Part 2 — Chapter 1

THE HISTORY OF THE YORUBAS PART II. YORUBA KINGS AND CONTEMPORARY EVENTS EMBRACING FOUR PERIODS. I. The Mythological Period : Oduduwa to Ajaka II. The Period of Growth and Prosperity : Aganju to Abiqdun III. The Decline, Revolutionary Wars and Disruption: Aole to Oluewu IV. The Arrest of Disintegration, Efforts at Restoration OF Unity, Tribal Wars, the British Protectorate : Atiba to Adeyemi FIRST PERIOD—MYTHOLOGICAL KINGS AND DEIFIED HEROES Chapter I THE FOUNDERS OF THE YORUBA NATION. § I. Oduduwa Oduduwa the reputed founder and ancestor of the race is really a mythical personage. The Etymology of the term is from Odu (ti o) da Iwk. Whatever is unusually large as a large pot or container is termed Odii : the term then implies, the great container the author of existence. According to Ife mythology Oduduwa was the son of Olodu mare, i.e. the father or Lord of Odu ; ma r6 implies cannot go beyond i.e. the Almighty. Oduduwa was sent by Olodumare from heaven to create the earth. Olokun i.e. the goddess of the ocean was the wife of Oduduwa, Oranmiyan and Isgdale their children, and Ogun a grand-child. Such is the desire of most nations to find a mythical origin for themselves through their kings and ancestors. All that was known of him has been told in Part I of this history, which gives an account of the emigration of the ancestors of the Yorubas from the east to He Ife where Oduduwa died in peace and was deified, being worshipped to this day by the Ifes, and up to the time of the British Protectorate, human sacrifices were offered to him at regular intervals. The soil of He Ife is said to be sacred to him. He was the grandfather and great-grandfather of renowned Kings and Princes who ruled and made history in the Yoruba country. The number of years embraced by this period is unknown, but it includes the time during which the Yoruba kingdom was in prosperity, and the Kings despotic. The capital of the kingdom then was He If§. The Basgrun of this reign was Qlorunfun-mi. § 2. Oranyan Orafiyan the grandson of Oduduwa succeeded his grandfather on the throne. He was a very brave and warlike Prince, and of an indomitable courage. He was the founder of the order of the Esos vide Pt. I page 73. His body-guard consisted of 150 well- tried soldiers. 143 How he headed his brothers on an abortive expedition to the east to avenge the death of their great-grandfather, and how they quarrelled at Igangan and dispersed from that place, has been told in Part I. After founding the city of Oyo where he resided for a time he was said to have pushed on to a place called Okd, leaving Oyo in charge of one of the princes. This is not unlikely when we remember that that was not an age of settled government, but that the warlike and restless King was engaged in extending his dominions far and wide. Much that was known of him has been told in Part I. He resided at 6k6 for many years and according to some died there, but others affirmed that he died at He Ife, where his grave is shown to this day. But the Yorubas have a custom whenever any one died away from home, to cut the hair of his head and pare his nails, and these are taken to the place where they would have him buried, and there ceremoniously and religiously deposited. It may thus have been the case here. But an anecdote connected with his later years must here be told : It was said that after a long period of reign an urgent necessity made him revisit the city of He Ife, which he had left for so long a time ; perhaps to arrange some family affairs, or to possess himself of some of his father's treasures left in charge of Adimu. He left his son Ajaka as Regent and went. Having stayed much longer than the time fixed for his return (communication between the two places being then dangerous and difficult) the people thought he was dead, or that at any rate he would no more return to 6k6 ; the OYO MESI who were the authorised rulers of the town conse- quently confirmed Ajaka on the throne, investing him with full powers, and all the insignia of royalty. But his father was returning ; and having come within a short distance of the city, his attention was arrested by the sound of the Kakaki trumpet—a trumpet blown for the sovereign alone. Upon enquiry, he learnt what had taken place. He thereupon retraced his steps quietly to He Ifg where he spent the rest of his days in peaceful retirement. An obelisk termed Opa Oranyan (Orafiyan's staff) erected on the spot he was supposed to have been buried is shown at He Ife to this day. This would seem to confirm the view that he died and was buried at He If§ and not at 0k6. Opa Or(7/7c/an *WT^ This obelisk is about 10 or 12 feet in height/ and about 4 feet square in width at its base ; it tapers to a point, and has upon one face of it, several spike nails driven into it, and some carvings as of ancient characters. The nails are arranged in such an ordered manner as to render them significant. First, there are 61 in a straight line from the bottom upwards at intervals of about 2 inches in midline; and next, at about a distance of 4 inches on either side of this, and from the same level on top, two parallel lines of 31 nails ea.ch running downwards and curving below to meet those of the midline. Then in the space between these three rows of parallel lines, and about the level where they converge, is found