Category: African History

Yorubas are considered to be rich in terms of culture and tradition. The name Yoruba was applied to all linguistically and culturally related peoples. The Yoruba People, of whom there are more than thirty-five million according to CIA World Factbook of 2012, occupy the southwestern corner of Nigeria along the Dahomey border and extends into Dahomey itself.

To the east and north, the Yoruba culture reaches its approximate limits in the region of the Niger River. However ancestral cultures directly related to the Yoruba once flourished well north of the Niger. Portuguese explorers “discovered” the Yoruba cities and kingdoms in the fifteenth century, but cities such as Ife and Benin, among others, had been standing at their present sites for at least five hundred years before the European arrival.

Archeological evidence indicates that a technologically and artistically advanced. Yoruba were living somewhat north of the Niger in the first millennium B.C., and they were then already working with iron. Ifa theology states that the creation of humankind arose in the sacred city of Ile Ife where Oduduwa created dry land from water. Much later on an unknown number of Africans migrated from Mecca to Ile Ife.

At this point the Eastern Africans and Western Africans synergized. Ife was the first of all Yoruba cities, Oyo and Benin came later and grew and expanded as a consequence of their strategic locations at a time when trading became prosperous. Ife, unlike Benin and Oyo, never developed onto a true kingdom; but though it remained a city-state it had paramount importance to Yorubas as the original sacred city and the dispenser of basic religious thought.

Until relatively recent times the Yorubas did not consider themselves a single people, but rather as citizens of Oyo, Benin, Yaba, and other cities, regions, or kingdoms. The old Yoruba cities typically were urban centers with surrounding farmlands that extended outward as much as a dozen miles or more. Both Benin and Oyo are said to have been founded by Ife rulers or descendants of Ife rulers.

Benin derived its knowledge of brass casting directly from Ife, and the religious system of divining called Ifa spread from Ile-Ife not only throughout the Yoruba country but to other West African cultures as well. A common Yoruba belief system dominated the region from the Niger, where it flows in an easterly direction, all the way to the Gulf of Guinea in the south.

It is no accident that the Yoruba cultural influence spread across the Atlantic to the Americas. Yoruba slaves were sent to British, French, Spanish, and Portuguese colonies in the New World, and in a number of these places. Yoruba traditions survived strongly in Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago. Yoruba religious rites, beliefs, music, and myths are evident even at this late day.

In Haiti, the Yorubas were generally called Anagos. Afro-Haitian religious activities give Yoruba rites and beliefs an honored place, and the pantheon includes numerous deities of Yoruba origin. Also, more than one-third of Afro-Brazilians claim Yoruba ancestry.

Yoruba culture is famously visible in Bahia, Brazil, manifesting in everything from its religion to its music; in Brazil, Yoruba religious activities are called Anago or Shango, and in Cuba, they are designated Lucumi. There are salient structures that constitute the Yoruba plethora of cultures and traditions.

The most prominent are the Yoruba political structure, the social fabric, the sociology of the race, especially in areas relating to love, marriage, food, music, dressing, language, inheritance, in-laws, respect for elders, and unmatched love for neighbours and everybody a Yoruba person has contact with, banking system are some of the cultural tenets that define the Yorubas.

ORIGIN AND LOCATION

The oral history of the Yoruba recounts Odùduwà to be the Progenitor of the Yoruba and the reigning ancestor of their crowned kings. Upon the disappearance of Oduduwa, there was a dispersal of his children from Ife to found other kingdoms. Each making its mark in the subsequent urbanization and consolidation of Yoruba confederacy of kingdoms, with each kingdom tracing its origin to Ile-Ife.

After the dispersal, the aborigines became difficult and constituted a serious threat to the survival of Ife. Thought to be survivors of the old occupants of the land before the arrival of Oduduwa, these people now turned themselves into marauders. They would come to town in costumes made of raffia with terrible and fearsome appearances, and burn down houses and loot the markets.

Then came Moremi on the scene; she was said to have played a significant role in the quelling of the marauder’s advancements. But this was at a great price; having to give up her only son Oluorogbo. The reward for her patriotism and selflessness was not to be reaped in one lifetime as she later passed on and was thereafter immortalised. The Edi festival celebrates this feat to date.

The Yoruba people live mostly in Southwestern Nigeria. Traditionally, the Yorubas organized themselves into networks of related villages, towns, and kingdoms; with most of them headed by an Oba (King) or Baale (a nobleman or mayor).

The chief Yoruba cities/towns are Ilesa, Ibadan, Fiditi, Orile Igbon, Eko (Lagos), Oto-Awori, Ejigbo, Ijẹbu Ode, Abẹokuta, Akurẹ, Ilọrin, Ijẹbu-Igbo, Ijebu-Oru, Ijebu-Awa, Ijebu-ife, Odogbolu, Ogbomọṣọ, Ondo, Ọta, Ado-Ekiti, Ikare, Ayere, Kabba, Omuo, Omu-Aran, Egbe, Isanlu, Mopa, Aiyetoro – Gbedde, Sagamu, Iperu, Ikẹnnẹ, Ogere, Ilisan, Osogbo, Offa, Iwo, Ilesa, Esa-Oke, Ọyọ, Ilé-Ifẹ, Iree, Owo, Ede, Badagry, (Owu, Oyo), (Owu, Egba) (ife-olukotun), Ilaro, Oko, Esie, AgoIwoye, Iragbiji, Aagba, Ororuwo, Aada, Akungba and Akoko.

There are other towns and cities with historical affiliation with the Yoruba people because they share one or more similarities together. Some of these cities and towns are Benin city, Warri, Auchi, and Okene. They have developed a variety of different art forms including pottery, weaving, beadwork, metalwork, and mask making. Most artwork is made to honour the gods and ancestors and since there are more than 401 known gods to the Yoruba there is much sculpture and artwork made.

PRE-COLONIAL GOVERNMENT OF YORUBA SOCIETY

Traditionally kingship and chieftainship were not determined by simple primogeniture, as in most monarchic systems of government. Monarchies were a common form of government in Yorubaland, but they were not the only approach to government and social organisation. The numerous Ijebu city-states to the west of Oyo and the Ẹgba communities, found in the forests below Ọyọ’s savannah region, were notable exceptions.

These independent polities often elected an Ọba, though real political, legislative, and judicial powers resided with the Ogboni, a council of notable elders. The notion of the divine king was so important to the Yoruba, that it has been part of their organisation in its various forms from their antiquity to the contemporary era. During the internecine wars of the 19th century, the Ijebu forced citizens of more than 150 Ẹgba and Owu communities to migrate to the fortified city of Abeokuta.

Each quarter retained its own Ogboni council of civilian leaders, along with an Olorogun, or council of military leaders, and in some cases its own elected Obas or Baales. Opposite the king’s palace is the Ọja-Ọba, or the king’s market. These markets form an inherent part of Yoruba life. Traditionally their traders are well organized, have various guilds, officers, and an elected speaker. They also often have at least one Iyaloja, or Lady of the Market, who is expected to represent their interests in the aristocratic council of oloyes (Paramount Chiefs) at the palace.

YORUBA’S TRADITIONAL RELIGION

The Yoruba faith, variously known as Aborisha, Orisha Ifa, or simply (and erroneously) Ifa, is commonly seen as one of the principal components of the syncretic pool known as the African traditional religions. It largely survived the so-called middle passage and is seen in a variety of forms in the New World as a result. Ife bronze casting of a king dated around the 12th Century, currently in the British Museum.

Orisa’nla (The great divinity) also known as Ọbatala was the arch-divinity chosen by Olodumare, the Supreme God, to create solid land out of the primordial water that constituted the earth and populating the land with human beings. Ọbatala descended from heaven on a chain, carrying a small snail shell full of earth, palm kernels, and a five-toed chicken. He was to empty the content of the snail shell on the water after placing some pieces of iron on it and then to place the chicken on the earth to spread it over the primordial water.

MUSIC AND DANCE

Music and dance have always been an important part of Yoruba culture for those living in Nigeria as well as in the diaspora. Yoruba music and dance are used for many different occasions in life such as religious festivals, royal occasions, and entertainment. Yoruba traditional music focuses on Yoruba deities. Drums and singing are the main elements of Yoruba music.

