Unveiling 15 Yoruba Kings Who Left Ile-Ife…

…To Found Other Kingdoms

The ancient crown kings of Yoruba were from inception 15 not 16 as some people asserted.The claim that there were, at inception, 16 kings who left Ile-Ife at different times with their crowns to found their different kingdoms and domains is wrong.  It could not be right as absent-mindedly those who made the assertion counted Oranmiyan  twice. He was counted for Benin Kingdom as well as Oyo empire as if he was two different persons.   Those who made the assertion were, perhaps oblivious that Oramiyan, ruled two different kingdoms at different times in his sojourn on earth. In 13th century, Edo people invited Oranmiyan  to come and rule Benin Kingdom. In Benin, hostile vibration of power struggle had spiraled out of control of the elite ruling Ogiso kings. There was a people’s  internal revolt that called to question the competence of the king. Besides, the king’s authority was equally challenged. Thus, engendering  lawlessness and disorder. That prompted the motive that inspired the chiefs to seek people’s support and cooperation  to invite one  Prince Oranmiyan of IleIfe to their  rescue. The invitation was to prevent a total break down  of order  in the kingdom. That was how Oranmiyan emerged the ruler of Benin Kingdom. Oranmiyan accepted the offer and went to Benin to answer the people’s call to service.

After spending sometime in Benin, he later left the kingdom. He had a vision of founding his own kingdom and he knew he would not be able to do that if he continued staying in Benin.Before taking action on his decision to leave Benin, he had fathered a son, named Eweka. To ensure that his exit from the throne would not permanently end his reign in Benin, he installed his son, Eweka,  king.  Eweka was born by a Benin woman for Oranmiyan. An enterprising itinerary war-like prince, Oranmiyan,  left Benin, but, did not immediately return to Ile-Ife. It is relevant here to recall that Eweka was succeeded by Ewedo. Instead of returning home, Ile-Ife, Oranmiyan went  ahead  to go and found a new kingdom, Oyo Kingdom,  that later became an empire, it was in Oyo where he also ruled and maximally  expanded his territory beyond the borders of the present day. Nigeria in the South-West.  It could, therefore, be said that Oranmiyan, in his life,  ruled two kingdoms  not one. Thus, reducing the number of crown kings from Ile-Ife, who left Ile-Ife to found their individual kingdoms  to 15.

At this point those who believed that Oyo empire was synonymous with Yoruba towns and kingdoms in West Africa sub-region were wrong. There were many other towns and kingdoms founded, controlled,  dominated and ruled by Oduduwa’s grand children that were not under the control of Oyo empire. They were never  subjects of  Alaafin. They were not under the suzerainty of Oyo or Alaafin,  who was the Alpha and Omega of the empire either.  They were independent and sovereign on their parts. Besides Benin Kingdom, to which Oramiyan was invited to rule, there was no controversy that Oyo empire was the most prominent and popular among other Yoruba kingdoms in the past. Oyo  empire spread its tentacles, rule  and  authority over a large expanse   of  areas in Dahomey or what is  today known as the Republic  of Benin and Togo Republic.

Owu  was one of the ealiest founded towns in Yorubaland. Olowu is the title of the  king. It was founded by one of the grand sons of Oduduwa nick- named Asunkun gbade. Literally means the one who was appeased with a crown to stop crying . He was given the name because he used to cry whenever his grandfather prevented him from spotting  a crown he removed from his grandfather’s head whenever Oduduwa was playing with him on his lap. If Ile-Ife is taken as the centre point of  the territories of the Oduduwa’s grand children and they  were divided into Eastern and Western hemispheres, Owu is on the West. Other towns on the same zone with Owu are: Oyo, an empire that had been spoken about above. Alaafin is the title of the king. Egba Ake, where Alake rules supreme. Today, however, there other Egba Kingdom in Abeokuta. They are Owu, Gbagura and Oke-Ona. Ijebu-Ode has Awujale as its traditional ruler. Other Ijebu towns that have their independent crown king are; Orimolusi of Ijebu Igbo, Ebumawe is the King of Ago-Iwoye to mention but two. Ijebu Ode is where Awujale rules supreme.

Other towns founded by original crown kings: are Sabe, where Onisabe is the title of the ruler. Ketu, Oniketu is the king’s title. The town is not Ketu at Mile 12 in Lagos and Popo, where Onipopo is the ruler. All the three kingdoms are in Dahomey, now the Republic of Benin. Under Popo kingdom were Alladah, Owida/Quida.

At this point, it becomes relevant to mention the outstanding statesmanship quality of Oranmiyan. His touch of leadership and emblem of royalty were felt on the Western and Eastern divides that claimed Ile-Ife as the centre of the territorial fulcrum of the 15 crown kings who came out of Ile-Ife to rule West African sub-region. In the West, was Oyo Kingdom, where Oranmiyan was the King. His official title was Alaafin. Literally, meaning we have a palace. It is a dynasty that is still extant, ruled by his descendants.

On the Eastern side was Benin, a powerful kingdom, whose chiefs and people saw wisdom in inviting a Prince of Ile-Ife, the Oranmiyan, who radiated sterling character of royalty to come and superintend on affairs of the Kingdom that was assailed by centrifugal forces that threatened to bring the kingdom and its glory to its knees. Oranmiyan ran to the rescue the kingdom that he called Ile Ibinu House of Anger. Despite dialetic differences, the Prince in Oranmiyan enabled him to rein in, supress the destructive and distablising factors in Benin, replacing all with centripetal forces that returned peace and orderliness to the kingdom.

His son, Eweka, was put on throne as Oranmiyan left Benin. That transitional line has been maintained till date.

Other towns and kingdoms on the Eastern side of Ile-Ife were Ijesha, Ilesha is its major town. Its traditional ruler is Owa Obokun Adimula. He was reputed to have restored Oduduwa’s sight with sea water that he brough from Atlantic Ocean shores in what is called Lagos today. Ondo Town has Osemawe as King. Ekiti has Ado-Ekiti in the forefront, its traditional ruler is Ewi, while Owo is the home of Olowo. Kabba has Obaro as King, while the footprint of Oranmiyan can never be wiped away in Edoland, that is Benin.

The spread of Yoruba civilisation is conspicucous in Itsekiriland especially in Warri where the ruler is Olu.

– Tajudeen Adigun

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