what does obalufon mean?

does anyone know?

saxywale: Note for your records, Obalufon was a very popular king who gave beaded crowns to many Yoruba kingdom. The popular Ife bronze head(the one with the beaded crown) made using the lost wax method sitting in a museum in London is called the head of Obalufon, 3rd ooni of ife. There is also an ancient Yoruba town located in Osun state still existing till date. The name of the town is called Ifon-Osun-Orolu.

it seems the town in osun state was founded by indigenes from ondo state?

bump

More controversial versons added to yoruba history.Abewela,you said that odudwa meet ooni in ife and paid homage to him which is contrary to widely acclaim belief that oduduwa is the progenitor of yoruba race and the first ruler of ile ife.It is onile(lord of the house) not oonile which you claimed that the title ooni derived the name and that proves you wrong.You said that ooni ordered alaafin to establish aare ona kakanfo which is widely known that no oba dare order alaafin of oyo in yorubaland.Aare ona kakanfo was established by alaafin ajagbo to oversee yoruba land farther away after oyo returned from 80 years interrugnum exile in borgu due to nupe defeats which oyo revenge and gave them racial name tapa.Oyo empire was a sophisticated institution that oversee the entire yoruba and allies which constitutes the Alaafin seat,oyomesi headed by bashorun and ogboni led by oluwo society.The activities of the empire from early 1400s to late 19th century has never been disputed by historians and archaeologists due to orals powered by artefacts unlike the genesis of yoruba in ile ife.My stance on Alaafin of oyo position in yorubaland is still intact.Just google the empire to find more information.

@tpia.
check out my post on this thread.

https://www.nairaland.com/1239208/short-history-yorubaland-pictures/5#16388735

this one?

saxywale:
True....IFA tells us that oduduwa met obatala in ife.

Oduduwa, the famous father of the Yoruba Nation overthrew Obatala in Ile-Ife and Obatala went into exile in Ilofi, a place still in existence for tourists in Ile-Ife now. Oduduwa reigned as the Olufe (the Head of Ife[Yorubas]) Oduduwa had only Okanbi who also had seven children among which are Olowu of Owu, Orangun of Ila, etc and the famous Oranmiyan the Ruler of Benin Kingdom and founder of Oyo Empire. Upon the demise of Oduduwa, Obatala came back to Ile-Ife and reigned as the second Olufe because all Oduduwa's grandchildren had gone to establish their own kingdoms. Upon his(Obatala)death, some of his children contested the throne after him, they are OLAOSA ALADIKUN a.k.a Akogun Erujeje,Obalufon Alayemore among others. Of all these contestants,Obalufon Alayemore succeeded their father and others had to go establish their own
kingdom.

Olaosa Aladikun consulted Ifa for prophesy of his exodus, he was directed to establish a kingdom wherever he saw plenty weaver birds on a tree with mushroom underneath. Couched in Yoruba Language, 'ibi ti olu ati eye eega fon si' 'where mushroom and weaver birds spread' thus we have the short name 'Olu fon', 'mushroom spread' which is now the Title of the King of Ifon i.e. the Olufon of Ifon. Ifon can be simply interpreted as 'The Spread'.

basically,


- oduduwa was originally the olufe of ife, before the ooni title

- obalufon was the son of obatala. Obatala was exiled during the civil war which preceded oduduwa's reign.

- obalufon was the third olufe

- one of obatala's other sons established the olufon title.

- Fon means spread


quick questions:

1. Your account places the olufon as a descendant of obatala, not oduduwa. However, other versions state the olufon as a direct descendant of oduduwa [one of the original seven yoruba kingships]. How can these versions be reconciled, just curious.

2. what's the history of ifon osun.

obalufon is identified as one of the ife masks, i believe.

i think i mentioned on a previous thread from years back, he's credited with being the king who started the tradition of the ife sculptures.

yk-alhaji:
Alaafin Of Oyo Or Sijuade Of Ife ko, Baale of ilu kekere ni. All of them no get power again joor. There was never a de-factor leader of the Yoruba people(There was really never a Yoruba people) There were different kingdoms that their kings claimed decadency from Oduduwa, there was only the military superior kingdom or whatever, each king is equally as powerful as the next based on military and economic power, just like the world today.

Olodo.

I PITY YOUR LIFE WITH THESE BUNCH OF RUBBISH YOU WROTE. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY? COMPARING PEOPLE OR THE THRONE ITSELFT?