Instruments such as metal bells and wind instruments are sometimes used. Yoruba is a tonal language. Words must be pronounced in the appropriate tone (pitch) in order to understand speech in its correct meaning. There are three major tones: high, mid, and low. Most Yoruba music is based on these tonal patterns of speech.

Juju music emerged in the 1920s and is the most well-known form of Yoruba popular contemporary music in Nigeria. Juju has its roots in traditional Yoruba drum-based music. Juju is dance music played by large ensembles centred on guitars and drumming. Singing is a major part of Juju music and is inspired by Yoruba poetry, proverbs, praise songs, and the musical character of the language.

YORUBA TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

For a man or a woman who has reached the age of marriage to remain single is against the mores of the Yorubas. Men get married even when they are sexually impotent in order to save either their faces or the faces of their immediate relatives, as well as to get one to look after their domestic establishment.

There are six important steps leading to the traditional Yoruba marriage:

1. Igba ifojusode: The time for seeking a potential spouse.
2. Ifa f’ore: The approval of the oracle-divinity.
3. Isihun: The release of the voice of the young woman.
4. Itoro: The request for the young woman’s hand in marriage.
5. Idana: The creation of the affinity bond.
6. Igbeyawo: The transfer of the wife to the husband’s lineage.

YORUBA ATTIRE

Yoruba people are well known for their attire. Clothing materials traditionally come from processed cotton by traditional weavers. The Yoruba have a very wide range of clothing. The basic being the Aso-Oke, which comes in different colours and patterns.

SOME COMMON STYLES ARE:

• Alaari – a rich red Asọ-Oke.
• Sanyan – a brown and usual light brown Asọ-Oke.
• Ẹtu – a dark blue Asọ-Oke.

OTHER CLOTHING MATERIALS INCLUDE

• Ofi– pure white yarned cloths, used as cover cloth, it can be sewn and worn.
• Aran– a velvet clothing material sewn into Dansiki and Kẹmbẹ, worn by the rich.
• Adirẹ– cloth with various patterns and designs, dye in indigo ink (Ẹlu).

YORUBA WEARS ARE GENDER-SENSITIVE:

Men wear Kẹmbẹ, Dandogo, Dansiki, Agbada, Buba, Sokoto, and matching caps such as: Abeti-Aja – dog ear-shaped cap, fila-ẹtu, etc.

Women wear Iro (wrapper) and Buba (the top) with a matching head-gear (gele). For important outings, a Yoruba woman will add a Shawl (Ipele/Iborun) on the shoulder and can add different forms of accessories. The Yoruba believe that the development of a nation is akin to the development of a man or woman.

Therefore, the personality of an individual has to be developed in other to fulfill his or her responsibilities. Clothing among the Yoruba people is a crucial factor upon which the personality of an individual is anchored. This philosophy is anchored in Yoruba proverbs. Different occasions also require different outfits among the Yoruba.

YORUBA HAIRSTYLE

The Head occupies a pre-eminent place compare with other parts of the body; so too, the hair that covers the head. The culture and tradition of hair-do is rooted in both the spiritual and biological roles of the individual head. The head is treasured and respected, because, it is the center of body activity; through hair-do and care, Ori (head) is highly esteemed.

In times past, even at present hairdos or styles perform several roles among Yorubas; these functions or roles include the medium of communication, the mark of initiation, state of mind, religious beliefs, marital and social status of women in the society. For instance, a hairstyle from the forehead which ends at the back of the neck shows the carrier is married; besides, married women carry hairstyles from both sides of the head, and finish up at the middle of the head in such a network shape that connects the forehead and back together.

On the other hand, maiden style runs from the right side of the head to the left ear. The smaller, and the more hair strands a young lady carry, the more beautiful such a lady will look. Maidens usually carry hair-style of 8 to 14 strands, in braided or wrapped form. Braiding and binding (the use of thread to make strands) are the two common ways to beautify hair by Yoruba women in the past.

However, braiding (Irun biba; knotting hair) comes in different styles, these include:

• Suku – a braiding hair style either short or long knots, it runs from forehead to the back or crown of the head.
• Kolẹsẹ – as the name suggests (without legs), it is a braiding style, each knot runs from the front and terminates at the back of the head, close to the neck.
• Ipakọ-Ẹlẹdẹ – this braiding style starts from the back of the head, but ends at the front.
• Panumọ (keep quite) – hair style, with two different starting points, the back and the front. The knots meet at the center with a little opening.
• Ojompeti (rain soaked ear) – braiding starts from one side of the head, ends close to the ear. All these have been taken over by perming or applying chemical to the hair to straighten it, the hair is then put in rollers and head put under the standing dryer for about 30 minutes to one hour. Some will braid with attachment (synthetic hair) to make long braids.

YORUBA TRIBAL MARK

The interesting feature of Yoruba’s physical appearance which is fast disappearing because of the extant laws, and international campaign, is the tribal marks. Tribal or facial mark– is a specific mark, which comes in different shapes and sizes, commonly found on the face. There are various tribal marks, by different ethnic groups within the Yoruba nation.

The Ijesa people are known by “Pele.” Pele, is a-four-horizontal-line; a-quarter-of-an-inch-long made on the cheeks on both sides of the mouth.

The Ondo natives of (Ondo State) are identified by half-an-inch-vertical lines on both sides of the nose down to the mouth (marks are thick and long).

Other Yoruba ethnic groups have different types of facial marks;

Ogbomoso natives of (Oyo State) are identified by multiple straight and curved lines (Gombo) on both sides of the face. Other sub-groups within the Yoruba nation have only curved lines on both sides of their face. Even, a particular mark, may have varieties among neighbors; for instance, Pele has about three versions:

1. Pele Ijesa (discussed above)
2. Pele Ekiti (quarter-of-an-inch-horizontal line) and
3. Pele Akoko (about the same length, but comes in either vertical or horizontal format); the style will depend on Akoko by Ekiti, Bini, and Okun neighbors.

The purpose of facial marks in the past was to identify each group within the Yoruba nation, to beautify, and to identify slaves. Because of the health implications and several cases of abuse, it has become an outlaw practice in Nigeria. Yoruba has the following tribal marks: Abaja, Kẹkẹ or Gọmbọ, Ture, Pele, Mande, Jamgbadi.

YORUBA FOOD

Yoruba people have a variety of food items from where common or locally based foods are made. Prominent among these food items are:

• Yam (Isu): Water-Yam, Coco-Yam, Yellow-Yam, Potatoes,
• Grains: Iresi (Rice), Ewa (Beans): (White/ Brown/Black)
• Cereal: Millet, Soya-Beans, Sorghum,
• Plantains: Paranta, Ọgbagba
• Corn: Brown/Red
• Wheat: Oka, Ọpa-Ẹtun, Oka-Baba
• Cassava: Ẹgẹ, Gbaguda
• Vegetable: is a part of balanced diet in every Yoruba homes, it includes leafy and fruit/seed based vegetables.
• Vegetable/Leafy category-such as: Ẹfọ, Tẹtẹ, Ebolo, Gbure, Ewedu
• Vegetable/fruit and seed- such as: Onion, Carrot, Pepper (Rodo, Tatase, Wẹwẹ), Tomatoes.
• Melon: Ẹgusi N’ la/kekere
• Mushroom: (Olu/Oosun)

FRUITS

Fruits- Yoruba has a lot of fruit-bearing trees, which for centuries were part of their dietary composition, and sources of materials for local medicines. Some of these trees include:

• Orange: Ọsan
• Lime: Ọsan-wẹwẹ
• Cherry: Agbalumọ
• Cashew: Kasu
• Pine-Apple: Ọpẹ-Oyinbo
• Paw-paw: Ibẹpẹ
• Palm-Nut/Date: Ẹyìn
• Palm-Kernel: Ekurọ
• Mango: Mangoro
• Locust Bean: Iru-Woro/Pẹtẹ
• Wall-Nut: Awusa
• Sugarcane: Ireke

OIL PRODUCTS AND THEIR SOURCES

• Epo-pupa: Palm-Oil from Palm Tree
• Ororo: Vegetable Oil
• Ẹgusi: Melon oil from melon seeds
• Ẹpa: Ground-Nut oil: from ground-nut seeds
• Ororo: Castor oil
• Adin-Ẹyan: Palm-Kernel oil from processed palm-nuts
• Adin-Agbọn: Coco-nut oil from coco-nut

Meat based foods from domestic and wild animals

• Ewurẹ/Mẹẹ, Obukọ: Goat
• Agutan, Agbo: Sheep
• Malu: Cattle
• Ẹlẹdẹ: Pig
• Chicken based meat: Fowl(Akukọ), Duck(Pẹpẹyẹ), Turkey(Tolotolo), Hen(Adi’ẹ), Guinea Fowl

Wild games of various types- herbivorous, carnivorous, and insectivorous. Meaty foods also include seafood of different types such as fish, shrimps, and crabs and from animals which habitation is very close to the water- like crocodiles and alligators.

