17/12/2024
Ikedu vs Yoruba Challenge
Legend of origin
The legendary origins of the Oyo Empire lie with Oranyan (also known as Oranmiyan), the last prince of the Yoruba Kingdom of Ile-Ife (Ife). According to oral traditions, Oranmiyan made an agreement with his brother to launch a punitive raid on their northern neighbors for insulting their father Oduduwa, the first Ooni of Ife. On the way to the battle, the brothers quarreled and the army split up.[4] Oranmiyan's force was too small to make a successful attack, so he wandered the southern shore of the Niger River until reaching Bussa. There, the local chief entertained him and provided a large snake with a magic charm attached to its throat.
The chief instructed Oranmiyan to follow the snake until it stopped somewhere for seven days and disappeared into the ground. Oranmiyan followed the advice and founded Oyo where the serpent stopped. The site is remembered as Ajaka. Oranmiyan made Oyo his new kingdom and became the first "oba" (meaning 'king' or 'ruler' in the Yoruba language) with the title of "Alaafin of Oyo" (Alaafin means 'owner of the palace' in Yoruba). He left all his treasures in Ife and allowed another king to rule there.[5]
At one time, Oyo-Ile was at war with the Bariba of Borgu, who wanted to subjugate the new city then still under construction. Orangun Ajagunla of Ila, Oranmiyan's elder brother, stormed in with his men to assist. Not long after the war was won, Oranmiyan had a son, Ajuwon Ajaka, by Princess Torosi of the Tapa (Nupe); much later Arabambi was also born by the same woman. It is believed that the name "Sango" was given by his maternal grandfather or that he adopted it from the local name for the god of Thunder. Either way, the royal family was devoted to the Spirits of Thunder (Jakuta) and War (Ogun).
Pre-Imperial period (13th century–1535)
The founding of Oyo is regarded as 1300, but this is only estimated through backtracking the chronology.
Oranmiyan, the first oba (king) of Oyo, was succeeded by Oba Ajaka, Alaafin of Oyo. Ajaka was deposed, because he lacked Yoruba military virtues and allowed his sub-chiefs too much independence.[6] Leadership was then conferred upon Ajaka's brother, Shango, who was later deified as the deity of thunder and lightning. Ajaka was restored after Sango's death. Ajaka returned to the throne thoroughly more warlike. His successor, Kori, managed to conquer the rest of what later historians would refer to as metropolitan Oyo.[5]
Oyo Ile
The heart of metropolitan Oyo was its capital at Oyo-Ile (also known as Oya Katunga, Old Oyo or Oyo-Oro).[7] The two most important structures in Oyo-Ile were the 'Afin,' or palace of the Oba, and his market. The palace was at the center of the city close to the Oba's market called 'Oja-Oba'. Around the capital was an enormous earthen wall for defense with 17 gates. The importance of the two large structures (the palace and the Oja Oba) signified the importance of the king in Oyo.
The Nupe occupation
Oyo had grown into a formidable inland power by the end of the 14th century. For over a century, the Yoruba state had expanded at the expense of its neighbors. During the reign of Onigbogi, Oyo suffered military defeats at the hands of the Nupe led by Tsoede.[8] Sometime around 1535, the Nupe occupied Oyo and forced its ruling dynasty to take refuge in the kingdom of Borgu.[9] The Nupe sacked the capital, destroying Oyo as a regional power until the early 17th century.[10]
Imperial period (1608–1800)
The Yoruba of Oyo went through an interregnum of 80 years as an exiled dynasty after its defeat by the Nupe. They re-established Oyo to be more centralized and expansive than ever. The people created a government that established its power over a vast territory.[9] During the 17th century, Oyo began a long stretch of growth, becoming a major empire.[10] Oyo never encompassed all Yoruba people, but it was the most populous kingdom in Yoruba history.[11]
Reconquest and expansion
The key to the Yoruba rebuilding of Oyo was a stronger military and a more centralized government. Taking a cue from their Nupe enemies (whom they called "Tapa"), the Yoruba rearmed with armor and cavalry.[9] Oba Ofinran, Alaafin of Oyo, succeeded in regaining Oyo's original territory from the Nupe.[8] A new capital, Oyo-Igboho, was constructed, and the original became known as Old Oyo.[8] The next oba, Eguguojo, conquered nearly all of Yorubaland.[8] After this, Oba Orompoto led attacks to obliterate the Nupe to ensure Oyo was never threatened by them again.[8] During the reign of Oba Ajiboyede, he held the first Bere festival, an event to celebrate peace in the kingdom. Celebrated regularly, it would retain much significance among the Yoruba long after the fall of Oyo.[8]