You might need to read the topic again for better and objective comment...

olumota: 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

I also believe that Lamurudu, Agbonmeregun and Oduduwa lived in Mecca when there was no Islam there. Don't forget that the Messenger Mohammed preached against Idolatry in Arabia and there was a Jihad that I think most have chased Idolaters to shift base to somewhere near. Egypt would likely be the place to move too but with the Pharaoh been so powerful they might not have a grand and had to move again towards the west from Sudan. Think about this. Odua a gbe wa o.

Interesting topic.

Ndipe:
Interesting topic.

why do you feel so?

tpiah01:


why do you feel so?

Cos, it shows how 'money talks' in the modern day era of Nigeria.

tpiah01:

is resurrecting dead threads your hobby?

Read this:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/ooni-alaafin-rivalry-resurfaces-oyo-lays-sole-claim-oranyan/

From time in memorial all the yoruba know that alaafin is the head of all yoruba obas.For instance there is a proverb which end that alaafin ni ipekun awon oba( alafin is the head or the ultimate end of all yoruba obas.ANOTHER SAYS YOU ARE GOING TO OYO AND YOU WANT TO GO IN HURRY,ALAAFIN WOULD NOT GO ANYWHERE,YOU WOULD ALWAYS MEEET HIM AS OVERLORD KING IN HIS PALACE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, ALAAFIN IN THE PAST WAS A SACRILEGIOUS KING YOU CAN NOT SEE ALWAYS OTHERWISE,THE DEATH IS THE RESULT.WHEN ALAAFIN ADEYEMI 2 WAS DEPOSED TO LAGOS, HIS CONSTANT CONTACTS WITH THE KING OF LAGOS THEN,LED TO THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF THE LATER. AS SOME
SAID, IT WAS OONI ADESOJI ADEREMI THAT BROUGHT OONI OBASHIP TO THE LIMELIGHT. IN CONCLUSION ALAAFIN IS SUPERIOR TO OONI.

Alaafin of Oyo is the head of Yoruba kings according to History.

all well said. it is only important to note that traditional authorities of this kind is often derived from the position and not the occupant of the stool. the long standing (but not natural) feud between alafin and ooni is not a difficult and irreconcilable battle but for other reasons not unearthed to the public it has remain a mitigator of our socio cultural and traditional episteme. only posterity can judge our traditional rulers. my humble submission will be based on my prior knowledge coupled with more that i have learnt here-on. if we all couldnt have agreed less to how important the Ile-ife is to the cultural hegemony of the yoruba race, why distorting or discounting the sanctity of the ooni stool?. forget whoever his occupying the stool and accord maximum regard to the office of ooni. simple knowledge implies that a capital entity habours the commander-in chief. therefore ife as the capital of yoruba race seats ooni

yeah its posible to move in 30days then,then the redsea and rivers were not the big ones we have now,u only need to cross over them just abit,until God expanded it and lands.

Kilode1:
.

Good added points! Thank you!

Is now up to our Bini relatives to accept the facts of history and complete their search or search no more. Ile-Ife is their spiritual home, The home of their lord, progenitor and King.

Erediauwa Omo Noba Nedo Uku Akpolokpolo should do the needful and bring his subjects under the cultural and spiritual authority of Ile Ife. Oduduwa (Ekaladerhan) will be proud.



I too have issues with the Mecca-Arabia origin story, my suspicion is that some section of the old Yoruba nation migrated from an Islam influenced region of Africa and the real story got lost or embellished due to the limitations of oral history.

Nothing like abrahmic religion,the only abrahamic religion is islam,Allah called him ANIFA in the Quran,it could be that Ifa is used alongside with the Quran as some yorubas use it and some arabs too use it on sand,but the whole thing now got confused as muslims now says the wisdom Allah says to be used together with the Quran is the narrations collected by Bukhari and muslim both hadiths collectors,they says it contains the words of the and deds of the prophet but,my question is the hadiths were collected and given to the muslims 200yrs after the prophets death,so what were muslims using before hadiths?what did the prophet himself used?as the prophet himself was told to use this thing alongside with the Quran,and IFA on the other hand has been in existence before adam,adam met it,seth met it,idris/enoch met it,noah/nuh met it.Ansd if i remember a verse in the Quran which says Allah was talking of Jesus son of Maryam that he gave him the injil and this same wisdom He hgave prophet Muhammad.Now muslims of today will wage jihad and kill if you defend it that the wisdom given to the prophets alongside the kitab is Ifa,yet they can accept hadith given to them by bukhari and muslim 200yrs after thre death of the prophet.