SOUP/STEW AND SPICES

Ẹfọ: has variety; ẹfọ stew will also depend on the accompanied meal. This stew can be made quickly for exigency. Time-consuming vegetable stew of different kinds is made for ceremonies.

Gbẹgiri- (Bean stew) a rich Yoruba stew common in Ọyọ, Ogbomọsọ, Ibadan, Oke-Ogun, Ọsun. It is for foods like yam-flour (Amala) and for Ẹba (made from Cassava flour).

Other stews include plain pepper stew, the viscous vegetable (Ewedu), soups to eat foods like Amala, Iyan, Eba, and Fufu.

GREETINGS IN YORUBA

Yoruba attached great importance to greetings, every occasion, season, job, and event has appropriate greetings. Anyone who lacks greeting courtesy is considered uncultured, and uncivilized.

Daily common greetings:

• Ekaaro (Good morning),
• Ekaa san(Good afternoon),
• Ekaale (Good evening)

• Greetings by Jobs: Ẹ ku isẹ o.
• Traders/Sellers: Ẹ o ta o, Aje a wọ igba o, Ẹ ku ọrọ aje (you will sell )
• Blacksmith: Arọye o Response Ogun a gbe Ọ. Arọye ni t’Ogun
• Cloth Weaver: Ojugbooro O. Ọbalufọ a gbe Ọ
• Native Doctor: Ewe a jẹ o

• Hair Dresser: Oju gbooro o
• Response: Oya a ya o

• Carver of Craftman: Ẹ ku ọna
• Response: Ọna a wọ oju o

• Hunter: A re pa ni t’ Ogun. A re pa ni t’ asa
• Response: Oguna gbe yin o. A dupẹ o

• Palm Wine Tapper: Igba a rọooo; Ẹmọ sẹ o
• Response: Ẹmọ sẹ ni t’ Ajao, ni t’ adan

MODERNISATION AND CHALLENGE TO OMOLUABI

Omoluwabi is quintessential Yoruba. Omoluwabi is not lazy. Omoluwabi cherishes industry and he earns respect and accomplishments through hard work. Omoluwabi is ever truthful. An Omoluwabi will NEVER tell lies under any circumstance. He or She is bold and courageous. An Omoluwabi will not steal, because he hates anything that will bring shame to his family or to himself.

With the increasing influx of modernisation, globalization, and technology the sacred and formally cherished Yoruba culture and tradition have been relegated to the background. The present generation particularly the younger ones are not interested in the culture but instead embrace the western culture. The age-long concept of OMOLUWABI is almost no longer in practice.

Monetisation and the quest to get rich quick has pervaded the fabric of society, Omoluabi is now an aberration while corruption is wide. The sum total of Yoruba philosophy is Iwa l’ewa meaning “Character is beauty”. And to the Yoruba, attitude determines your altitude. Take away a man’s culture; his entire being is rendered prostrate.

There is therefore a dying need to restore and transmit the Yoruba culture to the younger generation so that it does not go into extinction through whatever means so as to preserve some dying cultures. Yoruba boys traditionally prostrate and girls kneel down to greet, this is already fading out in most urban families where the sole language of communication is English.

CONCLUSION

Culture is germane regarding the identification of people. It is the major attribute resulting in the behavioural characteristic of different groups. It is consequently exhibited by the different members of the group. The language (particularly the dialect), dressing, food, hairstyle, music, and aspect of culture which is group-specific shows diversity.

The Yoruba cultural values, ethics, and norms have been bastardized in the name of civilization and western education. The believe in the phenomenon of “Omoluwabi” has nose-dived like a meteor in the night sky and the younger ones find it difficult to respect their elders. The neglect of Yoruba cultural value and good attitudes is a thing of concern to the wise in the land of “Olofin Oodua, Onipopo of Popo, Oranmiyan, Orangun ile-ila, Elejelumope, and onitagi olele.

The departed Yoruba legends and titans are weeping in their graves, on account of the stupendously shrinking space available to traditional Yoruba values and ethics. The understanding of Yoruba culture begins with the core interest and understanding of our Language. The richness of our culture, tradition, wisdom, witticism, and varied expressions lies in our language.

The concept of Omoluwabi should be replaced with its esteemed position in Yoruba societies. Modernization is good, but its replacement with our shared culture and tradition is dangerous. The Yoruba Language should not be relegated totally. Young lads should be taught the language right from the stage when they start talking, in primary schools, junior and senior secondary school.

Many of our core values from the culture are already abolished particularly among the elite. Below are a few of these values already relegated include: substitution of Suku for fixing of weave-on, Iyan for poundo, Apala for Hip Hop, Aran for Jeans, etc. hence there a need for change in appreciating Yoruba Culture because the failure of this can be dangerous to the unborn generations.

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Copyright © 2021 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without a prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

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Woven Culture

Despite being deceased, it is believed that our ancestors are part and parcel to the larger family. They are regarded as the collective spirits of the ancestors who occupy a space in heaven.

It is pertinent for Ifa/Orisa practitioners both at home and in the diaspora to know what and what not is Egungun to broaden and widen their scope on the sacred term.

1. The word Egúngún has no translation in to another language.

2. Egúngún is not a masquerade.

3. Egúngún is a sacred representation of the Yoruba ancestors.

4. Egúngún worship is dedicated to the people who lived on the earth and died “Ara Orun”.

5. Egúngún worship is part of the Yoruba traditional Religion.

6. Egúngún is not an Òrìsà.

7. Egúngún is representing forms of human of deceased.

8. Egúngún is covered from head to foot with cloth similar to the deceased.

9. Egúngún dress consists of cloths of various colours .

10. Egúngún dress can be as well with feathers of different kind of birds.

11. Skins and bones of different animals can be used too for Egúngún dress.

12. Egúngún cloth is called Eku

13. Egúngún shoes are made of Iyamoje cloth

14. Egúngún speaks with an unnatural tone of voice.

15. Egúngún drums Bata, Gangan, Agere, Dundun, Adamo, etc

16. The mysteries of Egúngún are held sacred.

17. Egúngún mysteries are not known by women.

18. Ato is a name given to a female child, who belongs to

Egúngún since birth.

19. Ato born with a veil covering the face of the new born baby girl.

20. Ato has access to the mysteries of Egúngún since a tender age.

21. Iya Gan is a title given to an elderly woman.

22. Iya Gan can have access to the mysteries of Egúngún

23. The high priest of Egúngún is called Alagba.

24. In a big town each quarter has its own Alagba.

25. Next to Alagba in Egúngún is Alaran.

26. Next to Alaran is Esorun.

27. Next to Esorun is Akere.

28. Akere is the one who carries the Atori whips.

29. The highest rank in Egúngún worship is the Alapinni.

30. Alapinni is one of the seven noblemen of Oyo Mesi.

31. Alapinni is a political leader.

32. Egúngún is worship with beans cake and palm oil (olele).

33. Kolanut (obi) is used to consult Egúngún.

34. Egúngún Festival normally is between May and July.

35. Egúngún Festival symbolizes the re-appearance of the ancestors.

36. Egúngún Festival normally takes 17 to 21 days.

37. Every Yoruba community is involved in celebrating Egúngún.

38. Egúngún is divided in 4 categories.

39. Egúngún Babalawo represents the worship of the ancestors.

40. Egúngún Apidon, Orebe, Paka, Eleru, Alagangan have the function of entertaining showing their power.

41. Egúngún Alagbo has the function to protect the community. In the Olden days led the war.

42. Egúngún Layewu belongs to the Ode (hunters) to chant Ijala.

43. Alapinni’s Egúngún is called Jenju .

44. Egúngún Ologbojo is Baba Egúngún.

45. Alaafin’s Egúngún is called Mohuru.

46. Egúngún chanting is called Esa.

47. Egúngún priest is called Oje.

48. Egúngún shrine in the bush is called Igbale.

49. Egúngún shrine in the house is called Ilesanyin.

50. Egúngún initiation is done on the feet.

Thanks for your time, drop your opinion in the comment session below!

