The Nineteenth Century Wars
The fall of Ọ̀yọ́, the Ilọrin and Sokoto dimension, the Ọ̀wu war, the rise of Ìbàdàn, the Sixteen Years War at Kiriji, and the political map they left behind.
intermediatemedium·
Loading…
The fall of Ọ̀yọ́, the Ilọrin and Sokoto dimension, the Ọ̀wu war, the rise of Ìbàdàn, the Sixteen Years War at Kiriji, and the political map they left behind.
The Yorùbá wey dem quote, the proverbs, oríkì, ẹsẹ Ifá, word list headwords, Odù names and citations dey exactly as the corpus record dem, for every language.
Between roughly 1817 and 1893, di Yoruba-speaking region fight plenty war-dem wey overlap, wey scatter dia biggest state, make dia towns empty and build new ones, shift di center of dia population reach like one hundred kilometers go south, bring out plenty captive wey reach to change Atlantic diaspora, and end as British authority take over di region. Na dis period draw di modern Yoruba map. Ìbàdàn, Abẹ́òkúta and modern Ọ̀yọ́ all come out from dis period. Like dat too, for real sense, na di idea say one single Yoruba people dey.
Dem dey usually show di wars as names wey scatter anyhow without clear order. But dem dey easy to understand more if person divide dem into three phase wey get different logic. Di first one, from about 1817 to 1836, na di scattering of di Ọ̀yọ́ empire as military rebellion from inside and jihadist state from outside press am at di same time. Di second one, from about 1830 to 1877, na di struggle among di successor state-dem for di position wey Ọ̀yọ́ leave empty, wey Ìbàdàn win for dat time. Di third one, from 1877 to 1893, na di coalition war against Ìbàdàn dominance, wey dem fight reach where body taya everyone, till British come settle am.
Di collapse of Ọ̀yọ́'s get internal cause-dem wey happen before di jihad start. Di way Bàṣọ̀run Gaha take hijack di constitutional check for di 1750s and 1760s, when dem force four Aláàfin to kill diasef within few months, spoil confidence for di system; and even though Aláàfin Abíọ́dún execute Gaha for 1774 come bring order back, di reign after his own na di point where di empire take start to weak well well for everyone eye .
Di direct thing wey trigger am na Àfọ̀njá. As Aàrẹ Ọ̀nà Kakanfò, wey dey hold office wey dem deliberately put outside di capital so dat no general go fit take over di palace, Àfọ̀njá dey command for Ilọrin and rebel against di Aláàfin from 1817 . To keep di rebellion going, e recruit Muslim fighter-dem, and na here Sokoto jihad enter di matter.
Dem need to talk di Islamic part carefully, because people dey usually misrepresent am for both sides. Usman dan Fodio jihad, wey start for Hausaland for 1804, don establish Sokoto Caliphate for north. Ilọrin already get Muslim community before. Sàlih Janta, wey people know as Shehu Àlímì because of im learning, don come Ilọrin from di Ọ̀yọ́ area, and oral tradition talk say e move because of pressure for dat side, and e carry Yoruba Muslims follow body . Àfọ̀njá join body with Àlímì and with Muslim Yoruba, Hausa, and Fulani fighter-dem, including slave men wey join because dem promise dem freedom.
Wetin follow no be say outsiders come conquer Yorubaland. Na one Yoruba general rebellion wey use Muslim military manpower and later lose control of am. Àfọ̀njá own allies kill am. By 1829, Àlímì pikin Abd al-Salam don become emir of Ilọrin, and Ilọrin come align with Sokoto Caliphate . Through dis one, Ilọrin come turn to emirate wey Yoruba people plenty pass inside: im population na Yoruba-speaking people and e still remain so, im rulers come from Fulani descent, and im political alignment face north. Na dat combination be di origin of di way Ilọrin's position dey complex for Nigerian politics reach today.
Pressure come tight on top Ọ̀yọ́ from every side. Ilọrin dey hostile for north, Dahomey don free diasef from tribute and dey hostile for south, and di horse supply wey Ọ̀yọ́'s military system depend on dey pass through land wey dem no dey control again . Dahomey defeat Ọ̀yọ́ well well for 1823 . Around 1835, though date for academic books dey between 1833 and 1836, Ilọrin forces destroy Ọ̀yọ́-Ile, and di people wey survive move go south go start Àgò d'Ọ̀yọ́, wey be di present town of Ọ̀yọ́ .
Two points about Islam wey history record back up. First, Islam don dey inside Yorubaland long before di jihad, as traders bring am pass through northern trade routes, and Yoruba Muslims, wey dem dey call ìmàle, be recognized community for Ọ̀yọ́ towns. Di jihad no be wetin bring Islam give Yoruba people; e only put politics inside wetin already dey. Second, na between Yoruba states dem fight most of di wars because of political and commercial control, no be as religious fight. Ilọrin fight Ìbàdàn for decades, but Ìbàdàn also fight Ìjàyè, Ijẹ̀bú, Ẹ̀gbá, Ìjẹ̀ṣà and Èkìtì, and none of dem get religious reason. To present di century as Muslim attack on Yoruba land na interpretation wey come later, and di pattern of alliances no support am, because di alliance-dem cross religion boundary over and over again.
