Chapter 2. The Origin Of The Tribes

¶1 ALL the various tribes of the Yoruba nation trace their origin from Odùduwà and the city Ile Ifẹ̀. In fact Ile Ifẹ̀ is fabled as the spot where God created man, white and black, and from whence they dispersed all over the earth. We have seen in the previous chapter which are the principal tribes that sprang from Odùduwà’s seven grandchildren, viz.: The Yorubas proper from Ọ̀rànyàn, the Benins, Ìlás, Òwus, Ketus, Sabes, and the Popos. Some of the other tribes were offshoots of one or other of these, as we shall see further on. Some authentic tradition will be given relative to the formation of some of them.

¶2 An important fact which must also be borne in mind is, that the country was not altogether unpeopled when Odùduwà and his party entered it from the East ; the probability is, that the aboriginal inhabitants were conquered and absorbed, at least at the central if not at the remote provinces of the Yoruba kingdom.

¶3 In ancient patriarchal times, the king of a country was regarded as the father or progenitor of his people. This view will to some extent explain what would otherwise appear to be a marvellous (if not impossible) instance of fecundity in any one king, e.g., Ọ̀rànyàn peopling so vast a region as that attributed to him, in so short a time—the more warlike the king, the more extensive his dominion, and the more numerous, it would seem, his progeny.

¶4 In fact we may almost take it as proved that as Ọ̀rànyàn and his army, as well as his brothers’, pushed on their conquests in every direction, the princes and the war-lords were stationed in various parts to hold the country, and from them sprang the many provincial kings of various ranks and grades now existing.

¶5 This also accounts for the tradition that the Yoruba sway once extended as far as Ashanti and included the Gas of Accra, for the Gas say that their ancestors came from Ile Ifẹ̀; and the constitution of the Ga language is said to be more like Yoruba than like Fanti, the language of the Gold Coast, and the area in which that language is spoken is strictly limited. And, certainly, until comparatively recent times the Popos and Dahomians paid tribute regularly to Ọ̀yọ́ as their feudal head ; it is certain, therefore, that the generals and war-lords of Ọ̀rànyàn pushed on far beyond the limits of the Yoruba country as now known, and although in places remote from the centre, as the Benins and Sekiris in the east and the Popos, Dahomians and Gas in the west, the Yoruba language is not spoken, yet the knowledge of it exists among the ruling chiefs and the priestly caste who still maintain their connection with Ile Ifẹ̀, the place of their common origin. This view will also to some extent explain the mutual understanding and bond of sympathy existing between the Ifẹ̀s, Èkìtìs, and allied families as remnants of the largely diluted aboriginal elements still having many things in common, and their natural antipathy—more or less—to the Ọ̀yọ́s or Yorubas Preper.

¶6 It is also worthy of remark that all the principal rulers of the country, to show the validity of their claims, must trace their relationship by one way or another to the ALÁÀFIN OF Ọ̀yọ́, who is the direct descendant of Ọ̀rànyàn, son and successor of Odùduwà, the founder; which simply implies that the children and offspring of the conqueror are the chief rulers over the different parts of the conquered territories.

YORUBA PROPER

¶8 Ọ̀rànyàn was already distinguished as a brave and war-like prince during his father’s lifetime, and he probably owed his succession to this fact, as was usual in those stormy times. On his accession to the throne, when he set out from Ile Ifẹ̀ on his famous expedition to "Mecca" to avenge the death of his great grandfather, he was certainly accompanied "by his conquering hordes ; and if we trace his route from Ile Ifẹ̀ northwards to the banks of the Niger, whence he turned westward to the borders of the Baribas, and then to the ancient Ọ̀yọ́ (Eyeo) which he founded, and where he settled, and from whence he spread southwards towards the coast, we shall see that the people embraced in this vast region, viz., with the Ifẹ̀s in the east, the Niger on the north, the Baribas on the west as well as the Dahomians, and the Egbados on the south, are those known as the Yorubas Proper, or as they are generally termed by the other tribes the Ọ̀yọ́s, and are the so-called descendants of Ọ̀rànyàn, and the cream of his conquering army. These then constitute Yorubas Proper.