the most conspicuous of the carvings, i*^^. What is conjectured as most probable in these arrangements is that the 61 nails in midline represent the number of years Oraiiyan lived, and that the 31 each on either side indicates that he was 31 when he began to reign, and that he reigned 31 years, the year he began to reign being counted twice as is the manner of the Yorubas ; and that the carvings are the ancient characters Resh and Yod which stand for Oranyan. Besides Opa Orafiyan, there are to be found to this day, in groves at He Ife, and at other Ife settlements outside the city, carvings in stone of natural objects such as tongs and anvil, table, stool, fish, and several other objects of curiosity which are generally hidden from strangers, because they are held sacred ; they represent the handicrafts of the founders of the race. The art of carving on stones or drilling holes in them has since become lost among Yorubas, and consequently, how nails could have been driven into stones and various figures cut out of them is usually explained to be, that these objects were once carved out of wood, and when the carvers were deified, their work became petrified ! As these gods were once men, so these stones were once wood ! The Ifes are the guardians and custodians of these sacred relics from ancient times. Nearly all legends and folklore are attributed to the age of Orafiyan, among these may be mentioned the following told by an ffe :— 1 About four feet was broken off from the top of this obelisk during a storm in the year 1884. The obelisk has since twice fallen down and inartistically re-erected. But a stump of it now remains. The Legend of Moremi and her Son " Moremi was the wife of one of the ancient heroes of He Ifg, probably Oranmiyan. She was a woman of great beauty and virtue, and had an only son named Ela or Olurogbo. It happened that the city of Ife was at one time in a state of frequent commotion and unrest, owing to the repeated raids of a tribe of people called the Igbos. This continued for a series of years. The Ifes attributed this affliction and distress to the displeasure of their gods, because those that attacked them from the Igbo territory appeared not to be human beings, but gods or demi gods, and consequently the Ifes felt they could not withstand them, and so these raiders used to make away with easy plunder, including their valuables, with their women and children. For this they propitiated and called upon their gods for help, but received no response. Now, this Moremi, fired with zeal and patriotism was determined to do what she could to free her country from this calamity. She was resolved to find out what these Igbos really were, and how to fight them. To this end she repaired to a stream called Esinmirin, and there made a vow to the deity thereof, that if she was enabled to carry out her plans, and they proved successful, she would offer to the god the most costly sacrifice she could afford. Her plan was to expose herself to the raiders, and get caught, and be taken to their country where she could best learn their secrets: 'But,' she said, ' if I perish, I perish.' At the time of the next raid she undertook to carry out her plans, she was caught by the Igbos and taken to their country ; and being a woman of great beauty, she was given up amongst others, and sundry booty to their king. Her beauty and virtue soon won her a place in the country and the confidence of the people ; she became familiar with all their customs, and learnt all their secrets: then she also learnt that those who were such objects of terror to her people were mere men, who covered them- selves from head to foot with Ekan grass and bamboo fibres, making them appear extra human, and are nicknamed Eluyare. She extracted from her husband also the secret of attacking them successfully. ' If your people know how to make a torch, and have the courage to rush amongst them with lighted torches, they cannot stand that.' Moremi feeling she was now conversant with everything amongst the Igbos, having disarmed any suspicion they may have enter- tained of her as a captive, suddenly escaped one day to her native land, and by making use of the secrets she had learnt, freed her country for ever from the raids of the men once their terror. It remained now for her to fulfil her vows. She repaired to the stream with her offerings of lambs, rams, and goats for sacrifice, but the god would not accept any of these. She then offered a bullock, which the god also refused to accept, then she prayed the priests to divine for her what would be accept- able ; this was done, and the god demanded of her, her only son ! She then gave up her only son in sacrifice to the gods in the fulfilment of her vcws. The If§ nation bewailed her loss and promised to be to her sons ind daughters, for the loss she had sustained for the salvation of her country. Olurogbo however, when supposed to be killed, was but half dead; he afterwards revived and rose again, and made a rope with which he climbed up into heaven ; and all Ifes to this day have a full hope that he will come again to this world, and reap the full reward of his good deeds." We may discern in this legend a confused idea of the story of Jephtha, and that of the Blessed Virgin and her Son perverted, Orafiyan was the father of al^ Oyos or Yorubas proper, and was the universal