The Genesis of the Yorubas
Oduduwa had sixteen children we were told
and the eldest was Orangun of Ila and the Egbas in Abeokuta were
descendants of the female child of Oduduwa named Alaketu. None ever
disputed the fact that Oranmiyan the last born of Oduduwa also ruled the
Benin Kingdom. Why did Benin or Edos allowed the last child of Oduduwa to
be made a king over them or his descendants through Eweka 1st,
if there was no blue blood connection? Oba of Benin gave a detail account
of fact of history that are very difficult to dispute. The Yoruba share so
many things in common with the Edo’s in names and culture, which must be
part of the reason why it is very difficult to dispute the version Omo
noba polo polo Oba of Benin.
Again, in the Bible, Adam and Eve who were
believed to be the first human creation by God never told or shown Cain
the only surviving child the Garden of Eden where God created them, just
like Oduduwa never shown the place and real evidence how he was created by
God. The idea of a rain and dove as the method of earth creation sounds
more like magic than real. Archeologically, the Yoruba race is not more
than 2000 years meaning other tribes excited before the Oduduwa
appearance. None availability of any other serious fact to negate this
lend credibility to Oba Benin’s version in which he the Oba of Benin
himself has not proved positively where the Edo’s also came from. Did the
Edo’s also come from heaven? Or emerged from the Igbos that often regarded
themselves as the lost tribe of Israel? Why does is necessary to bury the
head of any late Oba of Benin at Ile Ife or why is it compulsory to
receive the blessing of Ooni before a King or Oba is crowned in Benin. All
these are missing gaps of facts and history, which the academic
institutions must trash.
Aside from the above both versions of
History from Oba of Benin and Yoruba agreed that Oramiyan the last son of
Oduduwa returned to Ife from Benin after he installed his son, Eweka the
first as Oba of Benin after he became frustrated with the strange land.
He met his father Oduduwa who was very advanced in age and blind more
also, all properties had been shared and distributed among his fifteen
brothers and sisters. Alternatively, seven brothers according to Oba of
Benin, Oduduwa was at a dilemma on what to do because he assumed Benin
Kingdom would be enough inheritance for Oranmiyan.
Both versions of history agreed that the
name Benin meant “the land of the annoyed” because Oranmiyan left the
place in annoyance. Could it be said that Benin had another name before
Oranmiyan went there? What was the name? Does it have anything to do with
the destruction of the Edo Empire or can we say Oranmiyan actually founded
the Benin Kingdom, which must be the reason why he changed the name of the
city to Benin? Oba of Benin comment on the Edo’s checking the secrecy of
Oranmiyan led to his abdication of the thrown for his son is not
convincing enough taking into consideration the attitude of Oranmiyan who
was believed to be ruthless, one would have thought he would have handled
the issue in different method.
The Returns of Oranmiyan
Oduduwa found an easy way out to appease the
disgruntled son Oranmiyan he gave him, his staff as a symbol to present to
his brothers and sisters to be able to collect ten percent of revenue
derived from yearly harvest through out Yoruba Land. With this, Oranmiyan
was able to collect over 150 percent of all the returns throughout the
uncoordinated kingdom. Oduduwa also grudgingly agreed to allow his last
son Oranmiyan to be king at Ile Ife after his death. The reason for this
was unknown as this was against the customs and traditions of giving
priority to first child or son who was Ila of Irangun.
On the other hand, could it be said that
Orangun was too afraid to challenge his junior brother or Oranmiyan was
indeed the senior? Or could the version of history that actually claimed
Okanbi as the only son of Oduduwa was right and Oranmiyan was indeed the
same person as Okanbi? This is a fact of history the present Orangun of
Ila should clarify. His silence amounts to selling his birthright to his
junior brother if he was indeed the first-born and why did all other 14
brothers and sisters fail to do something? Some even say Oranmiyan was not
a direct son but a son of Okanbi. Some even argued that Okanbi was the
same person as Oranmiyan but Okanbi literarily meant only child if that
should be the case it will amount to a conclusion that Oduduwa had only
one child while his only child Okanbi gave births to the 16 children that
became the pillar of Yoruba race this is another area the historians must
explore.