Di Ọ̀wu war happen from about 1817 to 1822, and na di major event wey turn things around for di southern half of Yorubaland. Tension don build up between Ọ̀wu and Ifẹ̀ over Àpòmù market town, wey Ọ̀wu take control of around 1810, and between Ọ̀wu and Ijẹ̀bú over wahala for dat same market with Ijẹ̀bú traders around 1821 . Ifẹ̀ and Ijẹ̀bú join hand against Ọ̀wu, and Ọ̀yọ́ soldiers wey run commot because of di collapse for north come join dem .
Di siege last for five years and Ọ̀wu fall for 1822 . Dem describe am as di first major Yoruba conflict wey European firearms decide di outcome, wey Ijẹ̀bú get access to through dia position near coast . After di fall, Ijẹ̀bú merchants carry thousands of people wey survive go sell through Lagos . Dem never build Ọ̀wu back for dat site again.
Di continuous displacement of people na wetin really matter. Ọ̀wu people wey survive move go southwest toward Ìbàdàn from about 1826, den cross Ògùn river reach Òkè Àtà, and around 1834 Ṣódẹkẹ́ convince dem make dem settle for Abẹ́òkúta . Ẹ̀gbá towns wey dey di way of di fighting empty as people leave dem, and dia people go dat same place. Ṣódẹkẹ́ found Abẹ́òkúta around 1830 for one rock site wey easy to defend, and e grow as e absorb dis groups while e still keep dem separate under dia own traditional institutions, with separate rulers for each Ẹ̀gbá section and one for di Ọ̀wu .
Dem start Ìbàdàn for the 1830s for one old Ẹ̀gbá site through different war fighters from Ọ̀yọ́, Ifẹ̀, Ijẹ̀bú and Ẹ̀gbá . Na war camp wey come turn city of about 100,000 people for the nineteenth century, without any ọba, no family ruling house wey dem dey inherit, and ladder to get war-chief title wey no be by inheritance but na through war victory and the number of armed fighters wey person get .
Ìbàdàn stop Ilọrin make dem no enter south, especially for Ọ̀ṣogbo around 1840, and this victory na the foundation of their respect: from dat time dem come present theirself as the shield of Yorubaland. Whether Ilọrin plan to take over the whole south or na small advance dem want make na matter wey people still dey argue, but the result on ground clear well well. Dem stop Ilọrin's horse soldiers for the edge of the forest, and the northern boundary settle roughly where e still dey till today.
After dat, Ìbàdàn expand come take over other Yoruba states. Dem destroy Ìjàyè for 1862, wey end their drag with Kúrunmí; dem attack and scatter Ifẹ̀ for 1859 and Ilésà for 1870 . Across the eastern areas wey dem conquer, dem put ajẹ̀lẹ̀, resident agents, and na this particular matter cause the final war. The eastern side talk say the ajẹ̀lẹ̀ collect farm land and crops, destroy food, forcefully take people wives, and dey collect heavy payments all the time, wey make Èkìtì and Ìjẹ̀ṣà regions poor well well .
The Kiriji war, wey dem also dey call Èkìtìparapọ̀ war, get im name from the sound of gun wey dey burst for the main camp. E happen from 1877 to 1893, sixteen years, and na one of the longest continuous wars wey dem fight anywhere for dat century .
The war start for 30 July 1877 when the Aàrẹ Ọ̀nà Kakanfò Látòsisà, wey dem also dey call Latoosa, of Ìbàdàn attack the Ẹ̀gbá . Wetin make am different from previous fights na the response: the Èkìtì kingdoms, wey never join body politically before, form the Èkìtìparapọ̀, wey mean Èkìtì join together, with alliance with Ìjẹ̀ṣà. Ìbàdàn come find out say dem dey fight for different-different sides at the same time, with Ilọrin for Ọ̀fà for north, the Èkìtìparapọ̀ and later Ifẹ̀ for east, and the Ẹ̀gbá and Ijẹ̀bú for west .
For August 1878 the confederate forces attack Ìgbájọ, wey lead to the Battle of Ìkìrun, wey people know as the Jalumi war, where Ìbàdàn push the alliance back . Ìbàdàn Balógun Ajayi Ogboriefon die for 7 April 1879, after which Ògèdèngbé of Ilésà join the confederates for Ìmẹ̀sí-Ilé come take control as commander-in-chief of the alliance, along with Fabunmi of Òkè-Mèsí and Ogunmodede .
