Prominent Yoruba Kings you should know about (Part 1)

Ile-Ife is the starting point for the history of the Yoruba people (Ife Empire). It is said that the god Oduduwa, who some Yorubas also credit with creating the world, was the one who established this kingdom.

Oduduwa was the first heavenly ruler of the Yoruba people and is considered to be their progenitor. And before he passed away, he had his sons inherit the empire so that they might govern over what had become a large territory rich in inhabitants, resources, and history.

It is said in Yoruba lore that he was “the hero, the warrior, the leader, and the father of the Yoruba race.”

Since the time of Oduduwa, the kings have been honored with such a high level of respect and dignity because they are considered to be the direct representatives of the gods.

It is a widely held belief that many historical figures who have been deified as gods in Yoruba cosmology as a result of extraordinary feats they performed during their lifetime did not pass away but rather transformed into objects that are worshipped as idols.

The reasons for their deification as gods are based on the extraordinary deeds they performed during their lifetime.

In numerous instances throughout Yoruba history, there are tales of powerful kings (and queens) who are said to have been believed to have possessed some extraordinary powers, which they used to carry out great exploits that convinced people of their time that they were super humans capable of doing things that were not possible for humans.

The following are some of the most prominent kings and queens of the Yoruba empire’s many tribes, along with some startling information about these enigmatic people:

1. The mythical warrior monarch

Oranmiyan’s youth is shrouded in mystery but it is common knowledge that he was a man of two fathers, Oduduwa and Ogun, who both had sexual encounters with his mother, Lakange Anihunka (a slave captured by Ogun in one of his war expeditions).

According to the mythology, Oranmiyan had a two-toned complexion, with half of his body having light skin (like Ogun’s) and the other half having ebony-black skin (like Oduduwa’s). Due to this, he was given the name Oranmiyan (or Oran ni Omo ni yan, which means “The child has chosen to be controversial”).

His second name, Odede, which means “great hunter,” was given to him because of his reputation as an accomplished hunter during his childhood in Ife.

He was the youngest son of Oduduwa, but due to his physical prowess and tactical acumen in combat, he was given the responsibility of protecting Ife, which at the time lacked a permanent military force, as the first Akogun (warrior) of Ife.

Oranmiyan conquered the people of Benin (formerly known as Dahomey) and became the first Oba of Benin. The people of Benin didn’t think he was a good leader since his style of governing was different from what they were accustomed to, and as a result, some of them conspired behind his back to eliminate him from power. When he found out about this, however, he immediately fled to Ife in order to retake his kingdom, leaving one of his sons in charge. He was elevated to the position of Ooni of Ife after he returned.

However, it is said that he left his throne unattended for his exploits and conquests. After a while, he returned to Ife and the elders were finally happy that he was back again, only for him to declare his leave again after a little while for another conquest. The people were concerned that they would be vulnerable to attacks if he abandoned them, so he gave them a promise that if they ever needed him, they should only call on him, and he would appear and save them.

Ife eventually got invaded and when the people cried for his help, he appeared and struck his sword, destroying everything in his path. In the aftermath, it was realized that he had not only eliminated all of his adversaries but also a significant number of his own people.

Till today, an obelisk stands as a monument built in his memory, although some folklore say it appeared when he struck his sword on his appearance.

Whatever the case may be, Oranmiyan was undoubtedly a formidable warrior that showed great strength.

Read further to find out other interesting details about his reign.

2. The king who lived for 400 years

In the history of all the Oonis that have reigned in Ile Ife till date, Obalufon Ogbogbodirin, the fourth king of Ile-ife is said to have lived longest, thus the Ogbogbodirin sobriquet after his name which literary means one who lived for a very long time.

Ooni Obalufon Ogbogbodirin is claimed to have reigned for ages (about 400 years) before transforming into a metal figurine and finally becoming a god. This figure is still present in Ife today, and it is held in the highest regard.

3. The woman warrior who became King

Male traditional monarchs are common in Nigeria and throughout Africa. They are well-known personalities in their respective communities and, depending on the ruler, even further beyond.

Female rulers in Yorubaland, on the other hand, are nearly unheard of, except as a temporary function when the kings are to be decided.

Queen Orompoto (Alaafin Ajiun Orompotoniyun) was the Yoruba Oyo Empire’s first and only female Alaafin, although her ascension to the throne is shrouded in mysteries.

She was the daughter of Alaafin Ofinran and the granddaughter of Alaafin Onigbogi, both of whom ruled the Empire during their respective reigns.