¶9 We have stated in a previous chapter how they are divided into four distinct provinces, but there has always been among them a bond of sympathy and union, apart from what they have in common with the other tribes. They have always retained their loyalty—more or less—to the successors of Ọ̀rànyàn, their common father, even when the revolutionary wars left the country no longer united under one head as in the days of Ṣàngó down to those of Abiodun

"THE Ẹ̀GBÁS

¶11 The Ẹ̀gbás are a smal! offshoot of the Yorubas Proper, who occupy the south-eastern districts of that province. They originally occupied the area bounded by certain imaginary lines drawn, say, from Ìjàyè to meet the Ogun River at Olokemeji, and along it to its mouth, and another from the same point via Ìbàdàn to the west of Jebu Remo down to the coast. They lived in hamlets and villages for the most, part independently of one another, and never under one rule. All the principal families of the Ẹ̀gbás trace their origin from Ọ̀yọ́, hence the common saying "Ẹ̀gbás who have not their root in Ọ̀yọ́ are slaves," i.e., belong to the conquered aboriginal population. Most of the chiefs sprang from the Ẹ̀ṣọ́s of Ọ̀yọ́. It would seem then that during the wars of conquest, a number of these warlike Ẹ̀ṣọ́s, under the leadership of the King’s half-brother, was detached from the main army, carrying their arms to those regions where they subsequently settled, in the immediate neighbourhood of the Òwus. Abẹ́òkúta, as we now know it, of course had no existence then. Each of what is now called the "townships "was a separate village or hamlet with its own chief ; they were loosely grouped into three divisions, but rather independent of one another, but all acknowledging the King’s brother (the Alake) as their Primus. They were:

¶12 1. Ẹ̀gbá Agbeyin. These were the Ẹ̀gbás proper, and nearest the Ìjẹ̀bú Remos. The principal towns were: Ake, the chief town, Ijeun, Kemta, Iporo, Igbore, etc.

¶13 2. Ẹ̀gbá Oke Ona, i.e., those situated near the banks of the River Odo Ona. Oko the chief town, Ikereku, Ikija, Idomapa, Odo, Podo, etc. Their chief is called the Osile.

¶14 3. Ẹ̀gbá Agura or Gbagura: these were situated near the Ọ̀yọ́ districts, and indeed they contain genuine Ọ̀yọ́s in large numbers, and generally they partake of their characteristics largely, hence they are nick-named "Ọ̀yọ́s among Ẹ̀gbás." The principal towns were: Agura the chief, Ilugun, Ìbàdàn, Ifaye, Ika, Ojo, Ilawo, etc.

¶15 The Ẹ̀gbás were on the whole few in number, and occupied a limited territory ; this can very well be proved by the fact, that after a period of more than half a century, they have been compelled by stress of circumstances to live together within one wall, and in spite of large accessions from other tribes, they still form but a single large town. Situated, as they were then, far from the centre of life and activity, they were little thought of. They had no separate king because all the principal chiefs and distinguished personages were office bearers of the ALÁÀFIN, hence the common saying, "Ẹ̀gbá ko l’olu, gbogbo nwon ni nse bi Ọba "(Ẹ̀gbás have no King, they are all of them like masters) "Olu wa’ Ọ̀yọ́" (The King is at Ọ̀yọ́). It may be noted, that every child born toa reigning Alake must have an Ọ̀yọ́ facial mark ; and that is so to this day. In early times the Alake ranks among the junior members of the Royal Family ; for that reason there has never been a distinct royal family among the Ẹ̀gbás. The chief rulers in each division were usually elected (by divination) from any one of the 153 townships ; an Ikija man for instance has been "king "of Itesi, an [jeun man an Alake, etc., as we shall see in the Appendix. In this respect also the Gbaguras differ from the others.

¶16 In later times, at Abẹ́òkúta, one Jibode, a wealthy trader and traveller, who vainly endeavoured to obtain the Primacy of Ake, left children and grandchildren who eventually attained the coveted position, which was a singular instance of more than one member of a family becoming an Alake,! but then they were all born in different townships.