Oduduwa was primarily a skillful priest and
voodoo person who the Oba of Benin argued picked up the powers in the
forest. Who were his teachers? Was it by demons or gods? Or by the power
of abcadabra. Who verified how Oduduwa acquired his powers? None and how
did Oba of Benin come to this conclusion? It is often said rituals and
sacrifices is an everyday issue at Ife except for one day and that is
never made public probably the only day Odududua took vacation. Oba of
Benin must explain the reason why the Head of all previous Oba of Benin
were buried in a cave at the shrine of Oduduwa at IFE.
Origin of Ooni Title
We have read and heard stories that in one
of the ritual ceremonies where nobody was allowed to be outside, an
unidentified foreign woman of no means of tracing her background was
captured and was to be used as sacrifice for the gods. She was later
spared because she was found to be pregnant beside; it was against custom
at that time to use a pregnant woman for sacrifice. The child from the
woman was dedicated to the gods and acted in an assistant capacity to the
aging Oduduwa in his day-to-day ritual and voodoo job. The child was named
Ooni: meaning, “This is Spared One”. This cannot be totally disputed
because the Yoruba’s often named children after events surrounding their
births. Nobody apart from this simple understanding of Ooni has given any
other meaning interpretation of the title. This writer did not create this
meaning every Yoruba man or woman grew up with this assumption. It may not
necessary be the reason.
After the death of Oduduwa his son,
Oranmiyan was invited to take over the job of his father, which was
primarily ritual and voodoo, as well as traditional ruler of Ile Ife.
Oranmiyan refused because he had succeeded in building an economically
viable place at Oyo Ile with administratively sound method of government
around the Oyomesi council in chief and it would be very degrading to
leave and move to Ile Ife to be involved in ritual daily sacrifices
exercises. In the light of that assumptions Oranmiyan gave conditions that
he must be buried at Ife to symbolize his right to Ife thrown. Ooni the
Assistant to Oduduwa in the day-to-day ritual sacrifice exercise continued
with Odua’s job while he continued with supervision from Oyo Ile. It was
that condition Ooni the son of the slave woman that was captured and
dedicated to the gods who was assisting Oduduwa continued the work of
Oduduwa at Ife. This is the reason why ALafin of Oyo will never accept
Ooni of Ife as a king or a superior in any Yoruba gathering of Obas. The
creation of Oshun State out of Oyo State was the major events that
separated the two kings in one of the sittings of Obas in the old Oyo
State the Chairmanship issue was almost a national problem that which was
exploited by the political leaders of both the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)
and national Party of Nigeria (NPN) at that time.
Ooni assumed superiority was a British
creation because the King of England assumed a king at Ife the assumed
cradle of Yoruba must be superior to all Obas just like the British did in
Abeokuta by imposing Alake superiority over other Obas at Abeokuta. In
case of Egbas Sorunke who led the Egbas from Ibadan to the present
Abeokuta was from Oke Ona, which Oba Tejuoso is the King today. This is
the reason why there was conflict between late Alake of Abeokuta and Osile
of Oke Ona. In fact both the Akes and Oke Onas met Owu’s in the southwest
area of the city. Power and control in Abeokuta was not evenly distributed
among the five kings. The British creation has led to communal
disagreement among the city’s five kings. Including the Ibaras and
Gbaguras the side of late Moshood Abiola. Although the late Alake of
Egbaland was very technical and tactical in the way he cautiously
curtailed other Egba Obas to accepting his leadership that can not be said
of Ooni who does one thing better by allying himself with the government
at the center in and out of the state all time a strategy Alaafin must
have to adopt.
