Lifestyle

The Fall of Afonja and the Rise of Fulani Rule in Ilorin

Published

6 months ago

July 26, 2025

Ilorin, a city now known as the capital of Kwara State in Nigeria, has a complex and significant history that reflects the broader political struggles of the 18th and 19th centuries within the Yoruba world and beyond. Once a Yoruba military outpost under the control of the Oyo Empire, Ilorin’s transition into a Fulani emirate marked one of the most defining turning points in Nigerian history. At the center of this transformation was Afonja, the sixth Aare-Ona-Kakanfo of the Oyo Empire.

Afonja and the Yoruba Control of Ilorin

Ilorin was originally established as a frontier military post by the Oyo Empire. Ojo Isekuse, a Yoruba hunter, was the first known settler of the area, but it was later fortified and governed by Afonja, the Aare-Ona-Kakanfo—the military commander-in-chief of the Oyo Empire. Afonja administered Ilorin on behalf of the Alaafin (king) of Oyo, holding substantial military and political influence.

Conflict Between Afonja and Alaafin Aole

The tension that ultimately led to Afonja’s fall began during the reign of Alaafin Aole (c. 1789–1796). Aole gave Afonja several controversial orders, including attacking the town of Iwere-Ile, a place traditionally avoided due to spiritual taboos. Afonja defied these orders and later rejected another command to attack Apomu, a town in Ile-Ife, regarded as sacred. To signal his final break from the authority of the Alaafin, Afonja sent an empty calabash and parrot’s eggs to Aole—a symbol of rejection in Yoruba tradition.

In response, Alaafin Aole reportedly took his own life in a ritual suicide, uttering a powerful curse on the Yoruba people. This event symbolized the collapse of central authority in Oyo and laid the groundwork for the political upheaval that followed.

Alliance with Shehu Alimi and the Sokoto Jihadists

In seeking to protect his position and challenge the weakened Oyo monarchy, Afonja allied himself with Shehu Alimi, an Islamic scholar and Fulani cleric who had arrived in Ilorin with a band of disciples. This alliance, initially strategic, brought Afonja military support from Alimi’s followers and fighters from the wider Sokoto Caliphate, which had been expanding its Islamic influence across northern Nigeria.

With this support, Afonja and his new allies successfully resisted forces loyal to Oyo and eventually led attacks that resulted in the destruction of Oyo-Ile, the capital of the Oyo Empire, around 1817 or 1818. At this point, Ilorin became a powerful military base and began shifting from a Yoruba to a Fulani-controlled polity.

Afonja’s Downfall and Death

However, the partnership between Afonja and Shehu Alimi soon turned into a struggle for control. Afonja, though powerful, remained a traditional Yoruba warlord and resisted conversion to Islam. As Alimi’s followers grew in number and influence, tensions rose. Afonja also attempted to control the growing violence and lawlessness of the slave-soldiers known as the Jamaa—many of whom were loyal to the Fulani clerics.

Around 1824, these tensions reached a breaking point. Abdulsalam, the son of Shehu Alimi, rallied the Jamaa and led a revolt against Afonja. He was assassinated in the streets of Ilorin in a brutal ambush. His body was reportedly mutilated and left impaled with arrows and spears—a grim display of the fate of one of the most feared Yoruba warriors of his time.

Emergence of the Ilorin Emirate

Following Afonja’s death, Abdulsalam declared himself the first Emir of Ilorin, aligning the city politically and religiously with the Sokoto Caliphate. The traditional Yoruba chieftaincy system was abandoned in favor of the emirate model. From that point forward, Ilorin ceased to be ruled by Yoruba kings and was governed by Fulani emirs under Islamic law.

Failed Yoruba Counterattacks

After Afonja’s death, the Yoruba made several attempts to retake Ilorin. His successor, Toyeje of Ogbomoso, led counter-offensives such as the Battle of Ogele in 1825. Despite initial resistance, these campaigns ended in defeat for the Yoruba, largely due to the superior cavalry and support Ilorin received from Sokoto.

These losses marked the definitive end of Oyo’s military dominance in the region and sealed Ilorin’s status as a Fulani emirate. The city remained outside the political and cultural control of the Yoruba, despite being geographically located within Yorubaland—a reality that remains significant to this day.

The fall of Afonja is more than a personal tragedy; it is a symbol of the dramatic political realignments that occurred in 19th-century West Africa. Afonja’s attempt to assert Yoruba independence from the crumbling Oyo Empire inadvertently opened the door for Fulani dominance. His death not only marked the end of Yoruba rule in Ilorin but also the rise of Islamic emirate structures in a region that had once been firmly under traditional Yoruba authority.