¶17 The Osile is said to be an unfortunate title because, more than any of the other divisions, the Oke Ona people were more prone to slaughter human victims ; everytime the Osile entered the Ogboni house, he must walk on the blood of a male victim, and when he comes out on that of a female! Also that Osiles never die a natural death ; when their excesses became unbearable they were usually stoned to death ; hence the appellation of their chief town, "Oko" —i.e.,a pelting stone. For that reason the Ẹ̀gbás were reluctant to resuscitate the title at Abẹ́òkúta until Governor McCallum of Lagos in 1897 on the occasion of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee ordered the Ẹ̀gbás and others to reorganise their government, and fill up vacant titles.

¶18 Since the destruction of the City of Òwu (as we shall see below) and the unification of the Ẹ̀gbá villages, the Òwus have domiciled amongst them. Hence the so-called FOUR UNITED KINGS OF THE Ẹ̀gbás: although Òwu is not Ẹ̀gbá.

THE ÌJẸ̀BÚS

¶20 The origin of the Ìjẹ̀bús has been variously given ; one account makes them spring from the victims offered in sacrifice by the King of Benin to the god of the ocean, hence the term Ìjẹ̀bú from Ije-ibu, i.e., the food of the deep. The Ìjẹ̀bús themselves

¶21 The case of Gbadebo, son of Okukenu, occurred subsequently to the establishment of the British Protectorate.

¶22 claim to have descended from Ọba-nita, as they say of themselves, "Ogetiele, eru Obanita," i.e., Ogetiele,1 servants of Obanita.

¶23 But who was this Ọba-nita? Tradition says he also was a victim of sacrifice by the Olowu or King of Òwu. It was said that the Olowu offered in sacrifice a human being where two roads cross ; this was termed "Ebo-ni-ita," a sacrifice on the highway, the victim being mangled and left for dead ; he, however, revived at night, and crawled away into the forest, where he subsequently recovered and survived. He lived on fruits, on the chase, and then did a bit of farming, With an access of population, being the oldest man met in those parts, he was regarded as the father, and subsequent generations call him their ancestor, and so the Ìjẹ̀bú tribe was formed, and the term "Ebonita" (a sacrifice on the highway) was converted to "Obanita" (a king on the highway). There was really nobody of that name. A forest is still shown near the village of Aha where he is annually worshipped, from whence he was supposed to have ascended into heaven.

¶24 It is rather curious that both accounts should have made them descended from victims of human sacrifices. This latter account is reconcilable with the former, which says they are "the food of the deep," for the population of which Ebonita was the head may have been largely augmented by the victims of the ocean so as to give the name Ije-ibu to the whole of them.

¶25 There are also other important facts and curious coincidences connected with the Ìjẹ̀bús which have strong bearings on this tradition of their origin.

¶26 rt. Of all the Yoruba tribes, with the exception of the Ifẹ̀s they were the most addicted to human sacrifices, which they practised up to 1892 when the country was conquered by the English. The victim also usually offered to "Obanita "annually was always a human being, but this was never killed; he was, however, always acted upon in some way or other unknown (by magic arts) that he always became demented, and left to wander about sheepishly in the Aha Forest, until he perished there. This is, no doubt, due to the fact that the ancestor "Ebonita" himself, when a victim, was not killed outright.

¶27 2. They were, before the conquest, the most exclusive and inhospitable of the whole of the tribes. Very few, if any, outsiders were ever known to have walked through the country with impunity under any circumstance whatever; not a few of those who attempted to do so were never seen nor heard ot any more!

¶28 Commercial transactions with outsiders were carried on in the frontier or in the borders of neighbouring towns.

¶29 3. And if the latter account of their origin from the Òwu victim be the correct one, it is very singular indeed that it was mainly due to the Ìjẹ̀bús with their firearms that the Òwus owed their fall and complete annihilation as an independent state to this day. A full account of this will be given in due course.

¶30 The King of the Ìjẹ̀bús is known as the Awùjalẹ̀. His origin was thus given by authentic tradition, the event with which it is connected having occurred within authentic history :

¶31 There were formerly two important towns called Òwu Ipole and Ìṣẹ́yìn Odo in a district between the Òwus and Ifẹ̀s ; they were settlements from the city of Òwu and Ìṣẹ́yìn respectively. A quarrel once arose between them on the matter of boundaries, and the dispute having been carried on for many years, developed into an open fight, and both the Olowu and the Owoni of Ifẹ̀ (both being interested parties) were unable to put an end to the strife. Messengers were now sent to the King at Ọ̀yọ́ who sent out a special Ìlàrí and a large number of attendants to put an end to the strife the strife. The person of an Ìlàrí being inviolable, he came and settled down between the two contending parties, in the midst of the disputed plot, and thus compelled them to keep the peace. The Ìlàrí was named "Agbejaile or Alajaile "(an arbiter of landed dispute). This term was subsequently softened down to Awùjalẹ̀. This event occurred during the reign of King JAYIN.