IFE The Final Resting Place of Oranmiyan
Why was Oranmiyan buried at Ife not at Oyo
Ile or Oyo Igboho? What is the meaning for Opa Oranyan symbol at Ife
today? Except to confirm his right to the thrown or seat of Oduduwa. If
Ooni was not a true son or direct descendant of the sixteen children of
Odua or a relation of Okanbi how did he get his title so recognized that
it became the symbol of Yoruba center of unity and not Alaafin the much
feared Iku babayeye? Some historians will argue that Ooni was just his
name that became his title. If Ooni was a direct son of Oduduwa how come
he could not be traced to the 16 children of Oduduwa? Did the first Ooni
pay tributes to Alaafin or Oranmiyan like all other Yoruba Obas and Baales
(village Heads) at that time or was he exempted from taxes or levies? If
not. Why? Those emerging empires that refused to pay were destroyed or
sold away as slaves. The practice to sell any opposition as slaves stopped
after the Oyo Empire was destroyed. It is rather difficult to accept the
Ooni’s version as against the Omonoba Polo polo but then Oba of Benin’s
version was not full proof. Has any Oba of Benin from history been a
member of governing council at Ife? If yes. Why? And why must Oba of
Benin’s head be buried at Ife if Ile Ife is not the source for the two
tribes? Oba of Benin must be courageous to explain this fact of history.
Oranmiyan’s Role In Yoruba History
Oranmiyan from history was a belligerent
person. A war hero and where his brothers and sister failed to give the
yearly ten percent duty as agreed with the staff of Oduduwa he used force.
He later appointed his representatives in each of the kingdoms of Yoruba
to monitor the returns, thus the creation of Oyo Empire that lead to the
end of the kingdom Oduduwa created which was not properly coordinated.
There was no proper channel of control during Odua. Oyo Empire gave the
Yoruba race the much respect and proper foundation in the south of Sahara.
The new empire grew with amazing rapidity throughout West Africa and was
like the Ghana or Shonghai Empire of the medieval history in the south of
Sahara.
One of the strategies of the Oyo Empire was
engagement in slavery. It was a tactical way to weaken opposition among
the Yoruba’s and those captured. Oranmiyan and his descendants were
absolute in control and management. Infact, the word Kabiyesi that was
later adopted by subsequent Alafin from the time of Sango oko Oya in Oyo
meant absolutism the king could never be wrong. Such was the fear and
power of Alafin throughout Yoruba land.
Oranmiyan’s administration was the best in
Africa and could be likened to the British system of Administration during
the colonial government. The Empire expanded up to the present Benin
republic. Those who escaped the control of Alaafin are the Yoruba’s living
in Benin Republic, which was formerly Dahomey. On the East side there was
no historical record of any interference between the father and the son
the rulers in Benin Kingdom. The reason for this was not known but it will
amount to fighting yourself if Oranmiyan had to wage war of control over
Benin. Oba of Benin Omonoba Polopolo did not explain the reason for the
prolong truce between Benin and Oyo Empire. Spiritual contact was
established with each Benin King’s head buried at Ife and spiritual
approval from Ife before any Oba is crowned at Benin? Why is this so if
Benin was the source how come the source goes to the Ife for approval of
final rest of the head of Benin Obas? Ile Ife in actual fact demonstrated
its superiority by having the head of Oranmiyan himself.
At least there was no record of history of
any transaction between father and son commercially or any known tribal or
communal war between Yoruba and Benin Kingdom while Benin Kingdom
continued to progress and Oyo Empire continue to expand to the west coast.
In Lagos, there could not be a clash, it was a place of reunion for Edo’s
and Yoruba it was said Eko, which is Lagos, and in our local dialect is a
Benin word. Why did Oranmiyan and his descendants fail to expand towards
the East of the empire, which would have been a clash with Edo’s? Was it a
mutual agreement or respect or tactical error or oversight in the
expansionism of Yoruba Empire?
The fall of Oyo Empire
Oyo Empire later suffered from over
expansion while some local heroes started to emerge to challenge the
authority of the Oyo kingdom or that of the Alafin of Oyo. Among them was
the Lisabi Agboagbo Akala who liberated the Egbas from Oyo Empire to
create a fearless Egba Kingdom. Lisabi was never a king in fact he was
murdered by the Alake of Egbaland because of his popularity after he used
his Aaro o method to form a rally point and effectively destroying the
mirth surrounding the Alaafin control in Egbaland The Egba emerged as a
new power block in the south west. And major control of the slave market
at Badagry and women like Madam Tinubu from Owu Abeokuta moved to Lagos
known as Eko to further consolidate the gain of slave market route.
