The Ibadan war-chiefs were in dignantat the fall of their comrades at Oniyefun, especially Osun who was held in high esteem, and were bent on avenging his death. This was really the cause of the Arakanga war, and notin order to show that they were more powerful than the Ijebus as some have erroneously averred.. In this expedition they secured the alliance of Kurumi of Ijaye and Ayo of Abemo, whose contingent met the Ibadan army at Olokemeji. This expedition was one of the most stupid ever undei taken by the Ibadans. Divided counsels prevailed and therefore no adequate preparation was made, one half of theso-called kegs of gun powder carried before the chiefs contained nothing but yamflour, there by deceiving the people who followed them. Some asserted that the Egbas were more afraid of poisoned arrows than of ballets and therefore never supplied themselves with fire-arms.
Others went just mechanically because they were obliged togo, but without any preparation. We may here notice that this is how the junior chiefs behave when the war is unpopular, for they dare not remain behind when the head-chiefs march out.
They marched out through the Ido gate and encamped by the Ogun river at Olokemeji for along time till their stores were exhausted, and before the enemy was in sight! Meantime their wives used the empty kegs as waterpots.
After along time they pushed forward to wards Abeokuta, and the Egbas met them a great way off. Four hard battles were fought and the Egbas retreated to Arakanga, ariver behind their town wall. Here the Ibadans found themselves with their powder exhausted and no time to procure more from Porto Novo or Ado; the arrows some depended upon were found to be of littleuse... Adekambi the war-chief sent from Abemo was the first to return home being disgusted at the conduct of the war. With him went a good many war-chiefs, and recruits which they met on their way back also returned home when they heard the ill report of the campaign..
Five days after Adekambi had left the Egbas appeared in full force, determined on death or victory. At a given signal by the sound of their gods Orò to which they responded with a shout, they made asuddend as hand attacked the enemy vigorously, cutlass in hand.
With their powder exhausted some of the Ibadans resorted to the gourd bàrà planted all over the battlefield, and with this they pelted their assailants. From this ciicumstance the campaign was termed the " Jabara war." At the height of the battle, Bada Akeyan one of the chief swords men fell; and when another chief named Adelakun was mortally wounded, the Ibadans gave way and the rout was genera land complete. This desperate method of attack—cutlass in hand—is the peculiar method of the Owus, the bravest element in the new settlement, and the honour of the victory was theirs.
The Egbas however had not the courage to pursue their victory to any extent seeing amongs tthe war-chiefs many of those who had but recently driven them to Abeokuta:" alionatbay" may prove a dangerous customer to tackle.. The Ibadans in stead of escaping home by the direct route went by way of Ijaye, being suspicious of the Ijebus.
Source: History Of Yoruba People
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