¶32 As it was customary to pay royal honours to the King’s messengers out of courtesy, this Ìlàrí was accorded royal honours in due form, and he remained there permanently and became the King of that region over the Ìjẹ̀bús who up to that time had no tribal "king’ of their own and rather held themselves aloof from their neighbours. Subsequently he removed to Ode. The Awùjalẹ̀ ranks after the Ọ̀yọ́ provincial kings such as the Oníkòyí, Olafa, Aresa, Aseyin.

ORIGIN OF THE ÌJẸ̀ṢÀS AND ÈKÌTÌS

¶34 Two accounts are given of the origin of the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs; both may practically be regarded as in the main correct, so far as they are not really contradictory ; for it would appear that the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs of the present day are not the same people or, rather, not the descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants of that province.

¶35 The first account relates to the earliest period when the Yorubas have just entered into, and subdued, the country, and the ALÁÀFINS

¶36 then resided at Ile Ifẹ̀, i.e., prior to the reign of Ṣàngó. Human sacrifices were common in those days, and in order to have victims ready to hand, it is said that a number of slaves were purchased and located in the district of Ibokun; there they were tended as cattle, under the care of Owaju, and from them selections were made from time to time for sacrificial purposes ; hence the term Ìjẹ̀ṣà from Ije Orisa (the food of the gods). They are described as stumpy, muscular, and sheepish-looking, with a marked want of intelligence: they never offered any resistance to this system, hence the saying "Ìjẹ̀ṣà Omo Owaju ti ife opo iya" (Ìjẹ̀ṣàs children of Owaju, subject to much sufferings). There is also a legend that when the nations began to disperse from Ile Ifẹ̀ and members of the Royal Family were appointed kings and rulers in divers places, a young and brave scion of the house was appointed the first Ọwá or king over the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs, but that he returned to the ALÁÀFIN and complained that his territory was too small, and his subjects few, the sire thereupon ordered .a large bundle of sticks to be brought to him, and these sticks he converted into human beings for the Ọwá, in order to increase the number of his subjects. Hence to this day the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs are often termed by their neighbours "Omo igi" (offspring of sticks!)

¶37 This, of course, is a pure myth invented by their more wily neighbours to account for the notorious characteristics of the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs generally, who are as proverbially deficient in wit as they are remarkably distinguished for brute strength.

¶38 But one fact holds good down even to our days, viz., that up to the recent total abolition of human sacrifice by the British Government (1893) the Ifẹ̀s, who, far more than any other, were addicted to the practice, always preferred for the purpose to have an Ìjẹ̀ṣà victim to any other ; such sacrifices were considered more acceptable, the victims being the "food of the gods."

¶39 This preference was the cause of more than one threatened rupture between the Ifẹ̀s and their Ìjẹ̀ṣà allies during the recent 16 years’ war, and would certainly have developed into open fights, but for the Ìbàdàn army vis-a-vis threatening them both.

¶40 The other account relates chiefly to the present day Ìjẹ̀ṣàs of Ilẹ̀ṣà (the home of the gods) the chief town. According to this account, they hailed from the Èkìtìs; or as some would more correctly have it, they were the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs from the neighbourhood of Ibokun who first migrated to Ipole near Ondo, and thence back to Ilẹ̀ṣà. It appears that a custom then prevailed of going out hunting for their king three months in the year, and on one such occasion they found game so plentiful in the neighbourhood of Ilẹ̀ṣà, the climate very agreeable, the country well-watered, and the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs there extremely simple, peaceful, and unwarlike (probably the remnants and descendants of the old sacrificial victims) whilst at home they endured much oppression from their Ọwá, that they there and then conceived and carried out the idea of settling on the spot at once, making it their home, and of reducing into subjection the aboriginal inhabitants.