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Copyright © 2020 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without a prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

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Oyotunji African Village is a village located near Sheldon, Beaufort County, South Carolina that was founded by Oba Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I in 1970. Oyotunji village is named after the Oyo empire, a pre-colonial Yoruba kingdom lasting from the 1300s until the early 1800s in what is now southwestern Nigeria. The name literally means “O̩yo̩ returns” or “O̩yo̩ rises again” or “O̩yo̩ resurrects” referring to the African Yoruba kingdom of Oyo, now rising in a new form near the South Carolina seashore.

Oyotunji village covers 27 acres (11 ha) and has a Yoruba temple which was moved from Harlem, New York to its present location in 1960. It was originally intended to be located in Savannah, Georgia, but was eventually settled into its current position after disputes with neighbors in Sheldon proper, over drumming and tourists.

Oyotunji was intended to follow the model of Yoruba villages in terms of layout, politics, and social relations while also incorporating some Fon traditions from the kingdom of Dahomey.

Along the road approaching Oyotunji African Village in Sheldon, South Carolina, a sign is posted in both Yoruba and English:

“You are leaving the United States. You are entering Yoruba Kingdom. In the name of His Highness King Efuntola, Peace. Welcome to the Sacred Yoruba Village of Oyo Tunji. The only Village in North America built by Priests of the Orisha Voodoo Cults as a tribute to our Ancestors. These Priests preserve the customs, laws, and religion of the African Race.”

HOW OBA EFUNTOLA ADEFUNMI I FOUNDED OYOTUNJI

During the slave trade era, many Africans were taken as slaves abroad. While going, some left with their culture and tradition which they continued within the foreign land where they found themselves. They continued with the culture and tradition of their fathers so as to maintain their identity.

The Yorubas in slavery are among the Africans that maintained their culture in the strange land and it was handed down to their children from generation to generation.

Many of their children, after the abolition of the slave trade, have married children of their former masters thus having children of mixed blood, that notwithstanding, they still carry on with their African culture in the foreign land since most of them cannot trace their root back to Africa.

The Yoruba culture has been one of the prominent and most celebrated one throughout the world till date. In the faraway United States of America, there is a Yoruba community named O̩yo̩tunji African Village. It is located near Sheldon, Beaufort County, South Carolina.

O̩yo̩tunji is regarded as North America’s oldest authentic African village. It was founded in 1970 and is the first intentional community in North America, based on the culture of the Yoruba and Benin tribes of West Africa.

It has survived 51years of sustaining the Yoruba traditional sociology and values in the diaspora. The village is named after the O̩yo̩ Empire, and the name literally means “O̩yo̩ returns” or “O̩yo̩ rises again” or “O̩yo̩ resurrects”. The village occupies 27 acres of land.

O̩yo̩tunji was founded by His Royal Highness O̩ba (King) Waja, O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I.

Born Walter Eugene King on October 5, 1928, Oba O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, a Detroit native, began studying Afro-Haitian and ancient Egyptian traditions as a teenager. He was further influenced by his contact with the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe in New York City at the age of 20, an African American modern dance troupe that drew from many cultures within the African Diaspora.

August 26, 1959, O̩ba Waja became the first African born in America to become fully initiated into the Oris̩a-Vodoo African priesthood by African Cubans in Matanzas, Cuba, and became known as Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi. After his return to the United States, he formed the Yoruba Temple in Harlem in 1960. The temple, committed to preserving African traditions within an American context, was the cultural and religious forerunner of Oyotunji Village.

He later traveled to Haiti where he discovered more about the Yoruba culture. Armed with a new understanding of the African culture, he found the order of Damballah Hwedo, Ancestor Priests in Harlem New York.

This marked the beginning of the spread of the Yoruba religion and culture among African-Americans. He later founded the Sàngó Temple in New York and incorporated the African Theological Arch Ministry in 1960. The Sàngó Temple was relocated and renamed the Yoruba Temple.

With the rise of black nationalism in the 1960s, King began to envision the construction of a separate African American nation that would institutionalize and commemorate ancestral traditions. In June of 1970, he fulfilled this vision with the creation of Oyotunji African Village.

It was during this time that he also established a new lineage of the priesthood, Orisha Vodoo, to emphasize the tradition’s African roots. Today, over 300 priests have been initiated into this lineage and the African Theological Archministry, founded by Oba O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I in 1966, now serves as the umbrella organization for the Village.

To further his knowledge of Yoruba culture, he traveled to Abeokuta in Nigeria in 1972 where he was initiated into the Ifa priesthood by the Oluwo of Ije̩un at Abeokuta, Ogun state, in August of 1972. He was later proclaimed Alase̩ (Oba-King) of the Yoruba of North America at O̩yo̩tunji Village in 1972.

In its early years, Oyotunji Village was home to as many as two hundred people. Today, its residential community consists of few African American families, governed by an oba (king) and the community’s appointed council.

Each family is committed to the teachings of the Yoruba tradition, which include a religious understanding of the world as comprised primarily of the “energies” of the Supreme Being Olodumare, the orisha deities, and the ancestral spirits. This religious world is maintained spiritually through rituals, chants, music, sacrifice, and annual ceremonies.

Oba Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi passed away on Thursday, February 10th, 2005 at O̩yo̩tunji African Village in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Since Adefunmi’s death in 2005, the village has been led by his son, the fourteenth of twenty-two children of Oba Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi, till date.

The O̩ba title is referred to as “O̩lo̩yotunji” of O̩yo̩tunji.

OBA ADEJUYIGBE ADEFUNMI II

After Oba Adefunmi I’s death in 2005, the Village has continued under the leadership of his son, Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II who updated Oyotunji’s structure and goals. Focusing on sustainability projects, the Village serves as a retreat from the pressures of the wider society. Potential residents can buy land in Oyotunji. Short-term visitors can also visit the Village for research, tourism, education, spiritual consultations, festivals, and overnight lodging.

HRM Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II began his destiny on earth on December 21, 1976. Born the 14th child of 22 children to His Royal Highness Oba Efuntola Adefunmi I, and the third child of five born to Iya Esu Ogo Oyewole.

King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II was raised in the Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village and began drumming at the age of seven. He was rooted in the traditional lifestyle of the Oyotunji African Village settlement in North America and witnessed thousands of Africans in America that came to his father’s Kingdom in search of broadening their cultural awareness.

An extraordinary listener and attentive history student, the young King, under the teachings of H.R.H. Adefunmi I, was entrenched in the traditions and culture of his ancestors; the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria and Benin. He was rooted in the traditional lifestyle of Oyotunji African Village settlement in North America. King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II witnessed thousands of Africans in America that came to his father’s Kingdom in search of broadening their cultural awareness.

By the time of his graduation from the Yoruba Royal Academy, King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II was an initiate of several sacred Egbes (African societies) to name a few: Egbe Egungun, Egbe Obatala, Egbe Onilu ayan, Egbe Akinkonju. Not the least of which would be the Prince’s entrance into Igbodu, the society of the Fathers of Mystery in the worship of Orunmila.

Traveling throughout the United States and the Caribbean in the entourage of his Father, King Adejuyigbe reflects:

“It was an amazing opportunity to observe my Baba, the Alase of Oyotunji, in all the commands and demands of being a King. I also observed, through his service to Africans in America and the undertaking of spiritual responsibilities to the tribal family within the village, and the toll it took on him.”

As a young man, King Adejuyigbe followed his first love of drumming and touring nationally and internationally performing Reggae, and African music playing alongside notables artist such as “The Wailers”, “Inner Circle”, “Freddie McGreggor”, “Junior Gong Marley”, “India Arie”, and countless others.

