Contested accounts

⑂ The Birth and Early Life of Atiba

Where was Prince Atiba — founder of the new Ọyọ — born?

For Atiba, son of King Abiọdun and founder of the present city of Ọyọ, Johnson gives two accounts of his birth and openly grades them: the second, in which his enslaved mother was given as a hostage at Gudugbu, he judges 'more probable, as being characteristic of that age.'

The accounts

Preferred Oral tradition

Born of a hostage mother at Gudugbu

Atiba's mother, a slave at Gudugbu, was given as a hostage, and his birth and early life unfolded away from the capital — the more romantic account Johnson judges the more probable.

“But another account was of a more romantic interest and is more probable, as being characteristic of that age. According to this account, his mother, a slave at Gudugbu, was given as a hostage to the ALÁÀFIN of Ọ̀yọ́. She had an intimate friend who was much distressed by this separation. After 8 or ro weary months, she …”
Read in context — Part II, Ch. 15 ¶3 →

Source: Johnson 1921, Part II Ch. XV §1 · Part II, Ch. 15 ¶3

Why ranked preferred: Johnson explicitly prefers this account: 'more probable, as being characteristic of that age.' An in-book example of the author ranking competing traditions.

Alternative Oral tradition

Born in the city of Ọyọ

Atiba was born in the city of Ọyọ; his father King Abiọdun died when he was a child.

“PRINCE ÀTÌBÀ was the son of King ABIODUN by an Akeitan woman. According to one account, he was born in the city of Ọ̀yọ́, his father died when he was but a child, and when ABIODUN’S children were being ill-treated by King AOLE his mother fled with him to her own town in the country.”
Read in context — Part II, Ch. 15 ¶2 →

Source: Johnson 1921, Part II Ch. XV §1 · Part II, Ch. 15 ¶2

Why ranked alternative: Recorded first by Johnson but judged less probable than the Gudugbu account.

Anchored in the text

Part II, Ch. 15 ¶2 · Part II, Ch. 15 ¶3

Related people & places

Àtìbà

Settled facts are stated plainly; every disputed claim is attributed to its tradition or scholar and ordered by the weight of evidence behind it. Accounts now thought mistaken are kept too, with the reason why — seeing how the history has been understood over time is part of the story.