this is for all yorubas ,its something i have always wondered about between the alaafin of oyo and the king of ife sijuade who is the authentic king of the yorubas overall?please im not talking about social standing or riches or political clout in the present day nigeria but traditionally who is supposed to be the overall and authentic leader of the yorubas

the alaafin is the king of the yorubas but because of money and influence the ooni seems to have taken that role,infact the name ooni has no meaning in yoruba and ooni was actually the keeper of the shrine in ife

awrite seen,but how come oranmiyan is situated in ife and ppl always say that ooni of ife is the father of yoruba, its soo confusing

Of course the Ooni's the father of the yorubas. that's elementary yoruba cultural knowledge.

Alaafin of Oyo according to Yoruba history.

alaafin is the number,yorubas are just easily influenced by money thats why oooni has prominence

lamidebaby:

Of course the Ooni's the father of the yorubas. that's elementary yoruba cultural knowledge.

can you see its not soo elementary

so does anyone know at what point the equilibrum changed,if i recollect from a few books read there were no arguments during the time of aderemi the former ooni and the alaafin then(not sure if the present one was there during aderemi's time)

lucabrasi:

can you see its not soo elementary

so does anyone know [b]at what point the equilibrum changed,[/b]if i recollect from a few books read there were no arguments during the time of aderemi the former ooni and the alaafin then(not sure if the present one was there during aderemi's time)

when dollars $$$$$$$$$$ got involved probably

_{who give a toss about these people anyway, they are so useless, shouldn't they be the carrying placards to the national assembly and chasing people like adedibu out of nigeria? people dont respect these old bags anymore they sit on watery thrones collecting our money}

Dis Guy:

when dollars $$$$$$$$$$ got involved probably

_{who give a toss about these people anyway, they are so useless, shouldn't they be the carrying placards to the national assembly and chasing people like adedibu out of nigeria? people don't respect these old bags anymore they sit on watery thrones collecting our money}

i totallyagree with you,but its just the arrogance and the confidence the ooni and his people say it as if its a given,i have always believed it as well, why would a single person want to re-write history just because of his ego i dont blame ooni sef when the alaafin cannot be principled enough to make a stance on adedibu and damn the consequences like the oba of benin and esama of benin