Kilode1:
^Actually that's true, the Mansa Musa myth said he journeyed to Mecca abi na medina, but that took years though.

I know history said the Oyo Empire had a well developed calvary force. I assume they bought the horses from Arab traders in the North because I'm not so sure the thick Rainforest of southern west Africa had an horse friendly topography then.

So how did the Yorubas acquire a religion of their own and created Ifa and the Odu's if they were from Islamic or Judaic Arabia?

Or do we have evidence of linkages between Ifa and the Abrahamic religions?

I always laugh at these Oyo people with all their efforts to make their Oba the head of Yoruba kings. Personally, i dont believe in myths (history of Towns). Alaafin that was disgraced by a mere Gov Akala? The only thing left for them to do now is to tell the world that Ife is no longer the cradle of Yoruba civilization, but Oyo is.
Bunch of clowns!

In todays world governors are above the kings.

Alaafin of Oyo is the Head of Oba in the Yoruba Land.
You can even see that anytime meeting is called in Abuja with the presidency they will always called Alaafin, followed by Oni of Ife.

Deborahj:
Alaafin of Oyo is the Head of Oba in the Yoruba Land.
You can even see that anytime meeting is called in Abuja with the presidency they will always called Alaafin, followed by Oni of Ife.

Really!

Deborahj:
Alaafin of Oyo is the Head of Oba in the Yoruba Land.
You can even see that anytime meeting is called in Abuja with the presidency they will always called Alaafin, followed by oni of Ife.

But the present alaafin of oyo had once challenged the authority of ooni of ife throne as the head of yoruba traditional rulers in a court of law with his lawyer then, chief afe babalola but best reasons known to him to have discontinued the suit that later was thrown out of court. I just wish he can revive the case again, so that the supreme court can put all these stories for the hippies to rest. This whole issue started with the present alaafin of oyo and I hope history will never forget his royal majesty for that.

I'm really amused that some people even said on this thread that oranmiyan died in oyo...funny though, but if you have cogent facts not and I repeat not oral story that oranmiyan truly died in oyo, pls, put forward ur fact otherwise I would advise you to cease from causing confusion on the history because from the version of ife angle to the fact that oranmiyan came back to ile ife, they established their facts based on oranmiyan staff (opa oranmiyan) at ile ife which is physical to this present world to see, in fact, anybody can visit the sight for further investigation or knowledge. So, if you have any contrary opinion to this, I implore you to put forward your cogent facts not oral tradition because anybody can lie... peace

erosimo:


But the present alaafin of oyo had once challenged the authority of ooni of ife throne as the head of yoruba traditional rulers in a court of law with his lawyer then, chief afe babalola but best reasons known to him to have discontinued the suit that later was thrown out of court. I just wish he can revive the case again, so that the supreme court can put all these stories for the hippies to rest. This whole issue started with the present alaafin of oyo and I hope history will never forget his royal majesty for that.

That was when they are in old oyo state traditional councils of Kings which constitute the present oyo and osun state, for political reasons and due to the fact that the then Oni of Ife Sijuwade is wealthy and also have connections to the sit of power he was made the permanent chairman of the traditional council of Oba in old Oyo state,Alaafin contest this at the Court of Law.

Deborahj:



That was when they are in old oyo state traditional councils of Kings which constitute the present oyo and osun state, for political reasons and due to the fact that the then Oni of Ife Sijuwade is wealthy and also have connections to the sit of power he was made the permanent chairman of the traditional council of Oba in old Oyo state,Alaafin contest this at the Court of Law.

Swit hrt, there is nothing like 'for political reasons and due to the fact that the then Oni of Ife Sijuwade is wealthy and also have connections to the sit of power he was made the permanent chairman of the traditional council of Oba in old Oyo state'. Even before both ogun state n ondo state were carved out from old oyo, ooni has always been the permanent chairman in their institution.
When oba Aderemi was the ooni, he was the head besides that he was the governor of western region...I know someone will say due to political influence, well politics is for everybody to play while some get it right and some it's otherwise. Like I said in your first mention, I don't like the fact that his royal majesty, oba adeyemi ii had to drop the law suit he called, by now everything would've been laid to rest because you argue in law court with facts nothing less. But If his royal majesty can't go to court again, then we should let the sleeping dog lie otherwise I see any person's opinion trying to
Put alaafin as ahead of ooni as an heresy, futile effort.