The development of a wide diversity of entrepreneurial skills as well as years of hard work and training in carpentry and administration on Dopkwe, (Oyotunji construction), gave birth to the “Stucco Kings” company In 2001, King Adejuyigbe moved to Key West, Fla. as an artist in residency at the Lofton B. Sands African Bahamian Museum.

King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi ll lead the team in idealizing, planning, and constructing a full-scale African Village. King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II made many valuable contributions to the education and cultural expansion of the African American population in Key West giving daily lectures and classes to students from the Monroe County, Fla. schools.

King Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II became the King of Oyotunji on July 3, 2005, thus continuing a legacy of Yoruba Kings in America that has been confirmed and supported by the Ooni of Ile-Ife (the King of the holy city of Ife) thousands of Yoruba Americans came to celebrate the Royal Coronation.

Following the Royal Coronation, HRM traveled to The Holy city of Ile-Ife and was crowned by the Ooni of Ife just as his father did on Nov. 16, 1981. HRM was also invited to Ophia Ketou, the Republic of Benin for extensive ceremonies of installation.

When asked what His Majesty looks forward to the most, following in the footsteps of his Father, he says:

“the passion of my heart at this point in my journey is twofold, to fulfill my Baba’s vision for the Kingdom of Oyotunji in its ultimate beauty and to pass to the next generations our customs, traditions, cultural lifestyle, and skills in a way that serves the betterment of our world and its people”.

Our focus is the practical application of ancient African traditions and culture in a modern time utilizing our ancient African worldview to guide us while providing nature based solutions, the earth is our religion, and if you do not care for our mother you are disrespecting the Orisa”.

Oba Adefunmi II further aspires to increase to all peoples and cultures of the world the practical value for ancient traditions today!

In an interview, Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II said:

“The reason my father the late king chose to resurrect the act of polygamy is because naturally, there are more women than men on earth and if every man and woman got together, there would be a country full of women who would be alone. The idea is that our marriages are not sanctioned by the state.

We never looked to the government or the state for approval or money, we have our own kingdom. There is a sign before you step into Oyotunji that says you are now leaving the United States of America and entering the sacred voodoo kingdom of Orisa priest, we have the laws of our people.

Basically, we are letting people know that you are leaving the mindset of America and entering with the mindset of an African. That means you may see things you do not understand and it may be different. At Oyotunji, we issue our own documentation for marriage, so your marriage is based on religion rather than politics.

Even our school in the kingdom is sanctioned by Oyotunji. In 1981, Oyotunji was issued a religious charter to operate under a 501C3 status, a non-profit status and it is called the ATA, the African Theological Arch-ministry. So, we are a product of the ATA. This is the business and “legal” arm of Oyotunji.

So we are a tax-exempt organization, so we do not pay tax to the state because we are basically considered as a church to the American government or a large religious institution. So we never look to the American government for approval.

“My wives are in Canada, Atlanta, Oyotunji, Virginia, and different places. African people always did things upfront as opposed to doing it closed doors. European people would sneak out of the big house, go into the plantation and sleep with all the slave girls, then sneak back into the house like nothing ever happened.

That is not the case with African men. I like to quote the great Fela Kuti who said that African men don’t run around the street chasing women. Instead, he brings the women to his house and surrounds himself with them as he sits in one spot. At Oyotunji everybody does not practice polygamy, it is reserved for only the people that can afford it. It requires a lot of money and land. That scares people away from polygamy and I think I am the only Yoruba in North America that I know who practices polygamy”,

In the same interview, he continued:
“Our education is based on our culture. In Oyotunji, we have our own school, we had to educate ourselves because we could not let the Oyinbos teach our children about Plato, Aristotle, Greek and all these things, we grew up learning about the ancient kingdoms, like Ile Ife, Accra, Ashanti, Ouagadougou, all those great kingdoms of our great extended African ancestors.

For a long time, people were not allowed to get jobs outside Oyotunji. Baba looked down on you if you went to get a job outside the village because he believed that we worked for the Oyinbos for over 200 years, now you should work to build an African nation in North America.

So for the first 30 years, all the income of Oyotunji came from Oyotunji. As time went on and population decreased because people started moving to other cities to take on other things, Baba encouraged his people to get jobs so that they could make their own money.

That was the time I went out and left Oyotunji to explore the outside world. I took up construction and started to learn the major conventional way of building houses and this is something we brought back to Oyotunji. Basically we were taught to go out, acquire something and bring it back to build our nation.

I was about 22 years old when I moved to California from there I went to Atlanta then I took up an artisan residence in Key West Florida. I took my both construction knowledge and my African knowledge to build a small village in Key West where the local people there could come and see the Yoruba culture in that little village.

It was when I was about 25 years old that I was called back to Oyotunji to assume the throne. I had to give up my fabulous life as a musician to become the king. I played with reggae bands and we travelled, stayed in hotels, met girls, drank, ate and made money. I travelled with a few bands in North America.

I performed rap music as well for many years, however, when it was time, they called me home and I had to give up everything in one day. I was living the good life, going to parties one day and the next day I was in Oyotunji dressed in black mourning dress for three months. We used the traditional coronation process as our ancestors did.”

HISTORY THROUGH PICTURES



OYOTUNJI AFRICAN VILLAGE TODAY

Now after 51years, the Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village continues to sustain and promote an appreciation for the “depth of culture, beautiful art, the grandeur of customs and resilient history of the New World Yoruba in the United States.”

In Oyotunji, you have to be married in order to own land. they don’t sell land but they give it to you based on your needs. If you need land, you would have to get a wife and write a petition to the Oba who would grant you some land. If you want to expand, then you can get more wives.

If you have more wives and children, the Oloyotunji would give you more land so that you would continue to build. You have to practice Yoruba etiquette, they do not have a moral system but an etiquette system which are some of the things that they expect you to do.

The ethics of Oyotunji require that you dobale (prostrate) when you see your elder or you ‘tesile’, that is when you touch the ground and kiss your hand. It is a form of respect. At Oyotunji, you have to wear the Yoruba aso (clothes).

Oyinbo (foreign) clothes are not necessarily permitted. They accept jeans and dashiki. Women are not allowed to wear pants. Sometimes if they have visitors that are wearing tight dresses, Oyotunji women would wrap them with a cloth to cover them up because this is the law.

They are cultural people and they have ways of doing things, not like the Oyinbo people. There is no fighting in the village and if there is a fight, the aggressor would have to pay. If you want to continue fighting, the elders would take you into the Igbo (forest) and both of you can continue. Once that is done, it is over.

Each person is required to pay an assessment to the crown. Young boys and girls are not allowed to fraternize and date like you have in the western society where you end up with teenage pregnancy. They have the men and women compounds. You also have to join your gender society at 14.

It is like the right of passage, the boys join the Akinkanju society (society of courage), while the girls join the egbe Moremi because their heroine is Moremi. All the women in Oyotunji strive to be like Moremi. The idea is that they utilize the laws and rules of Yoruba culture.

Many years ago, if they had a dance in Oyotuji men and women could not dance together unless you were married and even if you were married, there must be space between both parties while dancing but things are a bit relaxed now. You also have to report daily for community service.

Oyotunji represents a reshaping of African cultural and religious traditions while reflecting black nationalist trends. Black nationalist ideals ranged from racial consciousness and religious separatism to political independence and date back to the nineteenth century. Village residents enacted these tenets at Oyotunji by combining them with African-derived cultural and historical elements.

Oyotunji African Village is the first intentional community based on the culture of the Yoruba and Dahomey tribes of West Africa; founded (1970) in the Americas. Now in 2018, after over 45 years of sustaining the only Kingdom based on traditional Yoruba sociology and values, OAV brings to the Low-country and greater global community the depth of culture, beautiful art, the grandeur of customs, and resilient history of the New World Yoruba.

Oyotunji African Village is positioned as the pinnacle center for learning, exploring, and celebrating the ancient traditions and culture of the Yoruba people of present-day West Africa. The vision of this unprecedented institution lends itself to flowering into a national and international ethnic, cultural, resource, and service-based community. With goals to cultivate media production (print and audiovisual) facilities, ongoing sustainable agriculture/mariculture initiatives, as well as import/export and entertainment conglomerate business ventures.

The Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village’s core business is to serve in the elevation of humanity’s understanding and appreciation of the genius, highly technical, social, and Royal hierarchy of African people. The institution of OAV serves as a real-time reminder of the sociology and African world view contribution made to society by African ancestors of antiquity.

AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL ARCHMINISTRY (A.T.A.): The mission and vision of the African Theological Archministry (A.T.A) is to organize and create places of worship while preserving and teaching the spiritual technologies, cultures, and heritage of our Yoruba-based African ancestors. We commit to creating an institution that will inspire and empower all people to consider the use of ancient African traditions as a basis to revitalize ourselves, families, communities, oceans, rivers, lakes, animals, and soil.

The calling card of the African Theological Archministry is cultural restoration through innovation and serviceability. African Theological Archministry’s future goal is to cultivate a united inter-generational collection of traditional chiefs, leaders, dignitaries and African Traditional Religious devotees, and Pan-African professionals who share and distribute educational programs and materials dedicated to the spiritual, psychological, social, and economical freedom of people’s of African descent.

The village is also a destination for visitors who are encouraged to enjoy the following:

–The Trader’s Bazaar African Market located within Oyotunji African Village is a 25-year-old authentic African market operated by Village residents. Many hand-carved wooden statues, beaded jewelry, books, cloth, and traditional attire along with spiritual charms, soaps, and other products adorn the shelves of this market.

–On-site lodging for overnight stays: Oyotunji African Village visitors now have the opportunity to stay on-site within its newly renovated, hostel-styled Afrique.

–Festivals – The Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village hosts 14 annual traditional African Festivals and ceremonies that are open to the public from January until December.

–Cultural Education: OAV is positioned as the pinnacle center for learning, exploring, and celebrating the ancient traditions and culture of the Yoruba people of present-day West Africa.

— Eat, sleep and play without leaving the village: Meals are available on-site.

The Kingdom of Oyotunji African Village’s core business is to serve in the elevation of humanity’s understanding and appreciation of the genius, highly technical, social, and Royal hierarchy of African people. The institution of OAV serves as a real-time reminder of the sociology and African world view contribution made to society by African ancestors of antiquity.

REFERENCE/SOURCE

1. Seun Adeye̩mi
2. Oyotunji Website
3. The Sheets
4. Punch Ng
5. Pluralism

Written by Johnson Okunade

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Copyright © 2021 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without a prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

For permission requests, contact the admin on admin@johnsonokunadea.com, or WhatsApp/Text him on +2347036065752



S.T SOAP: THE RISE AND FALL OF A PROMISING INDIGENOUS BRAND

Late Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu’s quality item, S.T Soap, immediately turned into an easily recognized name during the 80s into the 90s, due to its potency, packaging, and rhythmic advert jingle which practically turned into a public hymn, particularly in the South West, which obviously was responsible for the fame and excessive demand in the market by all.

In 1979 Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu popularly known as S.T began what was referred to as S.T Soaps Limited with the amount of 5,000 naira (N5000). In an interview with L’abe Orun Program, Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu said he got N3000 from his father after which he added his own N2000. Before starting S.T Soaps Limited, Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu was buying Garri from Auchi and reselling it in Lagos.

The business kept expanding, S.T Soaps extended from the passageways of his home to raising a cutting-edge processing plant in Ijebu-Mushin, Ogun State. Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu Worked and thrived from his monstrous industrial facility, with huge loads of laborers in his workforce.

Notwithstanding his small degree of Education, Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu understood the significance of commercials on viable showcasing, he contributed a gigantic entirety on being noticed despite the huge amount of money it cost him, the brand’s Jingle on the then Radio Nigeria and across media houses actually inspires nostalgic musings. By the mid-’90s, the organization grew from the popular S.T Soap to making polythene products having over 1,000 labour force the majority of which were indigenes of Ijebu-Mushin.

You’ll definitely remember the S.T soap advert that goes thus:

Call: Ose S.T mare oo
Response: eee
Call: Ose S.T mare oo
Response: eee
Call: Okan dara fun we lasan
Response: eee
Call: Okan dara faso fifo
Response: eee
Call: Elo S.T ke ridi oro wa
All: Gbogbo kokoro ara ojobo, gbogbo idoti yen o le raiye, eela ishaka ewa bi gba lo, on foso mo kii jaso o sa, ole koko kii jewo o jare.
Call: Ose S.T mare oo
Response: eee

Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu’s irregular downfall started in October 2004 when the assembly line laborers at his S.T Soaps Limited started to racket for a “staff association” with the excuse that they were being used as a slave in the manufacturing company. Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu was purportedly disappointed with the possibility of a staff association inside the premises of his business, he contended that the thought isn’t proper in a sole ownership enterprise, the S.T Soaps Limited staffs who affirmed that they are being abused by the organization’s administration, started a protest by abandoning their tasks.

During the dissent, one of the staff of S.T Soaps Limited purportedly damaged a mixing machine worth five million naira. This incensed Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu who welcomed the police to capture the miscreant however on getting to the scene the police terminated irregularly noticeable all around and captured everyone they discovered including non-staffs and outsiders.

One of the locals (a deaf kid) was said to have been hit by a stray bullet. The police contribution made a total pandemonium, the residents were angered, they promised to annihilate the manufacturing plant, S.T Soaps Limited if the arrested indigenes were not delivered from police custody, the old women threatened to protest naked with a left foot sandal and a left earring, realizing the consequences of his actions, Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu called for the released of the protesters and everyone arrested at the scene.

Eventually, Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu had to give in to the demands of his workers by giving room for a labour union despite the fact that S.T Soaps Limited was a sole ownership enterprise just to allow peace reign. However, in an interview, he claimed that allowing the workers’ association worsened the issue and the employees started feeling high and mighty.

He said they started demanding an increment in salary incessantly and they were wasting the company products unnecessarily. He gave an instant when they would mix soda used in making soap after which they would abandon the mixed soda and request for a meeting with their employer, Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu himself. If he couldn’t show up due to one reason or the other, they would refuse to work and waste the mixed soda.

Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu maintained that those usually spearheading such acts were the indigenes of Ijebu-Mushin, he said they had a sense of entitlement since Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu himself wasn’t an indigene of Ijebu-Mushin. To curb the wastage of resources and motivate a smooth flow of activities in the organization, Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu sacked about fifty of the indigenous employees encouraging the unethical acts but it only worsened the issue as the whole community was displeased with this particular action.

It took the mediation of the police D.P.O and a well reputable chief of Ijebu-Mushin to suppress the developing unsettling influence, the two players; Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu and the S.T Soaps Limited staffs were called to a roundtable and a mutual ground was reached in the month of November 2004.

However, on Friday, May 13th, 2005, five policemen from the Elewe-Eran police station, Abeokuta, stormed the processing plant, S.T was arrested, one lepper from a nearby town called Baba Oníkèké had implicated him in a kidnapping and ritual case, Baba Baba Oníkèké who was a lepper asserted that Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu routinely purchases human parts from him. Baba Oníkèké insisted that he sold two human eyes to Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu for Two thousand naira. When Baba Oníkèké was told to identify Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu, he couldn’t point out who Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu was between him and his managers.

On hearing this, Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu’s first house, second house, and office were scoured by the police, however, nothing was found, the legal dispute ranges for a while yet the case was at last excused by His revered, O.S Moronfolu of the Magisterial district, Chief Magistrate court, Ijebu-Ode on June 7th, 2005.

Following these occurrences, unfortunately for him, the ritual allegation case against Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu ruined him. As someone who used to be very popular and prominent on the Ijebu social scene and even beyond, he suddenly went low, while his once thriving and booming soap business, S.T Soap also went under and comatose; which ultimately forced him to leave the scene, and retired into more private and secluded life for years, with nothing virtually heard about him or his whereabouts.

Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu couldn’t recapture his feet, His once-mighty industry, S.T Soaps Limited became history. He went into depression, his life never stays as before. In an interview, he said his greatest mistake in life was employing a larger percentage of Ijebu-Mushin indigenes anytime he had to recruit workers. He maintained that they had a great sense of entitlement and strongly believed that they are the reason he was successful.

