09/10/2025
Ìtàn Ọ̀yọ́ gẹ́gẹ́ bí Aláàfin Lamidi Adeyemi Kẹta ṣe sọ ọ
🇬🇧 English Translation:
The history of Oyo as told by Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi III
Debunking 5 Stereotypes about Africa by Looking Inside the Oyo Empire 🏰🌍
1. “African empires lacked sophisticated governance.”
👉 The Oyo Empire had a highly complex political structure, with the Alaafin (king), the Oyo Mesi (council of chiefs), and the Ogboni (secretive elders) ensuring checks and balances. The system was designed to prevent tyranny and maintain peace ⚖️.
2. “African societies were primitive and lacked intellectual traditions.”
👉 The Yoruba developed advanced mathematical systems, especially evident in Ifa divination, which uses recursive algorithms 📜. Their philosophical concept of Iwa rere (good character) reflects a deep intellectual tradition on par with global ethical systems 📖.
3. “African military forces were disorganized.”
👉 Oyo’s military was highly structured, with the Eso (elite warriors) and the Ilari (royal messengers and commanders) organizing campaigns with strategic precision 🛡️. Their use of advanced formations, siege techniques, and military diplomacy was remarkable ⚔️.
4. “Africans didn’t engage in international trade.”
👉 The Oyo Empire was a major player in long-distance trade 🛒. It had trading networks that stretched across West Africa, dealing in goods like textiles, kola nuts, and spices 🌍. Tribute from neighboring states like Dahomey flowed into the empire’s economy 💰.
5. “Africans had no written or symbolic systems of communication.”
👉 Oyo employed the Aroko system of communication 📦, using symbolic objects to convey intricate messages during diplomatic and military negotiations. This was both a creative and highly effective method 📝.
20 Key Aspects of How Oyo Society Functioned 🌍🎉
1. Multi-ethnic society 🗣️: The Oyo Empire was home to over 20 languages and ethnic groups, demonstrating a harmonious integration of diverse cultures.
2. Lingua franca (Èdè): The Yoruba language, with dialectical variations, was widely spoken and served as the main language of governance and commerce.
3. Alaafin’s supreme authority 👑: Though powerful, the Alaafin was kept in check by the Oyo Mesi and the Ogboni society, preventing despotism.
4. Oyo Mesi as kingmakers 👥: This council of seven chiefs acted as advisers and had the authority to demand the king’s abdication if necessary.
5. Ogboni’s spiritual oversight 🌿: The Ogboni society ⚖️ maintained the balance between the spiritual 🌿 and temporal realms, enforcing laws based on justice and order. Membership in the Oyo Ogboni society was by invitation only 🎟️, extended to those who were considered wise 🧠, accomplished 🏆, and respected within the community, often including competent industrialists or farmers 🌾. It was determined based on a person’s age ⏳, moral integrity 🕊️, societal contributions 🤝, and alignment with the spiritual and judicial responsibilities of the society.
6. Ifa divination system 🔮: Babalawos (priests) used intricate mathematical systems for divination, offering spiritual and political guidance.
7. Military prowess ⚔️: The Eso warriors were organized into elite divisions, while Ilari acted as military governors in distant provinces.
8. Sacred groves 🌳: These were protected spaces for spiritual rituals and ancestral worship, ensuring a close relationship between nature and spirituality.
9. Cultural diplomacy ✉️: Oyo engaged in trade and alliances with neighboring states like Dahomey and Nupe, cementing its influence through diplomacy as much as military might.
10. Rotational leadership 🔄: Leadership positions often rotated among families, preventing power from becoming concentrated in one lineage.
11. Economic diversification 💰: The empire’s economy was built on agriculture, long-distance trade, and artisanal crafts, including textiles like adire and aso-oke.
12. Tributary system 🏴: Neighboring kingdoms like Dahomey paid tribute to Oyo, which helped maintain political stability and economic wealth.
13. Aroko communication system 📦: Oyo used symbolic messages with objects to convey important information during negotiations or wartime, showing advanced abstract thinking. The Aroko system was supplemented with scribes 🖋️ (awon akowe in Yoruba).
14. Baale’s local governance 🏘️: Chiefs called Baale oversaw local districts, ensuring the proper management of agriculture and local trade. Other subjects who oversaw provincial governments were princes 🤴🏾 and minor kings 👑 . Areas around location of the Baale’s house were also ordered. The Baale was and still is a representative of the village or town founders’ family.
15. Moral philosophy – Omoluabi 🧠: The concept of Omoluabi, a person of good character, was central to societal expectations and personal development.
16. Cowries as currency 💵: Oyo used owo eyo (cowries) as a form of currency, supplemented by manillas, demonstrating a sophisticated economic system.
17. Spiritual healing 🌿: The Ologun used traditional herbal remedies to heal warriors and civilians, combining spirituality with medical knowledge.
18. Town planning 🏙️: Oyo cities were carefully planned, with the king’s palace at the center, surrounded by markets, communal spaces, and shrines.
19. Priestly hierarchy 🛐: Priests (Babalawos and Iyalawos) were responsible for major rituals, divination, and maintaining cosmic balance, showcasing a deeply spiritual society.
20. Respect for the environment 🌱: Rituals and farming practices were aligned with the seasons and cycles of nature, ensuring sustainability and harmony with the land. Wars had to end within one year to limit damage to the country and neighbouring countries.
Oyo society was vibrant, complex, and innovative, with governance, spirituality, and economy deeply intertwined. Its cultural practices, military organization, and trade networks demonstrate that the Yoruba were far from the stereotypes often imposed on pre-colonial African societies 🎉🌍. The Oyo Empire was a testament to Africa’s rich history and intellectual traditions 🌟.