kilishi are their biggest food exports. Kunun and Fura drinks are also common and there is Rice Masa which many may be familiar with. Add Tuwon Shinkafa and Tuwon Masara to the list, and I think that pretty sums up the knowledge about Northern Cuisine for many people.
Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 348 kcal
A PUMPKIN
Ingredients for Miyan taushe (pumpkin dish)
1.5 lbs goat meat chunks
1.5 lbs pumpkin peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup palm oil
½ cup roasted peanuts
7 plum/roma tomatoes
2 large onion
1 bell pepper
4 scotch bonnet peppers
10 oz chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
5 oz sorrel (substitute with spinach more spinach when unavailable)
¼ cup ground dry cray fish
2 tbsp shrimp bouillon
salt to taste
How to prepare Miyan taushe (pumpkin dish)
Slice both onion and 2 scotch bonnet peppers, and set aside.
On low- medium heat in a large stock pot, braise the goat meat with the sliced onions, scotch bonnet peppers, 1 tsp bullion and 1 tsp salt for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.
While the meat is braising, blend the tomatoes, bell pepper, 1 onion, and two scotch bonnet peppers. Place the blended tomato mix in a pot and cook on medium heat until the sauce reduces down to a thick paste. You might need to reduce the heat to prevent the tomato paste from burning.
Once the meat is tender and done braising, add in the pumpkin chunks and 2 cups of water into the pot with the braised meat. The water should just cover the pumpkin chunks and meat. At this stage, adjust the seasoning of the broth and water that the pumpkins. Cover and boil for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
While the pumpkin are cooking, grind the peanuts in a blender, food processor with a mortar an pestle until it forms a rough paste, and set aside.
Once the pumpkins are tender, use the back of a spoon to smash the pumpkin chunks, add in the crushed peanuts, tomato paste, cray fish, and bullion and stir the stew. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low- medium heat.
After the stew has cooked for 5 minutes, add in the palm oil, chopped spinach and chopped sorrel, and cook the stew covered for 10 minutes on low heat.
After 10 minutes, taste the stew for seasoning and adjust the salt if necessary. Turn the heat off and allow the stew to sit for 5 minutes, then serve hot.
This delicious pumpkin stew locally called Miyan Taushe is native to the Northern Nigeria and is commonly eaten with fufu/swallow, rice, and even naan bread.