The story of Afonja is a crucial part of Nigeria’s historical tapestry, offering insights into the dynamics of power, alliance, betrayal, and the long-lasting effects of colonial and pre-colonial politics in shaping modern identities and boundaries.

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Lifestyle

THE LIST OF 60 LAGOS TOWNS AND THEIR FOUNDERS. (Yorùbá history is still intact)

Published

1 hour ago

February 1, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

1.Isheri Olofin – Olofin Ogunfunminire and his retinue from Ife before moving on to Ebute Metta and Iddo
2.Iddo Island – Olofin Ogunfunminire (See above)
3.Lagos Island/Eko – Aromire, son of Ogunfunminire. Iduganran was the site of a pepper farm (Ereko or Oko).
4.Iru/Victoria island – Oniru Origefon traditionally part of the idejo land owning children of Ogunfunminire
5.Ikate/Elegushi – Elegushi Kusenla (Another member of the idejo class)
6.Otto/Mainland – Pawu ogboja oloto
7.ijora/Orile iganmu – Kueji/Isikoko ojora
8.Ajiran – Ojomu Ejo/Mogisho, brother to Olofin Ogunfunminire
9.Ikoyi – Onikoyi Adeyemi/Efunluyi
10.Ebute Lekki (Ileke) – Lootu son of Labolo, grandson of Oba Alara of Epe.
11.Ibeju – Abeju Agbeduwa originally from ife through the coastal Ijebu area
12.Ajah – Olumegbon/Ogunsemo/Ojupon
13.Otto Awori – Aregi Ope, Iworu Oloja and Odofin, all part of the original Awori stream from Ife.
14.Ojo – Esugbemi/Erelu/Osu
15.Iba – Àyoká Oniba ekun
16.Mushin – Oduabore/Aileru
17.Isolo – Akinbaye/Alagbeji
18.Ejigbo – Fadu onimewon/Olojan
19.Ikotun – Ategbo Olukotun
20.Egbe – Kudaki/Akeja
21.Oshodi/isolo – Olusi onigbesa/Agedegudu
22.Ijegun – Ajibade Agbojojoye
23.Igando – Eseba onimaba/oko osi/Eshidana
24.Eleko – Sobokunren
25.Akesan – Ominuye/Aina òdofin
26.Ogba (Ikeja) – Owoeni Asade/Madarikan
27.Ogudu – Amosu from Ile ife
28.Ikeja – Amore/Ikudehinbu
29.Aguda/Surulere – Gboin /Odunburé
30.Itiré – Òtá Onitire
31.Ilasa – Àbere ijé
32.Onigbongbo – Ikunyasun Àwusefa
33.Irewe – Edinni/Ojube/Oluwen
34.Ikosi-Kosofe – Aina ejo from Isheri
35.Idimu – Eletu Apataiko (Isa Aperindeja Olugoké)
36.Ilara-Epe – Tunse/Sabolujo/Alara Adejuwon
37.Ibonwon – Soginná from Ijebu
38.Ketu (kosofe) – Balogun oyero from Ketu-Ile
39.Ojokoro – Oniojugbelé Adeitan from Ota
40.Ikaare – Ikeja Ajija
41.Orile Agege – Efunmikan
42.Obele odan (Surulere) – Alago asalu
43.Ikorodu – Oga from Epe Sagamu
44.Epe – Uraka from Ife joined by Isein & Modu of Omu. they settled under a Popoka tree, that site became Poka township. Alaro (a woman) later joined. Then Ramope, Ogunmude and Oloja Shagbafara joined from Ijebu ode.
45.Odo Ayandelu – Ayandelu from Ile ife
46.Agbowa – Olayeni Otutubiosun son of Owa Otutubiosun who was Awujale, and grandson of Lafogido of Ife.
47.Igbogbo – Oshinbokunren
48.Meiran – Oroja from Ota
49.Imota – Ranodu from Ijebu
48.Owode Apa badagy – Oganogbodo-Akereyaso/Asese Alapa
50.Ajido – Aholu sagbe from Allada
51.Oworoshoki – Ajumogijo
52.Iworo/Imeke – Ajagunosin/Adejori isejoye
53.Badagy – Egun people from Popo, Allada, Wida and Weme who fled the wars of the Dahomey conquest of the coastal kingdoms of Allada and Igelefe (Ouidah) to come settle of Apa lands to their east.
54.Ejinrin – Loofi Ogunmude founded Ejinrin around 1619
55.Eputu Lekki – Ogunfayo
56.Orimedu Ibeju/Lekki – Ladejobi left Ife to Okegun then crossed the Lekki Lagoon.
57.Akodo – Oyemade Ogidigan
58.Offin – Liyangu of Ife.
59.Ibonwon – Soginna from Ijebu ode.
60.Ijede – Ajede

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Lifestyle

Ìwòyè-Kétu: The Yoruba Town That Spans Two Nations and Lives by Ancient Taboos

Published

19 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Ìwòyè-Kétu is one of the most remarkable Yoruba communities in West Africa, not only for its deep-rooted traditions but also for its unique geopolitical identity. The ancient town straddles two modern nation-states—Nigeria and the Republic of Benin—yet remains culturally, spiritually, and traditionally unified as one Yoruba settlement.