Whether elementary or advanced history, Alaafin is the Head of Yoruba Obas. Ooni was a son of palace slave (captive) turned priest that perform fetish sacrifices for Oodua. Olojudo-Alayemero of Ido-Osun and his sycophant OPC stooge (Frederick Fasheun) should stop distorting history. Ooni is not one of children of Oduduwa. Alaafin Oranmiyan (1st IKU BABA YEYE) initially ruled at Ile Ife before transferring the political headquarters of Yoruba race to Oyo Ile. Since then Oyo had became the ancient Yoruba Capital City and the paramount ruler since then was Alaafin Ornamiyan and his progeny. Ooni is not one of Oduduwa's 7 children and 16 grand children. Modern days fake Odu-Ifa that tends to re-write Yoruba history in favor of Sijuwade is not acceptable. Sijuwade is, no doubt, richer than Alaafin but Alaafin is legitimate child of Oduduwa and Ooni was not. While Orangun Ila, Alaketu and other Yoruba children scarmbled to inherit Oduduwa monies and wives, Alaafin Oranmiyan (though the youngest child) outsmarted his senior brothers by chooising to inherit all Yoruba lands that his brothers considered 'invaluable' then. He later became the Yoruba landlord (owner of Yorubaland) to whom others Yoruba kings paid rent (Isakole). Because he had all the land, he became the greatest Yoruba monarch that founded one of the greatests empire in Africa. Alaafin suzeranity covered not only the present Yoruba areas of present Western Nigeria, it also extends to Benin Republic and Dahomey and larger part of West of Africa. Based on the foregoing, it is crystal clear that both Fredereick Fasheun and Olojudo-Alayemero of Ido-Osun (Sijuwade errand boys) were wrong for insinuating that Ooni (the child of palace slave) is greater than Alaafin (the Oduduwa legitimate child) that ruled over the whole of Yorubaland after the demise of his father Oduduwa. To further butress this arguement, Alaafin Adeyemi 1 who is grandfather to the present Oba Lamidi Adeyemi was recognised by colonialists as the head of Yoruba race and he had always signed treateies as the Head of Yoruba Nation. No other Yoruba Obas (including Ooni) had ever attained that exalted status in the Yoruba history. By tradition, Alaafin remains the most superior king and the paramount ruler of Yorubaland. Plethoria of evidence abound in the federal and state government archives that previous Alaafin had always hosted and presided of Yoruba Obas meeting because Alaafinate is second to none in Yorubaland. Ooni sijuwade may be richer or older than Lamidi Adeyemi, Oba Adeyemi stil remains superior because Yoruba Obaship is determined by tradition (not mundane factors). Imagine Elejigbo of Ejigbo Osun State, because of monetary inducement, now recanting his archived statement. Recently he said that Ooni was superior to Alaafin. But his archived statement he signed with other Yoruba Obas several years ago confirmed that Alaafin was Head of Yoruba Obas. Yoruba Obas shopuld not because of monetary gains turned our history upside down to please their sponsor. There is no harm in being a sycophant Obas that kowtow a wealthy king for monetary support, but Yoruba will not allow new generation (latter days) monarchs to distort our hsitory tha placed Alaafin over other Obas in Yorubaland. If not for the politics of AC/UPN era that supported sijuwade against Alaafin, who is Ooni of Ife to challenge Alaafin's supreamcy? Late Chief Awolowo deserve all acollades for his archivements in Western Nigeria and I am also a beneficairy of his free education but with due respect to the late sage, it was his greatest mistake for allowing politics to overide the tradition by supporting imosition of Ooni over Alaafin. If not for political disgreement between late Awolowo and Oba Adeyemi II, there will be no controversy because Yoruba Obas had long submitted to Alaafin's leadership prior to politics era. I am a legitimate Yoruba and I herein empahsize that Alaafin is the most supreme Oba in the Yoruba land (Ooni was not). To crown it all, Alaafin insitution has the exclusive authoity to confer any Yoruba Chieftaincy title accross Yoruba land. Alaafin appointed Late Ladoke Akintola and Chief M.K.O. Abiola as Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. No Ooni has ever done that in Yoruba history, then who is superior. Sijuwade attempt to confer Akinrogun of Yorubaland on Tom Ikimi of NRC for political reasons was rejected by Yorubas because they beleive that tradition only allows Alaafin to confer title across Yorubaland. Recently, he successfuly conferred Aare-Baamofin of Yorubaland on Senior Advocate Afe Babalola, and the Yorubas supported him. when I read that one Olojudo kicked against the celebartion of our dear Mrs. Alaba Lawson as Iyalode of Yorubaland, I laughed because no Obas could stop Alaafin from doing what the tradition allows him to do. Besides, our Iyalode had already received her letter of appointment and we supported her conferment, it is just a matter of time when the celebartion will be performed because Alaafin had never lost any battle. Once again, ALAAFIN IS THE HEAD OF YORUBA OBAS AND HE IS SUPERIOR TO OONI OF IFE. Thank you

alaafin lagba gbogbo oba ni yoruba.

.

According to Yoruba History, and also odu ifa, the following are the children of Oduduwa who created Yoruba Land.
1. Oranyan of Oyo
2. Olowu of Owu (son of Oduduwa's daughter),
3. Alaketu of Ketu (son of a princess),
4. Oba of Benin,
5. Oragun of Ila,
6. Onisabe of Sabe,
7. Olupopo of Popo,
8. Owa Obokun of Ijesaland
The youngest of them is Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland while Oranmiyan of Oyo was the eldest. History of the blindness of Oduduwa led to the dispersal of his children to become kings over Yoruba land. Owa Obokun the youngest was not with Oduduwa when his brothers left. He was far away fetching sea water (omi okun) to cure Oduduwa’s blindness- hence the title of Obokun – He is originally Adimula – his children spread to Ekiti land and till today , Deji of Akure continually pay homage to Owa Obokun as one of his sons.  Same as Ataoja of Oshogbo.