Egbas as a kingdom with its own capital at
Abeokuta in the present Ogun State with a conglomeration of five kings
with its own National Anthem “Lori Oke ati Pele” was merged with Nigeria
by the British Empire after 1914. In addition, Lagelu emerged from Ibadan,
Ogendegbe Agbogungboro from Ijeshaland and Shou of Ogbomosho and Ilorin
through the deserter Chief of Army Staff of Oyo who was killed by Alimi a
Fulani thus the end of Oyo Empire. The new empires moved toward western
civilization with sophisticated weapon while the Oyo remained old
fashioned and did not modernize its weapons. The attack from the Sokoto
Caliphate from the North finally nailed the coffin of the Oyo Empire. The
collapse of the Oyo Empire led to the Yoruba Wars, which was never
concluded until the British finally took over Nigeria in 1914 with the
amalgamation of North and Southern Nigeria by Lord Luggard. The present
Oyo town is a shadow has Old Oyo town, which is still visible at Oyo
Igboho. Oyo town in the present Oyo State is just a new creation to
symbolize the memory of the Old.
The Egbas and Ijebus took over the control
of southwest towards the Atlantics because of lucrative slave trade and
closeness to the white man. The emergence of western civilization further
weakened the Old Oyo empire, the empire collapsed and the ruminants of it
can still be found at the old site, the irony of it is Alafin of Oyo in
the present Oyo town continue to live in the memory of his ancestors glory
of the Old Oyo empire. Alafin has never made spiritual contact with old
Oyo town nor effort to salvage the relics of history, which should be used
as fundamental tourist place in Yoruba history
Ile Ife The Final Resting Place of History
Ooni who is not a direct son or descendants
of Oduduwa may not necessarily be considered viable in this discussion.
Alafin of Oyo who is a descendant of the acceptable link between Yoruba
and Edo must examine his place in history and that of his senior brother
Orangun of Ila the first son who had disappeared into history because he
never challenged Oranmiyan. The abdication of the thrown is a loss of
right for Oranmiyan to his son in Benin but if the son (Eweka) and his
descendants according to history continue to respect tradition and be
buried at Ife or received blessing before being crowned then we can
conclude that Ife is superior to Benin and Edo’s must have infact
originated from Ife?
The question is this. Can a son be greater
than his father can? Or can a river be greater than its source? No.
Otherwise it will dry. The source of Yoruba from Benin although appeared
to be very authentic as presented by Oba Eredua than Saudi Arabia or
Lamurudu, which cannot be traced, traced in Saudi Arabian history. But the
fact of history of allegiance of Oba of Benin to Ile Ife the cradle of
Yoruba race before being crowned and after death is an indication that Ife
is the source of both the Yoruba’s and Edo but the Yoruba’s and historians
must come up with a very scientific and foolproof history to support this
argument. This is an area the Ooni and other Yoruba writers have not
defended. The argument of Professor Ajayi was not detailed or courageous
enough. The professor wrote as if he was afraid to offend both the Yoruba
and the Edos as against the fact, which would have helped the issue unless
the Professor has no answer to the problem.
Conclusion.
Alternatively, can we write off Alafin of
Oyo from this discussion because his descendant failed to head the thrown
at Ile Ife when Oranmiyan was called? No. Some will say since he was
buried at Ife to symbolize his rights to the thrown or why did all his
brothers fail to challenge his right to the Ife thrown if he indeed was
the last born maybe, that part of history was right that Oranmiyan was the
first born not the last as mentioned by Oba of Benin. They’re so many
unanswered questions of history. The answer is not if we will offend
ourselves or change the place of Edo’s or Yoruba in history but who we are
and where we were coming from. It is often said that it is a taboo to bury
a king in exile. Ile Ife from all indications and by having the heads of
all the late kings of Benin and that of Oranmiyan himself buried at Ile
Ife to this writer is the source of Edos and Yoruba and this fact must not
be distorted with sentiments.
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