Afrigather The Yoruba and Fulani inhabitants of Ilorin, the current capital of Kwara State, Nigeria, have for therefore lengthy been at loggerheads over who ought to produce monarch for the city.>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
The Yoruba individuals in Ilorin
claimed that the throne ought to at all times have a Yoruba king on seat and backed this with historic references which level Yoruba ancestors because the founders of Ilorin.
The Fulani part of Ilorin got here up with a counter declare that no Yoruba king has ever been enthroned from the onset, due to this fact the throne belongs to their (Fulani) ethnicity.
Nevertheless, historical past won’t ever lie and so OldNaija carry you the true account of how Aare-Ona-Kakanfo Afonja misplaced Ilorin to the Fulani individuals of Northern Nigeria.
Who Was Afonja And Who Initially Based Ilorin?
The historical past of Ilorin put it as a Yoruba city which was initially used as a army outpost by the Alaafin, paramount ruler of the previous Oyo empire (Oyo-Ile). On the interval of creation, Ilorin was administered by Afonja, the sixth Are-Ona-Kakanfo (generalissimo) of the Oyo military and successor of Are-Ona Oku of Jabata.
It was from this outpost that Afonja carried out army capabilities for the then Alaafin named Aole, the son of Alaafin Abiodun.
Aole reigned between 1789 and 1796. It was throughout this era that Shehu Alimi, a Fulani cleric, arrived Ilorin with a few of his tribesmen and had been all welcomed and hosted by Afonja.
Afonja’s Battle With Alaafin Aole
After some time, battle broke out between Alaafin Aole and Are-Ona Afonja. Alaafin Aole had ordered Afonja to assault a city named Iwere-Ile which to Afonja was a suicidal mission and he adamantly refused.
Iwere-Ile is the hometown of Aole’s paternal grandmother and a former Alaafin named Ajagbo had positioned curses on any Kakanfo that try to assault Iwere-Ile. These had been the explanations Afonja disobeyed Alaafin Aole’s orders.
Whereas nonetheless at disagreement
, Alaafin Aole, additionally known as Arogangan (roughly translated because the imply one), ordered Afonja to assault Apomu, a distinguished city in Ile-Ife; this was in 1795. The disagreement heated as much as the purpose that each side resulted to trash issues out with violence.
At this level, Afonja sought the help of Shehu Alimi also called Salih Janta who had each religious and army energy. On his means from the Apomu expedition, Afonja stopped at Oyo-Ile to take care of Alaafin Aole. Afonja despatched an empty calabash to Aole signifying his rejection because the Alaafin and in line with the customs of Oyo, he was to commit suicide at such and he did.
OldNaija gathered that earlier than Aole took his life, he carried out a ritual and cursed the complete Yoruba land that their little kids shall be taken as slaves and bought to totally different elements of the world.
Many imagine Aole’s curse plunged Yoruba land into collection of inter-tribal wars that broke out in following years such because the Kiriji warfare, Egba-Dahomey warfare, Ibadan-Ijaye warfare and so forth.
Aole was succeeded by Adebo who dominated from 1796 to 1797; Maku succeeded Adebo and in addition dominated for few months earlier than his loss of life in 1797. From 1797 to 1802, the Oyo throne was vacant. It was in 1802 that Alaafin Majotu was topped and it was throughout his reign that Are-Ona-Kakanfo misplaced Ilorin to the Fulani.
The Dying Of Afonja And The Institution Of Emir Throne In Ilorin
After defeating Aole, Afonja and Alimi’s relationship strengthened to the extent that Afonja enlisted Alimi’s males into his military and disbanded a lot of his males whom historical past claimed he didn’t totally belief. Unknowing to Afonja, the Fulanis had been steadily infiltrating his military and earlier than he might understand, it was too late.
This was after Sheu Alimi’s loss of life. His son, Abdulsalam, earnestly yearned to rule Ilorin and clandestinely plotted towards Afonja. In 1824, Abdulsalam’s males shot Afonja arrows until he breathed his final. He was shot so many arrows that his useless physique remained suspended in upright place for an extended whereas.
After Afonja’s loss of life, Abdulsalam declared himself the Emir of Ilorin and pledge allegiance to Sokoto Caliphate. This was how the monarch of Ilorin maintain the title of Emir until at present as a substitute of Oba or some other Yoruba title for king.
Afterwards, the Yorubas tried to regain the management of Ilorin from the Fulani jammas however failed. Toyeje, the successor of Afonja, led the primary and second makes an attempt to drive the Fulani individuals out of Ilorin.
The second try is thought in historical past as Mugbamugba warfare by which Yoruba individuals suffered untold defeat within the attempt to regain the throne of Ilorin.>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