Affirming the toll which the ritual allegations had on him and his wave-making and profitable soap business. A case, he believed was maliciously orchestrated by his detractors, at that time but the deed is done. No one heard anything about the great Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu of S.T Soaps Limited again until October 5, 2020, when the news that he kicked the bucket filtered out. The great indigenous industrialist died at the age of 64 following quite a while of engaging an undisclosed ailment.

Alhaji Safiriyu Tiamiyu was survived by many wives, children, grandchildren, with a vast estate. According to family sources, he was laid to rest the same day he died according to Islamic rites.

May His Soul Rest in Peace!

Written by Johnson Okunade

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Copyright © 2020 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without a prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

For permission requests, contact the admin on admin@johnsonokunadea.com, or WhatsApp/Text him on +2347036065752

THE VICISSITUDES OF IKOYI

The fall of Adegun at the Kanla war left the kingship of Ikoyi vacant. There were two aspirants to the title; Siyenbola, the son of the late Adegun, and Ojo, the son of Adegun’s predecessor. The majority of the people was for Siyenbola, and Ojo’s partisans were but few. Ojo, however, went to Oyo to have the title conferred on him by the Suzerain as of yore, and he succeeded in obtaining the Alaafin’s favour in his claim.

King Amodo was glad for this mark of recognition and hoped for the gradual return of the provincial kings to their allegiance. He, therefore, made Ojo take a solemn oath that he would ever be loyal to him. His Majesty strictly charged him against making any league with Edun the rebel chief of Gbogun through whose town he must pass to reach his home at Ikoyi.

This charge was occasioned by the treacherous conduct of Edun at the Kanla war by which the Alaafin lost the day. “I am a King,” said Amodo, ” and you are now a king. Kings should form an alliance with kings and not with a commoner.” The King justly anticipated what would happen, for when Ojo the new Onikoyi reached Gbogun on his way home, Edun sought his friendship and alliance, and pressed him to take an oath with him, that they would always be faithful to each other.

Ojo stoutly refused to take the oath, alleging that it was unbecoming for a king to take an oath with one not of royal blood. But Edun was a man of power, and the Onikoyi was already in his clutches being in his town and he felt he could do whatever he liked with him; he, therefore, insisted that the oath should be taken before the Onikoyi could leave his town.

Ojo was in a dilemma, his oath of allegiance to the Alaafin forbade him to disobey the King’s charge, and now he was at the mercy of this miscreant. He had now no option, the oath must be taken and the only way out of it the Onikoyi could find was to delegate one of his attendants to perform the business for him, as the fitness of things required from the inequality of their respective ranks.

The Kakanfo considered this an insult to his dignity, and he resented it by ordering Atanda one of his own attendants to take the oath with the Onikoyi’s delegate.

Whilst this was taking place at Gbogun, tidings reached Ikoyi that Ojo had succeeded in obtaining the title from the Alaafin, and Siyenbola who had usurped it, therefore, fled from the town with all his party to Ilorin. The remnant of Ojo’s party at home who did not accompany him to Oyo met him at Esiele with the news that the town had been deserted from disgust that he should reign over them.

The Onikoyi was too weak to proceed to occupy Ikoyi with his small party, he, therefore, remained at Esiele. A week after this, the Ilorin horse came against Esiele to espouse the cause of Siyenbola, and they had seven days of hard fighting, but finding it not such an easy business to rush the town, as they had supposed, they retreated home to make full preparation for a regular siege at the ensuing year.

The siege was accordingly laid in the following year. Esiele held out for a long time, being heroically defended by its Balogun Kurumi, and another notable war-chief Dado. When they could hold out no longer, the war-chiefs deserted the town, leaving mostly the women and children at the mercy of the conquerors. Ojo the Onikoyi was slain, and Siyenbola having now no rival obtained the title of Onikoyi from the Emir of Ilorin, and returned with those of his party who went with him to Ilorin to re-occupy the town.

Thus, Ikoyi was re-peopled but no longer as a vassal state of Oyo but of Ilorin. The city was rapidly refilled by those of Ojo’s party that escaped the fall of Esiele and they now acknowledged Siyenbola as their king. Esiele also was again re-peopled, as it was not actually destroyed by war but deserted under stress. The inhabitants were permitted to remain as they were because the siege was laid against the town on account of the late Onikoyi—no longer alive.

Shortly after this, there was a serious complication between Edun of Gbogun the Kakanfo and Dada the Bale of Adeyi which broke out into a war. Edun marched his army through Esiele to besiege Adeyi, but Fasola the Bale of Esiele hearing that the Kakanfo’s army was to pass through his town having hardly recovered from the effects of the late war, and dreading the devastation and pillaging of farms consequent on such a march, deserted the town. So Esiele was again desolate, the people finding refuge at Ogbomoso and Ikoyi.

The expedition, however, was unsuccessful. The Kakanfo’s army suffering many reverses, it had to be given up.

 

THE GBOGUN WAR AND FALL OF EDUN THE KAKANFO

Gbogun was the last of the powerful towns in the country and as the aim of the Fulanis was the subversion of the whole country, a pretext for war was soon found in order to lay siege against her. Abdulsalami the Emir of Ilorin threatened the Kakanfo with war if he refused to pay allegiance to him; Edun accepted the challenge and began at once to make a vast preparation, offensive and defensive.

Ikoyi being already a vassalage of Ilorin and a neighbouring town, Edun regarded her as an enemy and insisted that it should be deserted at once or he would take her by surprise. Siyenbola the Onikoyi sent ambassadors to Gbogun to arrange terms of peace but Edun refused to hear of any such thing and threatened to destroy the town the next day, if not deserted at once as he would not afford the Ilorins a base of operation against him at such close quarters.

There being no alternative, Ikoyi was a second time deserted and Siyenbola escaped to Ilorin. Gbogun was soon besieged by the Ilorins and desperate battles were fought, the defenders fighting heroically and could not be overwhelmed until at last the city was reduced by famine and thus Gbogun fell, the last of the powerful towns of Yoruba.

Edun the greatest Yoruba general of the day escaped by way of Gbodo where he was overtaken, being hotly pursued by the Ilorin horse. He had with him a handful of veterans and such was the terror his very name inspired that the pursuers did not dare to offer him battle. The men of Gbodo were torn between two opinions whether they should afford protection to their fallen general or allow him to escape in peace.

But the pursuers insisted on his destruction, saying “If you allow him to escape, your lives will go for his life as you will show yourselves thereby to be an enemy to the Emir of Ilorin.” This decided the men of Gbodo; in order to save themselves, they took up arms against the fallen general and overwhelmed him and his faithful few, the brave man himself falling under a shower of darts fighting gallantly at the head of his little band.

His head was taken off, raised upon a pole and carried in triumph to the camp and from thence to Ilorin; Oduewu his eldest son and some of the distinguished war-chiefs who were taken being compelled to ride behind it in order to grace the triumph of the conquerors. On the 3rd day after their arrival at Ilorin Oduewu succeeded in purchasing the head of his father and had it decently buried to save himself from disgrace.

After the fall of Gbogun, Siyenbola returned the second time to Ikoyi. Fasola the Bale of Esiele, who had escaped with his family and a few followers to Ogbomgso, also returned to his town. On his way to Esiele, he was the guest of Siyenbola the Onikoyi for three days. He and his sons Sinolu and Abosede and his eldest daughter Omotajo were feasted on the flesh of an elephant just killed and brought to the Onikoyi.

This was regarded as an auspicious omen.

 

REFERENCE

1. Samuel Johnson; The history of the Yorubas, Lagos, CSS Limited; 1921; pg. 126-128

 

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THE BATTLE OF PAMO

Alimi the Moslem priest, who was at the head of the foreigners at Ilorin died after the last war and was succeeded by his son Abdulsalami, who became the first King, or Emir, of Ilorin. Ilorin now passes definitely into the hands of the Fulanis as rulers and affords a home for the Gambaris (Hausas) from whom the Jamas were recruited.

The late Alimi was much respected at Ilorin from his arrival there as a mere priest. At first, he had no intention of making Ilorin his home much less to embark upon a career of conquest; and indeed, when Afonja and his Jamas commenced their excesses he was prepared to return to his own country from disgust, but some elders of the Yorubas prayed him to stay and act as a check on Afonja for there was no one else to whom he would defer and there was no telling how far he would go without someone to put the fear of God into him.