The military technology matter well well. The Lagos-based Èkìtìparapọ̀ Society, an association of Ìjẹ̀ṣà and Èkìtì people wey dey live for Lagos, buy and ship modern breech-loading rifles go the eastern camp, including Snider, Martini-Henry and Winchester weapons, wey bring gun power wey dem never see before for Yoruba war history . Ìbàdàn no fit get dat kind modern weapons even as Látòsisà beg Lagos . This na one clear early example where diaspora community sponsor war for their homeland, and na why the eastern alliance fit stand strong against Ìbàdàn army wey big pass their own. The two camps face each other for trenches for Kiriji for many years, wey resemble trench warfare pass the kind fighting wey dem dey do for earlier decades.
Látòsisà die for August 1885 and both sides come begin dey look for peace . Dem sign peace agreement for Ìmẹ̀sí-Ilé for 23 September 1886, through the help of British and CMS intermediaries including Samuel Johnson himself, wey take part directly for the peace talk instead of just being historian . But the camps no scatter immediately. The final dispersal come happen for 14 March 1893 under Captain Bower, after Governor Gilbert Carter tour Yorubaland go sign treaties with Ọ̀yọ́ and the Ẹ̀gbá and convince the Ìbàdàn and Èkìtìparapọ̀ forces make dem disband .
The political map. Ọ̀yọ́ stop to be great power and come turn one town among many. Ìbàdàn come turn the largest Yoruba city and the main power for the interior, but dem break its dominance and e enter colonial period under British supervision instead of being independent power. Abẹ́òkúta turn big state with the most modernized administration for the region. Ilọrin detach permanently enter northern political sphere. Èkìtì and Ìjẹ̀ṣà get their independence from Ìbàdàn and immediately lose am to Britain. Ijẹ̀bú, wey dem defeat separately for 1892, na the first interior state wey dem annex.
The demographic map. People move well well go south and east, leave savanna enter forest. Dem abandon the old northern towns. The new cities of the 1830s come turn the largest settlements for the region, and na so e still dey.
The Atlantic connection. The wars produce captives for the exact time when Cuba and Brazil na the last big buyers, wey explain why Yoruba people plenty for those countries and why òrìṣà religion survive there.
British entry. Every step of British advance follow after war. Dem take Lagos for 1851 and dem surrender am for 1861 because of succession dispute wey join with slave trade. Dem invade Ijẹ̀bú for 1892 because of their trade monopoly. Carter 1893 treaties, wey dem present as peace-making, establish British control over the interior. The wars tire the states wey for fit resist, and na the same power wey come take over the region make the peace.
Yoruba identity. The Èkìtìparapọ̀ na the clearest example of how common opposition create wider identity. Sixteen kingdoms wey never join before come together under pressure. For the same decades, CMS mission and the Sàró people dey print Yoruba-language books, Yoruba Bible, and Yoruba newspapers, wey give the whole region one common written standard based mostly on Ọ̀yọ́ language. The wars and the mission press join together turn different related communities into one people wey get common name.
Na Samuel Johnson be di main source for dis century, and im dey inside am. Im be CMS agent for Ọ̀yọ́ from 1881, im carry message between di war camp dem, and im join for di negotiation dem wey bring out di 1886 treaty . Dis make wetin im write get correct information well-well, but e still mean say im side one place for some specific way: im dey work for peace, dey work from Ọ̀yọ́, and dey write for mission audience. For where im dey talk about event dem wey im follow do, im na participant. Modern scholarship, wey include Robin Law work on Ọ̀yọ́ and di plenty book dem on Ìbàdàn, dey check wetin im write against CMS letter dem, Lagos colonial record dem, and oda tradition dem. Di general order of event dem dey sure; specific date dem before 1860 dey often be estimate and dey get one or two years difference between sources.
How the collapse of Ọ̀yọ́ and the wars that followed fed the last decades of the Atlantic trade, why so many Yoruba ended up in Cuba and Brazil, and what returned.
The CMS mission and Crowther, how and why Yoruba people converted to two world religions, the British annexation, indirect rule and what it did to kingship, and the making of "Yoruba" as one identity.
A dated timeline of Yoruba history in which every entry is marked for how well the date is actually established, since much early dating is contested.
The Ìjẹ̀ṣà commander who was twice an Ìbàdàn captive and ended as commander-in-chief of the eastern confederacy that fought Ìbàdàn to a standstill for sixteen years, and the diaspora arms network that made it possible.
Ijẹ̀bú, Ẹ̀gbá, Èkìtì, Ìjẹ̀ṣà, Ondó, Ọ̀wọ̀, Kétu, Sábẹ̀, Ìbàdàn, Abẹ́òkúta and Lagos, each with its own institutions rather than as branches of Ọ̀yọ́.
The Ọ̀yọ́ war commander whose revolt broke the empire, the Fulani scholar whose community he armed, and how Ìlọrin passed from a Yoruba town under a Yoruba general to an emirate of the Sokoto Caliphate.