The History of the Yorubas

CONTENTS

PART I

THE PEOPLE, COUNTRY, AND THE LANGUAGE.

1. INTRODUCTION.

2. THE YORUBA LANGUAGE .

3. A SKETCH OF YORUBA GRAMMAR

CHAPTER I

ORIGIN AND EARLY HIStory

CHAPTER II

THE ORIGIN OF THE TRIBES

CHAPTER III

RELIGION

CHAPTER IV

GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER V

YORUBA NAMES

CHAPTER VI

YORUBA TOWNS AND VILLAGES

CHAPTER VII

THE PRINCIPLES OF LAND Law

CHAPTER VIII

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS .

(a) Social polity

(b) Facial marks

(c) Diet

(d) Dress

(e) Marriage

(f) Trades and professions

(g) Learning

(h) Wealthy Personages

(i) The Iwofa system

(j) Distraining for debt .

(k) War : :

(l) Funerals

PART II

FIRST PERIOD

MYTHOLOGICAL KINGS AND DEIFIED HEROES

CHAPTER I.—TuHeE FoOuNDERS OF THE YORUBA NATION

1. Oduduwa

2. Oranyan , ‘

3. Ajuan alias Ajaka

4. Sango alias Olufiran 3

5. Ajaka’s second reign .

SECOND PERIOD

GROWTH, PROSPERITY AND OPPRESSION

CHAPTER II.—HiIstoricat King

I. Aganju

2. Kori

3. Oluaso

4. Onigbogi.

5. Ofinran

CHAPTER III.—TuHeE Kines oF Oyo IgBoHo

1. Egugiioju

2. Orompoto

3. Ajiboyede

4. Abipa or Oba m’oro

CHAPTER IV.—A Succession oF DEspotic Kings

1. Oba lokun Agana Erin

2. Ajagbo

3. Odarawu

4. Karan

5. Jayin

6. Ayibi

7. Osinyago

8. Ojigi

9. Gberu

10. Amuniwaiye

11. Onisile

CHAPTER V.—BAsoruN GAHA AND HIS ATROCITIES AND

ABIODUN’S PEACEFUL REIGN

1. Labisi

2. Awonbioju alias Oduboye

3. Agboluaje

4. Alaje ogbe

5. Abiodun alias Adegolu

6. Abigdun’s peaceful reign

CONTENTS xiii

THIRD PERIOD

REVOLUTIONARY WARS AND DISRUPTION

CHAPTER VI.—THE REVOLUTION

1. Aole surnamed Arogangan

2. The King’s enemies

3. The rebellion of the Oyo Chiefs

4. The rising of Ojo eerie

5. Maku

CHAPTER VII.—THE RISE OF THE FULANIS TO POWER

1. The spread of anarchy and fall of Afonja

2. The first attempt to recover Ilorin. Battle of Ogele un 200:

3. The second attempt: The Mugba mugba War

4. The Battle of Pamo

CHAPTER VIII.—CONSEQUENCES OF THE REVOLUTION

1. The Owu War

2. The Lasinmi War

3. State of the Capital at this period

CHAPTER IX.—FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE ANARCHY

1. Evil days for the Capital

2. The third attempt to recover Horin. The Kanla war

3. The vicissitudes of Ikoyi

4. The Gbogun War

5. The Pole War and death of Abudusalami

CHAPTER X.—SPREAD OF THE ANARCHY

1. Devastation of Egba towns and villages

2. Foundation of Abeokuta

3. The Egbado Tribes

4. The founding of Modakeke

CHAPTER XI.—THE REVOLUTION IN THE Epo DISTRICTS

1. The destruction of the Epos, and death of Ojo Amepo

2. The occupation of Ijaye and end of Dado

3. How Ibadan became a Yoruba town. The Gbanamu and

” Eriimu Wars

4. The Settlement of Ibadan

CHAPTER XII.—Wars FOR THE CONSOLIDATION AND BALANCE

OF POWER

1. The evacuation of Opomu and Owiwi War

2. The fall of Ilaro and Ijana

CHAPTER XII.—(continued)