While all of his brothers had gone with Oduduwa’s crowns, none was left for him. But he was given a sword called Ida Ajase. He eventually caught up with one his brothers and fought to  win a crown for himself. That was the only crown in Yorubaland that has no facial coverage, because it was cut off at war. 

Ooni inherited the crown from Oduduwa after his death. That is why  he was given recognition by the rest of the children of Oduduwa, because he took care of Ife and became king after the death of Oduduwa.

Sabe and Popo are not in Nigeria teritory  today. The Yorubas hold the secret of the origin of black people.

.

Alaafin of Oyo is the head of all Yoruba kings.
Being the first child of Oduduwa and also the only,
king that can appoint an Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land.

I think a lot of posts support that Alafin is the paramount yoruba traditional ruler. I am however curious because in elementary social studies we were taught about the importance of IFE in traditional youruba history. I am not yoruba but would really be happy to know all surrounding detail.

na wa oh

alaafin

toba1909:

Alaafin of Oyo is the head of all Yoruba kings.
Being the first child of Oduduwa and also the only,
king that can appoint an Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land.

as a matter of fact both of them are a nuisance. of what benefit is their "royalty" to their subjects. these are people who give out titles on a pay as u go basis to treasury looter.
These are people without an ideological basis, who command an influence in the unfortunate country.
If the truth must be said, both of them and their fellow traditional kings must either be abdicated or given the Rawlings treatment before Nigeria can move forward.

noetic15:

as a matter of fact both of them are a nuisance. of what benefit is their "royalty" to their subjects. these are people who give out titles on a pay as u go basis to treasury looter.
These are people without an ideological basis, who command an influence in the unfortunate country.
If the truth must be said, both of them and their fellow traditional kings must either be abdicated of given the Rawlings treatment before Nigeria can move forward.

Bro you are not wrong. But the errors in the two of them apply to almost every tradtional ruler in the country.

Lets stay focused on the historical details here for the benefit of people like me that just want to know.

Ile ife was the traditional home of the yorubas, the old Oyo empire had been the strongest and it controlled every part of yorubaland including ile ife.

so the Alaafin is the paramount ruler of all yoruba land.

noetic15:

as a matter of fact both of them are a nuisance. of what benefit is their "royalty" to their subjects. these are people who give out titles on a pay as u go basis to treasury looter.
These are people without an ideological basis, who command an influence in the unfortunate country.
If the truth must be said, both of them and their fellow traditional kings must either be abdicated or given the Rawlings treatment before Nigeria can move forward.

Well said.

Andre Uweh:

Well said.

Well said but you didn't advocate for the same thing in the obi of Onitsha ofala thread or did you forget you are anti monarchy when you were there?.

Aloy`Emeka:

Well said but you didn't advocate for the same thing in the obi of Onitsha ofala thread or did you forget you are anti monarchy when you were there?.

I hold the Obi of Onitsha in high esteem. He is not a nuisance. Those two Obas, there wahala dey too much oo!. With the splitting of the old Oyo state into two-Oyo and Osun, one would have thought that will be the end to that feud.

Andre Uweh:

I hold the Obi of Onitsha in high esteem. He is not a nuisance. Those two Obas, there wahala dey too much oo!. With the splitting of the old Oyo state into two-Oyo and Osun, one would have thought that will be the end to that feud.

Are there are no chiefs in igboland that constitute nuisance to the society?. Didn't they fight over the throne of the Obi of Onitsha after the death of Ofala Okagbue?