Under his successor, Abipa, the Yoruba repopulated Oyo-Ile and rebuilt the original capital.[8] Oyo attempted to take and conquer the Benin Kingdom sometime between 1578 and 1608, but failed as the mountains in Ekiti stopped the advance of cavalry units to attack Benin. A few kingdoms in Ekiti fell under Oyo, and Otun Ekiti served as buffer independent town between Oyo and Benin[8] yet, Oyo continued to expand. The Oyo allowed autonomy to the southeast of metropolitan Oyo, where the non-Yoruba areas could also act as a buffer between Oyo and Benin.[12] By the end of the 16th century, the Ewe and Aja states of modern Benin Republic were paying tribute to Oyo.[13]
Dahomey Wars
The Oyo Empire began raiding southward as early as 1682.[14] By the end of its military expansion, Oyo's borders would extend to the coast, some 100 kilometres (62 mi) southwest of its capital.[15] It met little serious opposition until the early 18th century. In 1728, the Oyo Empire invaded the Kingdom of Dahomey in a major campaign dominated by its cavalry.[14][16] Dahomey warriors, on the other hand, had no cavalry but many fi****ms. Their gunshots scared the Oyo cavalry horses and prevented their charging.[17] The Dahomey army also built fortifications such as trenches, which effectively made the use of cavalry useless.[18] The battle lasted four days, but the Oyo were eventually victorious after reinforcements arrived.[18] Dahomey was forced to pay tribute to Oyo. The Oyo invaded Dahomey 11 times before finally subjugating the kingdom in 1748.[19]
Later conquest
With its cavalry, Oyo campaigned over great distances. The Oyo army was able to attack defensive fortifications, but it was harder to supply an army, and they withdrew when supplies ran out.[20] The Oyo did not use guns in its major conquests. The military waited until the 19th century to adopt them.[20] In 1764, a joint Akyem-Dahomey-Oyo[21] force defeated an invading Ashanti army.[14] The victory among the alliance defined the borders between the neighboring states.[14] Oyo led a successful campaign into Mahi territory north of Dahomey in the late 18th century.[14] The Yoruba also made use of the forces of their tributaries, for instance, they accomplished a 1784 naval blockade of Badagri with an Oyo-Dahomey-Lagos force.[22]
Organization
At the beginning, the people were concentrated in metropolitan Oyo. With imperial expansion, Oyo reorganized to better manage its vast holdings within and outside of Yorubaland. It was divided into four layers defined by relation to the core of the empire.[23] These layers were Metropolitan Oyo, southern Yorubaland, the Egbado Corridor, and Ajaland.
Metropolitan Oyo
Metropolitan Oyo corresponded, more or less, to the Oyo state prior to the Nupe invasion.[23] This was the hub of the empire, where the Yoruba spoke the Oyo dialect.[12] Metropolitan Oyo was divided into six provinces, with three on the west side of the Ogun River and three to the river's east.[12] Each province was supervised by a governor appointed directly by the Alaafin of Oyo.[24]
Yorubaland
The second layer of the empire was composed of the towns closest to Oyo-Ile, which were recognized as brothers.[23] This area was south of metropolitan Oyo, and its Yoruba inhabitants spoke different dialects from that of Oyo.[12] These tributary states were led by their own rulers, titled Obas,[24] who were confirmed by the Alaafin of Oyo.[24]
Egbado Corridor
The empire's third layer was the Egbado Corridor southwest of Yorubaland. This area was inhabited by the Egba and Egbado, and guaranteed Oyo's trade with the coast. The Egba and Egbado tributaries were allowed, like their Yoruba counterparts, to rule themselves. They were, however, supervised by Ajele.[23] These were agents appointed by the Alaafin of Oyo to oversee his interest and monitor commerce. The lead representative of Oyo in the corridor was the Olu, ruler of the town of Ilaro.[15]
Ajaland
Ajaland was the last layer added to the empire. It was the most restive and distant, and kept in line with threats of expeditions against it.[23] This territory extended from the non-Yoruba areas west of the Egbado Corridor far into Ewe controlled territory in modern Togo.[12] This area, like all tributary states, was allowed a fair degree of autonomy as long as taxes were paid, the orders from Oyo were strictly followed, and access to local markets was provided to Oyo merchants.[13] The Oyo often demanded tribute in slaves. The tributary chiefs of other kingdoms sometimes made war on others to capture slaves for this purpose.[25] Oyo was known to punish disobedience by wholesale slaughter of the erring community, as it accomplished in Allada in 1698.[13]
Source Wikipedia article on Oyo Empire
New Afrikaan Civilization and Development Agenda for Africa
EKOATE AFRIKAAN EMPIRE - Nigeria
EAE Afritocracy Government
Ekoate Afrikaan Empire
Crown Emperor Hjalfdar