¶41 These objects were easily enough accomplished ; but they spared the principal chief, a kindly old gentleman who had an extensive garden plantation. He was called "Ọba Ìlá," i.e., Okra king, from his Okra plantation, and he was placed next in rank to the chief of the marauders. That nickname is continued to the present time as a title Ọba'la1 and is conferred on the most distinguished chief after the Ọwá of Ilẹ̀ṣà. It would appear then that although the term Ìjẹ̀ṣà is retained by the people of that district, and those who are ignorant of the origin of the term take some pride in it, yet it is evident that the present inhabitants are not all of them the descendants of the aboriginal settlers, the "food of the gods," but are largely from the Èkìtìs by admixture; the pure type Ìjẹ̀ṣàs are now and again met with at Ilẹ̀ṣà and neighbourhood.

¶42 This fact is further shown by the want of homogeneity amongst the principal chiefs of Ilẹ̀ṣà at the present day, for when the town was growing, the settlers did cast about for help; they sought for wiser heads to assist them in the building up and the management of their country, e.g., from the Ọ̀yọ́s or Yorubas Proper they had the Odole from Iréhé, the Esawe from Ora, the Saloro from Ọ̀yọ́ (the ancient city), and the Sorundi also from the same city—all these came with a large number of followers ; from the Ondos, the ’Loro, and the Salosi from Ijama in the Ondo district ; from the Èkìtìs, the Arapate from Ara, the Lejoka from Itaje; and lastly, the Ogboni from the white cap chiefs of Lagos, the only one privileged to have on his headgear in the presence of the Ọwá. The Ọwá himself is as we have seen, a junior member of the royal house of Ọ̀yọ́.

¶43 It is also said that when the town of Ilẹ̀ṣà was to be laid out a special messenger was sent to the ALÁÀFIN to ask for the help of one of the princes to lay out the town on the same plan as the ancient city of Ọ̀yọ́. That prince ruled for some years at Ilẹ̀ṣà.

THE ÈKÌTÌS

¶45 The Èkìtìs are among the aboriginal elements of the country absorbed by the invaders from the East. The term Èkìtì denotes a Mound, and is derived from the rugged mountainous feature of

¶46 10ften miscalled Obanla by young Ìjẹ̀ṣàs outside Ilẹ̀ṣà.

¶47 the country. It is an extensive province and well watered, including several tribes and families right on to the border of the Niger, eastward. They hold themselves quite distinct from the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs, especially in political affairs. The Èkìtì country is divided into 16 districts, each with its own Ọwá or King (Ọwá being a generic term amongst them) of which four are supreme, viz. :—

¶49 The following are the minor Èkìtì kings :—

¶51 The Orangun of Ìlá is sometimes classed among them, but he is only Èkìtì in sympathy, being oi a different family.

¶52 An Ìjẹ̀ṣà account of the Ọwá ot Ilẹ̀ṣà and some of the principal Èkìtì kings:

¶53 The Olofin (? Aláàfin) king of Ifẹ̀ had several children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren ; amongst them were, the king of Ado or Benin, the King of Ọ̀yọ́, the Osomowe of Ondo (from a daughter), the Alara of Ara, the Ajéro of Ijero, the Alaye of Efon, the Owore of Ọ̀tún, the Orangun of Ìlá, the Aregbajo of Igbájọ, the Ọwá Ajaka of Ilẹ̀ṣà. When the Olofin became blind from old age he was much depressed in mind from this cause ; efforts were put forth to effect his cure, all of which proved fruitless, when a certain man came forward and prescribed for him a sure remedy which among other ingredients contained salt water. He put the case before his children, but none made any effort to procure some for him save his youngest grandson. This was a very brave and warlike prince who bore the title of Esinkin amongst the King's household warriors, a title much allied to that of the Kakanfò, He was surnamed Ajaka, i.e., one who fights everywhere, (on account "of his proclivities) being fond of adventures. He volunteered to go and fetch some wherever procurable.