Aloy`Emeka:

Are there no chiefs in igboland that constitute nuisance to the society?. Didn't they fight over the throne of the Obi of Onitsha after the death of Ofala Okagbue?

Achebe's ascendancy to the throne was keenly contested I must admit, I thank God it's been long over. Now he is sitting majestically in his throne and promoting the culture of the great people of Onitsha.

, but we where taught at school the importance of ile - ife and the Ooni. we were taught that all town in yorubaland collect authority from the Ooni before an Oba can be crowned. then how it is now that the alaafin is above the ooni. the oni is one of the sons of oduduwa and not a slave as some people stated above. Oduduwa has only one son that gave birth to seven children that spread across the yoruba land, get your facts right before changing yoruba history that we where taught at school

Before Oduduwa, Ife kingdom was a conglomeration of principalities ruled over by smaller kings without any supreme ruler.

Obatala was one of the rulers in one of these principalities around 700AD when the battle for supremacy first ensued. It went on and off for almost a century before Oduduwa, almost two generations younger to Obatala (though others think they are contemporaries), eventually emerged and started the "authentic unifying dynasty in Ile-Ife and later Yorubaland."

Oduduwa did not migrate from the North East or Middle East as Samuel Johnson (an Oyo man, strong in Christian faith, who tried his "intellectual" best to link the origin of Yoruba to the Middle East, but contradicted by other sources) would want us to believe. In fact most scholars believe that his bias for his Christian faith and unmitigated fantasy for Middle East origination led him to come up with the name NIMROD, later translated to Lamurudu as predating Oduduwa at Ile-Ife. Neither did he (Oduduwa) come from heaven on a chain as mythologists would want us to believe. It was a myth created around him for transcendental, metaphysical and mystical endearment. It was the same kind of myth that surrounded the exploits of retired Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle "The Black Scorpion" in the Civil War. His temerity, tenacity, and the tantalizing media reports helped in enhancing his legend and the concomitant myths. It is the same kind of myth that surrounded Alaafin Sango because of his weird powers and was eventually turned into a god.

Oranmiyan was a grandson of Oduduwa but not a son of Oduduwa (Professor Jide Osuntokun) as Omon'Oba mischievously claimed in his book, reportedly.

Oduduwa only had one son, OKANBI

Okanbi had EIGHT children. SEVEN (Onipopo of Popo, Onisabe of Sabe, Alara of Ilara, Ajero of Ijero, Orangun of Oke-Ila, Owa Obokun Ajibogun of Ijesaland and Oranmiyan) by his "legal" wife, and one (OOni) by his slave turned wife, named ORUNTO.

The five of the seven children by the "legal" wife, went to found their own kingdoms. The sixth, Oranmiyan remained with their father who was very old and blind. He (Oranmiyan) was the de facto ruler carrying out war activities and defending Ile-Ife. Oranmiyan was a great warrior like his father and grand father. He soon became popular and legendary in Ife. Reports of his escapades became mythical. Lots of saying evolved about his awe inspiring prowess e.g. "eyi mo wi, Oranmiyan gbo, akin l'ogun." The seventh son, AjIbogun, was away to the sea to fetch water to cure his father, Okanbi's blindness.

Before Ajibogun's arrival, the Ogiso's had sent emissaries to Ile-Ife for help. Based on the report of these emissaries, Okanbi concluded that the troublesome and non-compliant Ogisos would need a very "strong hand." Okanbi felt that this "strong hand" could be dealt by a warrior like Oranmiyan who has, before then, repeatedly proved his mettle. He believed that Oranmiyan would be able to do the assignment and put the fear of Orisha in the feuding Ogisos. So he sent Oranmiyan to Benin. And he did not disappoint.

The assignment in Benin took a while. Okanbi was getting too old. AjIbogun was presumed dead because he took long to return. Okanbi was concerned about a successor and had to inform the Ijoyes or chiefs to allow his child OOni begat by his favorite female slave, ORUNTO to ascend the throne if he died and Ajibogun never returned.