A Town Without Borders in Spirit

Geographically, Ìwòyè-Kétu is primarily located in Imeko/Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, while its western section lies across the international boundary in the Republic of Benin. This border, imposed during the colonial partition of Africa, cuts through the town but has failed to divide its people.

Families live on both sides of the boundary, speak the same Yoruba dialect, observe the same customs, and recognise one traditional authority. Daily life reflects this dual reality: residents freely transact using both the Nigerian naira and the West African CFA franc, depending on location and convenience.

Unified Kingship Across Nigeria and Benin

Despite existing in two countries, Ìwòyè-Kétu is governed traditionally by one paramount ruler. The recognised monarch is:

His Royal Majesty Oba (Sir) Isaac Adegbenro Oyero,
the Ooye of Ìwòyè-Kétu, also styled Adekilúrójú – Ada Páàkó II.

His authority is acknowledged by the community on both sides of the border, making Ìwòyè-Kétu a rare example of a binational Yoruba town under a single royal institution.

Origins in Ile-Ife

According to Yoruba oral tradition, Ìwòyè-Kétu was founded by Olúmu (or Olómù), a legendary migrant from Ilé-Ifẹ̀, the spiritual homeland of the Yoruba people. Like many Yoruba settlements, its founding narrative emphasises migration from Ife, reinforcing the town’s ancient roots within the broader Yoruba civilisational story.

Ìwòyè-Kétu forms part of the historic Kétu region, once a powerful Yoruba kingdom before European colonial boundaries fragmented it between British-ruled Nigeria and French-ruled Dahomey (now Benin).

Sacred Taboos That Still Govern Daily Life

Ìwòyè-Kétu is widely known for its strict traditional prohibitions, which continue to be enforced by custom and belief:

Use of umbrellas is strictly forbidden anywhere within the town.

Rearing pigs is prohibited, and pork is traditionally avoided.

In some oral accounts, digging wells is either forbidden or tightly regulated.

These taboos are believed to be tied to ancestral covenants, spiritual agreements, and the town’s founding myths. Violations are traditionally thought to invite misfortune, reinforcing collective adherence across generations.

Language, Culture, and Continuity

Despite the Nigeria–Benin divide, Ìwòyè-Kétu remains culturally seamless. Yoruba language, customs, festivals, and lineage systems are shared. The town stands at a linguistic crossroads where English and French meet administratively, but Yoruba remains dominant socially and spiritually.

A Living Example of Pre-Colonial African Unity

Ìwòyè-Kétu exemplifies how pre-colonial African societies continue to transcend modern borders. Long before Nigeria or Benin existed, the town functioned as a single cultural entity—and it still does.
In an era where borders often define identity, Ìwòyè-Kétu reminds us that history, tradition, and shared ancestry can be stronger than lines drawn on maps.

Sources

Yoruba oral traditions and local historical accounts of Ìwòyè-Kétu

Ogun State local government and cultural heritage records (Imeko/Afon LGA)

Nigerian media reports and cultural features on Ìwòyè-Kétu’s taboos and binational status

Community welcome signage and local testimonies

Cross-border Yoruba history of the Kétu Kingdom (Nigeria–Benin)

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Lifestyle

Emotan; The Benin Heroine (PHOTOS)

Published

19 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Throughout history, in every culture around the world, extraordinary women have pushed society to think bigger, move forward and create.

Emotan is a glowing example of boundless courage and world-changing ingenuity.

Emotan a market woman, single-handedly raised an army and overthrew the illegal regime of Oba Uwaifiokun who usurped his brother and conspired with his chief to kill King Ewuare.

She protected Oba Ewuare in her hut and showed him kindness when he was trying to reclaim his throne back.

Emotan helped install Oba Ewuare the Great, who was the most outstanding Oba in the ancient Benin Kingdom around 1440AD.

Eventually, when Oba Ewuare regained his throne, Emotan became the King’s favourite citizen.

Moreso, her kindness wasn’t restricted to the Oba alone, history tells us that Emotan converted her hut to a crèche to help nursing mothers who patronized her or came to the market for other things.

At that time, her daycare centre was popular in Benin and it can be said authoritatively that she started the first-day care centre in Benin.

After her death, her body was buried at the Oba market at the exact spot where she sold her goods. A tree was planted on her grave and she is being worshipped as the mother of love and kindness