When her father died, her brother, Prince Eguguoju, ascended to the throne and succeeded his father. However, he died in his youth, leaving no male heir.

Her younger brothers were too young to be king at the time. As a result, Orompoto chose to resign as regent and take the throne. This choice did not sit well with the council of chiefs because the kingdom had never had a female monarch.

The chiefs and elders had begun to plan who would be installed as the next monarch of the Oyo Empire. Orompoto became firmer with each plot they devised, insisting that she was the only link to the dynasty and thus had to sit on the throne.

Princess Orompoto called the chiefs to discuss arrangements for her coronation in an attempt to protect her family’s rights, but received the same careless answer.

She then requested that she demonstrate to the elders and chiefs that she was a man, as this was the sole obstacle to her coronation. The chiefs decided it would be a nice opportunity to mock her, so they challenged her to prove her masculinity by stripping naked in the palace in seven days.

After this gathering, Princess Orompoto began wearing male apparel, and on the seventh day, she ascended the podium and removed her cap, revealing her short hair.

She went on to reveal her chest that appeared to be flat like a man’s but the elders were not satisfied. She then lowered her trousers, much to the amazement of the chiefs, exposing the complete male genitals, according to oral history.

When they witnessed this, they all fell to their knees in prostration, and she was enthroned as Alaafin Orompotoniyun. Orompotoniyun became known as Ajiun, the custodian of the vagina that eliminates evil plots.

Orompoto was said to be an expert on horseback, and she established a specialized order of cavalry commanders within her army. She was also regarded as a skilled warrior, having distinguished herself in her battles. She is claimed to have died in battle, making her one of the few Alaafins to do so.
She was said to travel as far as Timbuktu to purchase horses for her famed cavalry, and she used 1000 mounted archers to shoot adversaries with poisoned arrows. Alaafin Orompoto likewise utilized trade wealth to develop a cavalry force and sustain a trained army.

4. The god of thunder

Like depicted in the Marvel movie, Thor, there once existed a great Yoruba king, Sango, the god of thunder that passed down justice with his double-headed axe. Perhaps the most popular of the Yoruba gods, Sango was the third Alaafin of Oyo that was mighty in war, unlike his brother Ajake that was too peaceful in the elders’ opinion.

In his reign, he casted a thunderstorm to earth, which created thunder and lightning, to anyone who offended him.

He ruled for seven years, during which time he waged nonstop campaigns and engaged in a considerable number of disagreements. His reign came to an end when he accidentally caused lightning to strike his own palace on a day when he was extremely enraged.

Till today, Sango is known and worshipped by many people of Yoruba descent all over the world.

Some worshippers in Yorubaland do not eat cowpea because they believe that the wrath of the god of iron and thunder would descend on them. Sango still remained revered and his symbolism is his axe which represented swift and balanced justice.

5. The Queen who made an immense sacrifice

Queen Moremi wasn’t a monarch but the wife of Oranmiyan. Her story has been told and praised for the sacrifice she made for her people.

She was a wife of Oranmiyan at a time when Igbo invaders, dressed in raffia palms, used to harass Ile-Ife, year after year. They were disguised in raffia palms and usually covered their faces with masks.

This made Ife warriors believe that Igbo warriors were supernatural beings, and therefore unassailable. Consequently, Oranmiyan became nervous and troubled.

Burdened with her husband’s distress, she went to the river goddess for help and the goddess asked for something she cherished in return for her help. Moremi agreed to the goddess’ demands, assuming she wanted a sacrifice of cows and rams, and followed her instructions to save the people.

First, she had to let the Igbo invaders capture her. They took Moremi to their land and upon seeing she was beautiful, showed her to their king. The king instantly decided to marry her and Moremi got into the palace to spy on her enemies and gather information on how to defeat the seemingly unbeatable Igbo invaders. Like the Biblical Delilah and Samson’s story, she wisely prodded the king countless times to find out their weakness and found out one day that the invaders were ordinary people and were afraid of fire because it would burn their raffia palm and kill them.

Upon this discovery, Moremi fled back to her kingdom and told her king about this so the people of Ife prepared for the Igbo invaders the next time they came, lighting them on fire. The people of Ife finally got their victory and praises were sung to the queen.

The goddess later appeared to Moremi for her offering, and to Queen Moremi’s plight, demanded her only son.

A monument was built for Queen Moremi as the statue of a woman holding a firebrand and a festival is celebrated to this day in her honour for her sacrifice.