conqaeror of the land. He left behind him two renowned sons, Ajaka and Sango, both of whom succeeded him in turns, and both of whom became famous in Yoruba history, and were deified after death. The Basorun of this reign was Efufu-ko-fe-ori. § 3. AjuAN alias Ajaka Ajuan alias Oba Ajaka was at first only a Regent when his father left for He Ife, but was subsequently confirmed on the throne as was mentioned above. He alone of all the Yoruba Kings had the singular fortune (or misfortune) of being called to the throne twice, being once deposed, but afterwards recalled to the throne. Very little was known of his earlier reign, except that, unlike his father, he was of a peaceful disposition, loved husbandry and encouraged it. Being too mild for the warlike spirit of the age, and tamely suffering the encroachments of provincial kings, he was dethroned, and he went to Igbodo where he remained in retirement seven years during which period his brother Sango reigned in his stead. His Basorun was nick-named Erin-din-logun-Agbgn k6 se da ni Ha (i.e. sixteen cocoa nuts is unsuitable for Ha divination). That is to say cocoa nuts are not suitable substitutes for palm nuts. The reason for this sobriquet is not known. § 4. Sango or Olufiran Sango son of Oranyan, and brother of Ajaka was the fourth King of Yoruba. He was of a very wild disposition, fiery temper, and skilful in sleight of hand tricks. He had a habit of emitting fire and smoke out of his mouth, by which he greatly increased the dread his subjects had of him. The Olowii at this time appeared to have been more powerful than the King of Ovo, for after the death of the uncle Oranyan, he compelled his cousin the peaceful Ajaka to pay tribute to him. This was probably the reason why Ajaka was deposed. On Sango's coming to the throne, being a much younger man, the Olowu meant to take advantage of his youth ; he demanded the tribute of him, but Sango refused to acknowledge his primacy, notwithstanding the Olowu's threat to deprive him of his wives and children ; consequently his capital was besieged and a sharp fight ensued. Sango there displayed his wonted bravery as well as his tricks ; volumes of smoke issuing from his mouth and nostrils so terrified the Olowu and his army that they became panic stricken and were completely routed and put to flight. Sango pushed on his advantage, and with every fresh victory he was the more firmly established on the throne ; he thereby became elated and was tyrannical. It was his ambition now to remove the seat of government from Oko to Oyo then called Oyokoro, he knew he would meet with strong opposition from the prince of that city and so he set upon devising plans by which he could effect his purpose with as little fighting as possible. Sango was now possessed with a desire of performing an act of filial piety. He wished to worship at the grave of his dead mother, but he did not so much as remember her name for she died when he was but a babe. She was the daughter of Elempe a Nupe king, who formed an alliance with Oranyan by giving him his daughter to wife, of which marriage Sango was the issue. Sango therefore commissioned a Tetu and a Hausa slave to proceed to the Tapa country, to his maternal grandfather Elempe for the purpose giving them a horse and a cow for the sacrifice. ' The King's charge to these messengers was, that they should listen carefully to the first name uttered in the invocation which evidently will be his mother's name. The messengers were heartily welcomed and highly entertained by Elempe, their King's grandfather, so much so that the Hausa forgot himself and the duty he was charged with. At the time of the sacrifice, the priest said at the grave " Tor6si, lya gbodo, listen to us, thy son Sango is come to worship thee." The Tgtu noted the name Torosi, but the Hausa, being far from sober paid no heed to what was said; therefore, on their return home, the Tgtu who had faithfully carried out his orders was highly rewarded, and the Hausa slave severely punished. The punishment meted out to him was 122 razor cuts slashed all over his body as a lasting warning for all time. The scars left by these wounds strangely took the fancy of the King's wives who thought that they added comeliness and beauty to the man, and therefore they advised that in future such marks should not be performed upon a slave, but on actual members of the royal family as distinctive of royalty. Sango took this advice, and placed himself first in the hands of the " Olowolas " (the markers) named Babajegbe Osan and Babajegbe Oru ; but he could stand only two cuts on each arm, and forbade them to proceed any further. This is what is termed £y6. The marks are to this day retained in the royal family, as a distinctive badge of royalty, and hence members of the royal family are termed Akey6. They are two broad ribbon marks on the arms from the shoulder to the wrist. When the King had determined upon taking Oyokoro, it occurred to him to employ this as a device by which he could effect his purpose easily without loss of lives. He thereupon sent the Hausa slave to Oloyo-koro for him to see how beautiful this slave looks with these marks, and that it has been resolved to use the same as a mark of royalty ; he therefore advised the Oloyo-koro to submit himself to be thus marked, with his principal chiefs for rank and