The Kakanfo and the people of Ilorin prevailed upon him to send for his family and make Ilorin his home. Alimi was a pure Fulani by birth and his wife also a Fulani lady. They lived together for a considerable time without any issue. The wife then consulted a Moslem priest as to her state of childlessness, and she was told to give out of her abundance to a distinguished Moslem priest a slave as alms to the glory of God, and she was sure to have children.

Having considered this matter over, she came to the conclusion within herself that she knew of no distinguished Moslem priest greater than her own husband, and therefore she gave to her husband one of her maidens as “alms to the glory of God.” This maiden as Alimi’s secondary wife became the mother of Abudusalami and Shitta his two eldest sons. The Fulani lady herself subsequently gave birth to a son named Sumonu, who was nick-named Beribepo (one who cuts off head and post).

Alimi afterwards took to himself a third wife by whom he also had a son, and, therefore at his death he left four sons to inherit his property. As will be seen below, however, no advantage in the matter of government accrued to the son of the real wife (who was a pure white Fulani) above those of the slave wife who were coloured. Hence in the third generation, the chief rulers of Ilorin have become black.

The power of the Fulanis was now very great, and they aimed at nothing short of the subversion of the whole Yoruba country, and the short-sighted Yoruba war-chiefs were playing the game for them by their mutual jealousy of one another. One expedition followed after another and the result was the devastation and depopulation of the country.

Farseeing men had predicted all this if the various Yoruba families did not unite and expel the foreigners, but jealousy and rivalry among the chiefs prevented unity of purpose. Allegiance was no longer paid to the King, not even in the capital. Intestine wars not only weakened the country but offered it an easy prey to the common enemy.

Thus, Toyeje the Kakanfo at Ogbomoso had a difference with Adegun the Onikoyi which at length broke out into an open war, each of them being now independent, and neither would submit to the other. The Kakanfo formed an alliance with the Oluiwo of Iwo, the Timi of Ede and Solagberu of Ilorin, and besieged the Onikoyi in his city of Ikoyi.

Solagberu had his own personal grievance to vent because the Onikoyi did not do homage to him or pay him tribute; so, he came with all the Ilorin forces at his command. Abdulsalami the Emir alone remained at home. The combined forces encamped at a place called Pamo. The conflict was very fierce, and Ikoyi, hemmed in on all sides, was nearly taken, when Asegbe the Olofa’s Ilari, who was then with his master, a refugee at Ikoyi, saved the city by wise and judicious measures.

He told his master and it also came to the Onikoyi’s hearing that if he could be allowed to use his wisdom without being forbidden or thwarted, he could save the city. The besieged who were prepared to agree to any terms in order to obtain peace accepted the offer, although reluctantly, as Asegbe kept his plans to himself. He sent a private messenger to Abdulsalami the Emir of Ilorin in the name of the Onikoja, that he was besieged in his city, for the sole reason that he declared himself for the Emir of Ilorin.

The Emir again questioned the messenger “Is it true the Onikoyi declared for me?”

“Quite true, your Majesty,” was his reply.

“Then the siege must be raised,” said the Emir.

Orders were now sent to recall Solagberu with all the Ilorin forces, but he refused to obey orders. Again, and again peremptory orders were sent, with the same result. The fifth and last message was to the Princes and other chiefs, to the effect that whoever would prove himself loyal should return home at once by the order of the Emir. The Ilorin army now left the camp, leaving Solagberu alone behind together with the allies.

The next effort of the Emir of Ilorin was to raise the siege at all cost, and hence he sent his army to reinforce Ikoyi. These Ilorin troops entered Ikoyi, but for ten days did nothing but help themselves to everything they could lay hands on, eating and drinking to excess. On the eleventh day, they asked to be conducted to the scene of action. Then they joined battle and completely routed the Kakanfo’s army. Solagberu fled back to his quarters at Ilorin, and the Yorubas were dispersed.

Solagberu’s feelings towards Abdulsalami can better be imagined than described. The men of note who fell in this war were, The Timi of Ede, the king of Erin, the Chief Aina-Abutu-Sogun, and Ayope.

Although Solagberu was allowed to remain in his quarters, yet the disaffection between him and the Emir of Ilorin was very great, and every incident served but to heighten it. It grew from jealousy and ill will to opposition and resentment, and at length into a civil war. The Emir’s party besieged Oke Suna, desperate battles were fought, but the besieged held out for a long time until they were reduced by famine.

They were hard to put to it in order to sustain life, living on frogs, lizards, barks of trees, etc., till no green thing could be found at Oke Suna, Solagberu had cause to remember with regret his treachery towards his friend Afonja, in his hour of need, at the hands of these very Jamas. At last, Oke Suna was reduced and Solagberu was slain.

Abdulsalami the Fulani Emir having now no rival in any Yoruba King or Chief, the Onikoyi having declared for him, the Kakanfo’s army shattered, and Solagberu slain, resolved upon subverting the whole kingdom, and making himself the King of the Yoruba country. The remaining Yoruba towns spared were placed under tribute. He was aided in his enterprise by the Jamas whose tyrannies and oppression greatly exceeded those which they practised in the days of Afonja, which were so galling to the Yorubas: formerly it was only the livestock that were freely taken away, but now, they entered houses and led away women and young persons at their pleasure. It was literally enslaving the people!

To such a wretched and miserable condition were the people reduced, especially in the provinces.

 

REFERENCE

1. Samuel Johnson; The history of the Yorubas, Lagos, CSS Limited; 1921; pg. 126-128

 

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Copyright © 2020 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

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Get started by reading: THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO RECOVER ILORIN FROM THE FULANIS: THE BATTLE OF OGELE

And: THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO EXPEL THE FULANIS AND RECOVER ILORIN: THE MUGBAMUGBA WAR

Kanla War: Amodo was ill at ease under the yoke of the Fulani Emir of Ilorin, and he prevailed upon all the Yoruba chiefs throughout the country to unite and rid themselves of their common enemy.’  Apparently, they were united, but between the capital and the provinces, the spirit of disaffection and jealousy was strong. It was understood full well that the King’s policy was to use them together to rid himself first of the common enemy and then to subdue the rebel chiefs one after another, by force of arms.

But the Ilorins, on the other hand, were more diplomatic. In order to facilitate their plans, they made friends with some of the Yoruba chiefs who were men of power, and who, if united, would be able to oppose them successfully; such were Prince Atiba of Ago Oja, Edun chief of Gbogun, the most powerful Yoruba general of the day, and Adegun the Onikoyi the premier provincial king.

Whenever there was war with the Ilorins these chiefs usually acted against their own real and national interests, either by betraying their own nation and people or by giving their backs to the enemy without shooting an arrow, thus allowing the Ilorin horse the advantage of out-flanking their foes.

Alaafin Amodo having prevailed upon all the chiefs to come together declared war against the Fulanis, and Ilorin was besieged by a formidable army raised throughout the country. Adegun the Onikoyi was suffering from indisposition and was really unfit to take the field; but Edun of Gbogun, his rival forced him to go to the war, secretly planning with the Ilorins that he would give way in the heat of the battle, in order that Adegun might be taken alive!

This battle took place at Kanla from which the expedition was named.

Edun having carried out his act of treachery, the Onikoyi was surrounded by the Ilorin horse, but he fought, fought bravely and fell like a hero. Thus, the Alaafin’s army was routed, and the people fled away in confusion.

It was at the time when the rivers overflowed their banks, and a number of people drowned at the river Ogun. The most notable chief who drowned on this occasion was Oja the founder of Ago (the present Oyo). Prince Atiba, one of the rising powers, rode his powerful horse into the river and narrowly escaped being drowned.

The Yoruba towns deserted at this defeat were Esiele and Popo.

REFERENCE

1. Samuel Johnson; Kanla War: The history of the Yorubas, Lagos, CSS Limited; 1921; pg. 126-128

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2020 by My Woven Words: No part of this published blogpost and all of its contents may be reproduced, on another platform or webpage without prior permission from My Woven Words except in the case of brief quotations cited to reference the source of the blogpost and all its content and certain other uses permitted by copyright law.

For permission requests, contact the admin on admin@johnsonokunadea.com, or WhatsApp/Text him on +2347036065752