¶54 Having been away for many years and not heard of, the aged sire and every one else despaired of his ever coming back ; so the King divided his property amongst the remaining grown-up children. Although the Alado (king of Benin) was the eldest yet the Oloyo was the most beloved, and to him he gave the land, and told him to scour it all over, and settle nowhere till he came to a slippery place, and there make his abode; hence the term Ọ̀yọ́ (slippery) and hence Ọ̀yọ́s are such slippery customers!

¶55 After they had all gone and settled in their respective localities, all unexpectedly, the young adventurer turned up with water from the sea! The monarch made use of it as per prescription and regained his sight! Hence the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs who subsequently became his subjects are sometimes termed "Omo Obokun," children of the brine procurer.

¶56 Having distributed all his property he had nothing left for Ajaka he therefore gave him a sword lying by his side with leave to attack any of his brothers, especially the Alara or Aladé, and possess himself of their wealth, but-should he fail, to retire back to him; hence the appellation "Ọwá Ajaka Onida raharaha" (Ọwá the ubiquitous fighter, a man with a devastating sword).

¶57 The Ọwá Ajaka settled a little way from his grandfather, and on one occasion he paid him a visit, and found him sitting alone with his crown on his head and—out of sheer wantonness—he cut off some of the fringes with his sword. The old man was enraged by this act, and swore that he would never wear a crown with fringes on.!

¶58 The Aregbajo was one of those who had a crown given to him, but the Ọwá Ajaka, paying him a visit on one occasion, saw it, and took it away, and never returned it : hence the kings of Igbájọ never wear a crown to this day.

¶59 The Ọwá also attacked the Olojudo and defeated him, and took possession of his crown ; but he never put it on. On every public occasion however, it used to be carried before him. This continued to be the case until all the tribes became independent.

¶60 The Ọwá’s mother, when married as a young bride, was placed under the care of the mother of the Oloyo, hence the ALÁÀFIN of Ọ̀yọ́ often regarded the Ọwá as his own son.

¶61 The Orangun of Ìlá, and the Alara of Ara were his brothers of the same mother.

¶62 The Owoni of Ifẹ̀ was not a son of the Olofin, but the son of a female slave of his whom he offered in sacrifice. The Olofin kept the boy always by him, and when he sent away his sons, this little boy took great care of him and managed his household affairs well until his death : hence the Oloyo on succeeding the father authorised the boy to have charge of the palace and the city, and he sent to notify his brothers of this appointment. So whenever it was asked who was in charge of the house the answer invariably was

¶63 "Omo Oluwo ni" (It is the son of the sacrificial victim). This has been contracted to the term Owoni.

¶64 The Ọwá and his brothers used to pay the ALÁÀFIN annual visits, with presents of firewood, fine locally-made mats, kola nuts and bitter kolas; the Oworé of Ọ̀tún with sweet water from a cool spring at Ọ̀tún—this water the ALÁÀFIN first spills on the ground as a libation before performing any ceremonies. The other Èkìtì Kings used also to take with them suitable presents as each could afford, and bring away lavish presents from their elder brother.

¶65 This Ajaka subsequently became the Ọwá of the Ìjẹ̀ṣàs.

THE ONDOS

¶67 The custom of killing twins prevailed all over the country in early times ; it has died out all over the greater part ot it so long ago, that no one can say precisely when or by whom a stop was put to it. But it happened once upon a time when the practice still prevailed that one of the wives of the ALÁÀFIN (King Ajaka) gave birth to twins, and the King was loth to destroy them, he thereupon gave orders that they should be removed—with the mother—to a remote part of the kingdom and there to remain and be regarded as dead.

¶68 So she left with a large number of friends and retinue to the site of the present Ode Ondo, then sparsely peopled by a tribe named Idoko, and there settled, hence the term "Ondo," signifying the "Settlers." The people of the district knowing who the strangers were, yielded them ready obedience, and the strangers became rulers of the district.

¶69 Probably it was from this time infanticide received its death blow—in Yoruba Proper at least. It is said to linger still at Akure and the adjacent regions, but as a rule, in ancient times, whatever the custom set or discountenanced at the Metropolis, the effect thereof was rapidly felt all over the country.

¶70 The Ondos are sometimes classed among the Èkìtìs but that is hardly correct ; although lying at the border of the Èkìtìs, they are really a mixture of Ọ̀yọ́s and Idokos, and their sympathy is with all.