beauty, stating that he himself had done so. To this they consented, Babajegbe Osan and Babajegbe Oru were sent over there, and admirably did they perform their tasks. But on the third day, when the Oloyo-koro and his chiefs were very sore, Sango appeared with his forces against them ; no resistance could be offered, and the city fell easily into his hands : shamefully and brutally he put to death the prince and his chiefs, the dupes of his stratagem. Thus the seat of government was permanently removed from Oko (or as some would have it, from He Ife) to Oyo the ancient " Eyeo or Katunga." Sango reigned for seven years, the whole of which period was marked by his restlessness. He fought many battles and was fond of making charms. He was said to have the knowledge of some preparation by which he could attract lightning. The palace at Oyo was built at the foot of a hill called Ok^ Ajaka (Ajaka's hill). One day the King ascended this hill accompanied by his courtiers and some of his slaves, among whom were two favourites, Biri and Omiran ; some of his cousins went with him, but none of his children. He was minded to try the preparation he had in hand; thinking it might have been damp and useless, he first made the experiment on his own house. But it took effect, a storm was immediately raised and the lightning had struck the palace before they came down the hill, and the buildings were on fire. Many of Sango's wives and his children perished in this catastrophe. Sango who was the author of his own misfortunes became alarmed and dismayed at what had happened and from a broken heart he was resolved to abdicate the throne and retire to the court of his maternal grandfather, Elempe king of the Nupes. All Oyo was now astir, not only to sympathize with the King, but also to dissuade him from carrying out his resolution ; but he could not bear any opposition, and so mad was he, that he even used his sword against some of his loyal subjects who ventured to remonstrate with him, and who promised to replace for him his dead wives by others, by whom he might beget children, and so in time make good his present losses. According to other accounts, he did not abdicate of his own freewill, but was asked to do so by a strong party in the state. Both accounts may be true, there may have been two parties, for to this day, Yorubas have an abhorence of a King given to making deadly charms ; because for one who already has absolute power invested in him by law, this strange power can only be used spitefully, so that no one near him would be safe. He was said to have caused 160 persons to be slain in a fit of anger, of those who were showing much concern and over-anxiety on his behalf, and who would prevent him by force from carrying out his resolve. Thus determined he set out on his fateful journey with a few followers. Biri his head slave and favourite was the first to regret the step taken, and to urge on his master to yield to the entreaties of those citizens of Ovo, who with all loyalty promised to replace his losses, as far as man can do it, and to rebuild the palace ; but finding the King inexorable, he forsook him and returned to the city with all his followers ; Omiran likewise followed his example, and the King was thus left alone. He now repented his rashness, especially when he found himself deserted by his favourite Biri. He could not proceed alone, and for shame he could not return home, and so he was resolved to put an end to his own life ; and climbing on a shea butter tree, he hanged himself. His friends hearing of this tragedy went immediately and performed for him the last act of kindness, by burying his remains under the same tree. On hearing of the King's death, his personal friends followed his example, and died with him. Biri committed suicide at Koso (where the King died), Omiran did the same. His cousin Omo Sinda committed suicide at Papo, Babayanmi at Sele, Obei at Jakuta and Oya his favourite wife at Ira. Thus ended the life of this remarkable personage, who once ruled over all the Yorubas and Popos. He was afterwards deified, and is still worshipped by all of the Yoruba race as the god of thunder and lightning. In every Yoruba and Popo town to this day, whenever there is a flash of lightning followed by a peal of thunder, it is usual to hear from the populace shouts of " Ka wo o," " ka biye si" (welcome to your majesty, long live the King.) Ajaka his brother was now recalled from exile, and he once more held the reins of government. Salekuodi was the Basorun of this reign. § 5. Ajaka's Second Reign King Ajaka who was dethroned for being too peaceful was now recalled to the throne. He proved after his re-instatement a totally different man to what he had been before, and showed himself more warlike than even his brother Sango, He led an expedition into the Tapa country. Tradition has it, that he employed large and well-trained birds, armed with arrows, and after crossing the Niger they showered down these deadly weapons upon the maternal relations of his brother Sango. What is certain is, that the expedition was successful but by what means, it is not really known. But thus it was with the Yorubas (as with all superstitious people) that brave deeds and extraordinary acts of daring are always attributed to the super- natural. He spent the latter part of his years in waging intestine wars