3. The Omyefun War

4. The Arakanga or Jabara War

5. The Onidese and Oke Heer Wars

6. The Iperu War

7. The fall of Ota

CHAPTER XIII.—THe Last oF KATUNGA

1. Final efforts to throw off Fulani yoke

2. The Eleduwe War

CHAPTER XIV.—THE INTERREGNUM

1. Civil war at Abemo

2. The destruction of Abemo

FOURTH PERIOD

ARREST OF DISINTEGRATION. INTER-TRIBAL WARS

BRITISH PROTECTORATE

CHAPTER XV.—THE New City, NEw GOVERNMENT, ILORIN

CHECKED

1. Prince Atiba, early life and history

2. Atiba’s accession

3. Conferring of titles

4. The Osogbo War

5. The expulsion of Elépo from Ibadan

CHAPTER XVI.—FRATRICIDAL WARS

1. The Osu War, Aaye and Otun

2. The Egbas and Egbados

3. Ibadan and Ijaye. The Batedo War

4. Abeokuta and Abaka

5. The Ile Bioku expedition and the end of Elépo

6. Sagaun and Igbo Ora

CHAPTER XVII.—SubjuGaTION OF THE IJESAS AND EKITI’s

SOCIAL REFORMS

1. The Opin War

2. Subjugation of the Ijesas

3. The first Dahomian invasion of Abeokuta

4. The Ara War and relief of Otun

5.. Raids by minor chiefs of Ibadan

6. Social reforms 

CHAPTER XVIII.—A Glorious END AND A GORY Dawn OF

Two REIGNS

1. The death of King Atiba

2. Circumstances that led to the Ijaye War

3. When Greek meets Greek

4. Famine and the sword

CHAPTER XIX.—SEQUELS TO THE IJAYE WaR

1. The Awayé War

2. The Iperu War

3. The Ikorodu War

4. The second Dahomian invasion of Abeokuta

5. The atonement

CHAPTER XX.—THE CLOSE AND THE OPENING CAREERS OF

Two HEROES

1. Ogunmola’s administration

2. The Igbajo campaign

3. The late Ogunmola Basorun of Ibadan

4. Ogedemgbe and the fall of Ilesa

CHAPTER XXI.—Two ADMINISTRATIONS OF OPPOSITE POLICIES

1. Orowusi’s administration

2. Ibadan under a Kakanfo

3. An unprovoked war. Ado

4. The Are’s administration

5. The Emure War.

CHAPTER XXII.—A NEw REIGN AND EVIL PROGNOSTICATION

1. The end of ADELu the ALAFIN of Oyo

2. The Wokuti expedition

3. The new policy

4. The civil murder of Aijenku the Fohoko

5. Plot against the Seriki lyapo

CHAPTER XXIII.—THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE 16 YEARS’ WAR

1. The Bokofi expedition

2. The first act of war

3. Insurrection against the Are and the death of Seriki Iyapo

4. Further raiding expedition on Egba farms

5. The revolt of the Ekiti tribes

CHAPTER XXIV.—ConFLictTs IN THE NORTH

1. The celebrated battle of Ikirun or the JALUMI War

2. The results of the Jalumi War

3. The Ekiti parapos

4. The beginning of the actual conflict

5. The Are to the front

CHAPTER XXV.—IBADAN AT ITS EXTREMITY

1. Home defences.

2. Closure of roads and the results.

3. Distressing episodes

4. New developments, clouds and sunshine

CHAPTER XXVI.—FAILURES AT RECONCILIATION

1. The Alafin’s efforts for peace

2. The Alafin’s messenger

3. The Governor’s delegates

4. The lion at bay: d

CHAPTER XXVII.—A RIFT IN THE CLouD

1. A turning point

2. Rambling talks of peace

3. Desperate movements

CHAPTER XXVIII.—THE Rev. J. B. Woop AND THE

A.O.K.

1. The visits of the Rev. J. B. Wood to the eater

2. The death of Latosisa the A.O.K.

3. The vicissitudes of war.

CHAPTER XXIX.—THE INTERVENTION OF .THE BRITISH

GOVERNMENT

1. Measures by Governor Moloney m,

2. The Ilorins and peace proposals.

3. The messengers and preliminary arrangements

4. The treaty of peace

5. The reception of the tr eaty by the Kings and Chiefs.

CHAPTER XXX.—DISPERSAL OF THE COMBATANTS BY SPECIAL

COMMISSIONERS

1. Special Commissioners sent up

2. The Commissioners at Kiriji

3. The Proclamation of Peace and firing of the camps ey

4. The Commissioners at Modakeke. Failure

CHAPTER XXXI.—DISTURBANCE IN EVERY PART OF THE

COUNTRY

1. Ilorin intrigues and the fall of Ofa

2. Revolutionary movements at Tjebu

3. ‘‘ A mild treaty”

The exploits of Esan and the controversy thereupon 

CHAPTER XXXII.—ABORTIVE MEASURES TO TERMINATE THE

CHAPTER XXXV.—THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BRITISH

War

The mission of Alvan Millson

Subsidiary efforts of the Rev. S. Johnson

The ALArin’s diplomacy F

Correspondence and a treaty

The ALAFIN’s measures for peace and the issues .

The Ilorins at Ilobu ‘

The conduct of the chiefs at Tkirun

CHAPTER XXXIII.—THe\E Dark BEFORE THE Dawn

Liberation of the Egbados

Troubles at Ijebu

Strained relations with the Ibadans

Death of Aliku the Emir of Ilorin

Ijebu excesses and infatuation

Causes that led to the Ijebu War :

Further causes that led to the ok ebu War

_The Ijebu campaign

Effects of the Campaign

CHAPTER XXXIV.—THE END-oF THE WAR

Governor Carter’s progress up country

The return home of the Ibadans |

The return of Governor Carter to Lagos

Local opinions about the war

Constitution of the Ibadan Town Council

PROTECTORATE. THE SEQUEL

Abeokuta

Ibadan

Ijesa The Ekitis ;

Ife and Modakeke

Ilorin

APPENDIX A

TREATIES AND AGREEMENTS

Abeokuta

Oyo

Ibadan (an agreement)

Egba (boundaries)

Abeokuta (railway)

Ibadan (railway)

APPENDIX A—(continued)

7. Ijesa (human sacrifices)

8. Ekiti

9. Ife

Io. Between England and France for the ‘West Coast

11. Porto Novo

12. Proclamation

APPENDIX B

1. Yoruba Kings, Basoruns, etc

2. Ibadan chief rulers

3. Abeokuta leading chiefs

4. Emirs of Ilorin

INDEX 

Map of the Yoruba Country ,