On arrival at Benin, Oranmiyan's war like acts put the town in order. But as restless as he was, Oranmiyan was in Benin for close to three decades. But he never could stay for ever as his adventurous spirit took the better part of him. He installed his son Eweka and returned to Ife with the hope of becoming king.

On his return to Ife, Oranmiyan met his brother, Owa AjIbogun who had returned from the sea and eventually learnt, just like AjIbogun that he has a half brother, OOni.

Ooni was heir apparent until Ajibogun arrived and with Oranmiyan away to Benin.

Okanbi, so impressed with the efforts of Ajibogun to bring home the sea water now favored him for the throne. He Okanbi then called his chiefs to inform them that Ajibogun would take over the throne when he died.

It dawned on Oranmiyan that he could not ascend the throne with his father's support for his brother, AjIbogun. He therefore left with his warriors towards North to found Oyo-Ajaka and became the first Alaafin.

After sometime Ajibogun declined to ascend the throne, saying he wanted to follow the footsteps of his six other brothers.

Okanbi decided that because he, AjIbogun made such a great sacrifice to cure his blindness, he must have more land than his brothers, If he chose not to have the throne. He (Okanbi) gave him (AjIbogun) the AJASE SWORD, which he (Okanbi) inherited from his father (Oduduwa) and told him (AjIbogun) that from the gate of Ife palace to as far as he could go would belong to him. This is why the front of Ife Palace is called "Enuwa" ("enu aala ile Owa" meaning "the boundary of Owa's land") till today.

Ooni was asked to tend the palace, but later became the ruler of the town after the demise of Okanbi.

and Ooni does argue that he actually is the Arole Oduduwa and even though being born of a slave mother, he is still a paternal son 

source
http://nigeriaworld.com

Imao, i think oduduwa came from benin( the name itself sounds bini).

Ife is the spiritual headquarter and Oyo is the Political headquarter.

The Oonis throne was not of importance until the first republic when the Ooni, Sir Adesoji Aderemi ventured into politic and aligned with the action group His status was elevated by the Government

While Alaafin has always been an opposition Oba. Thats why his influence was toned down

I think Alaafin is the biggest Oba in Yorubaland

Sabe is now called Save in Benin Republic and Popo too is in Benin Republic

dayokanu:

Ife is the spiritual headquarter and Oyo is the Political headquarter.

The Oonis throne was not of importance until the first republic when the Ooni, Sir Adesoji Aderemi ventured into politic and aligned with the action group His status was elevated by the Government

While Alaafin has always been an opposition Oba. Thats why his influence was toned down

I think Alaafin is the biggest Oba in Yorubaland

Sabe is now called Save in Benin Republic and Popo too is in Benin Republic

ADELEKAN (OLUBUSE I)- He was the first Ooni to travel outside Ile-Ife to Lagos in 1903 when he was invited by the then Governor General (colonial) to settle the dispute involving Elepe of Epe. All Yoruba Kings including the Alaafin left their respective thrones as a mark of respect for the Ooni. They returned to their respective stools after Ooni returned to Ile-Ife from Lagos. The British monarch, and Yoruba descendant in diaspora recognize how big and importance the post of the Ooni is,
the dispute that he went to give his ruling on was whether the Oba Elepe of Epe was entitled to wear a crown which was earlier refused by Oba Akarigbo of Remo.
It was the Ooni that was also invited by Harvard university in march, 2008 to give a lecture on the sacred knowledge, sacred power and performance of the Ifa divination as it is used in West Africa and the African Diaspora. the President of Benin republic, Dr Thomas Boni Yayi who is a prince from the royal court of sabe also paid homage to the Ooni at ile ife last december.
If Alaafin was the biggest, why then is that all Obas have to pay homage to the Ooni before they are crowned including the Alaafin himself, 

@saxywale

Your posts are thought provoking. Nice one.