with his subjects. He was said to have been engaged in civil wars with 1060 of his chiefs and princes among whom were the principal vassal or provincial kings, the Onikoyi, the Olugbon, and the Aresa. He had in his service certain " medicine men," who made charms for him, viz., Atagbgin, Omo-onik6k6, Abitibiti Onisegun, Paku, Teteoniru, Y5nk, Oko-adan Egbeji, Alari baba isegun, and Elenre. The following fable was related of him :— After his wars, some of these " medicine men " went up to him, and humbly prayed to be allowed to return home ; but the King refused to grant them leave, fearing lest their services might be required by some other kings, and in that way, others might be in possession of the charms they made for him. As they were determined to go home they showed the King by demonstrative proofs, that they made the request simply out of courtesy but that the King could not detain them. Paku fell down before him, and disappeared. Tete oniru, Abitibiti Onisegun, and Alari baba I§egun performed the same feat and vanished. Egbeji threw up a ball of thread which hung suspended in space, and he climbed up it and disappeared. Elenre alone remained standing before him. Then said the King to him " Elenre, you had better follow the examples of your colleagues and vanish, or I shall wreak my vengeance upon you for their disobedience." " Kill me if you can " replied Elenre. The King thereupon ordered him to be decapitated ; but the sword was broken in two on the attempt. He then ordered him to be speared but the spear became bent and the spearman's arm withered ! He ordered a large stone to be rolled over him to crush him to death but it fell on him as light as a ball of cotton-wool. The King and the executioners were now at their wits' end, and then it occurred to one of them to " plough with his heifer." His wife Ijaehin being prevailed upon, told them that no iron or steel can affect him: "Pull off a single blade of grass from the thatch of the house, and with that you can decapitate him." This was done, and the head was struck off, but instead of falling to the ground, it fell into the King's hand, and he involuntarily grasped it. The King tried all his best to drop it off, but to no avail. Any food brought to the King the head devoured, and drank all the water likewise. The King soon became famished, he was losing flesh, and was really dying from hunger. All the " medicine-men " of every tribe in the kingdom were sent for, to disenchant this alarming phenomenon : as soon as anyone entered, the head would call him by name, tell out the composition of his charms, and then ask " Do you think that can affect me ? " Thus many were baffled, until at last came one Agawo ; this man at once pro:-trated at a distance and entreated the head to forbear with him, saying:—" Who am I to oppose you ? In what am I better than my predecessors whom you have already foiled ? I came only in obedience to the King's commands as I dare not refuse to come." The head replied " I will respect you because you are wise and respect yourself ; I yield to your entreaties." Then, falling suddenly from the King's hands. Elenre's head became a flowing river known at Oyo to this day as Odo Elenre (Elenre's river). His wife Ijaehin who disclosed the secret of his strength was also converted into a stream, but Elenre's head said to it " Thou shalt not flow," therefore Ijaehin became a stagnant pool at Oyo unto this day. From this incident King Ajaka made it a rule that from hence- forth no King should be present in person at an execution. He put to death all the vassal kings 1060 in number taken in war ; the relics of their skulls were put together and are worshipped under the name of Orisa'la to this day. This is the probable origin of that worship. The reign of the mythological heroes abound in garbled forms of scriptural stories, showing as was remarked in the earlier part of this history that the ancestors of the Yorubas were acquainted with Christianity in the land of their origin. The fable here related is evidently the story of Elijah in a perverted form.. His putting to death so many priests of Baal has been perverted into Ajaka slaying all his vassal kings and their skulls converted to an object of worship. His judgment of fire on those sent to arrest him finds a counterpart in Elenre's head anticipating those who came to exorcise it, both yielded to a wiser delegate who substituted entreaties for authority. The name Asawo (i.e. one who deals in mysteries) is very significant ; it is evidently a mythological rather than a real name. Elijah going up to heaven became Egbeji climbing up a cord and disappearing as the saying goes " Egbeji ta 'kun O lo si Orun," i.e. Egbeji suspended a cord and by it went up to heaven. The river Jordan crossed by Elijah suggested Elenre's head becoming a river, etc. The Ogidigbo drum was introduced into Oyo during this reign. It is of all drums the most inartistic, and is totally devoid of any embellishment. It consists of a block of wood about 3ft. in length hollowed out from the centre to about 6 inches of both extremities, and is beaten with a rod. It is used only for the King and theBasorun at the great festivals when they dance together at his public appearance. Nothing is known of the end of Ajaka, probably he died in peace. Salekuodi continued as the Basorun of this reign also.