Who is Yoruba?

The Awujale of Ijebu Òde said sometimes ago that Ijebus are not Yoruba, many people thought Kabiesi wasn't right. But Aláàfin Ọ̀yọ quickly went to visit him. He even went with Danofijo a popular Masquerade of Ọ̀yọ́ town to entertain Awujale, a smart moves by Kabiesi Aláàfin.

My late father (Olowoporoku) always corrected me anytime I referred to myself as Yoruba  (ṣe ara Ọ̀yọ́ ni ẹ ni) are you from Ọ̀yọ́ town? He would say to me.

Baba told me that Yoruba is the name the Gogobiri (Gambari of the North) called Oyo people, the name became popular during the era of Alaafin Abiodun Adegolu bcos of his peaceful and long reign, Ọ̀yọ́ people were the  Yorubas proper.

Ẹ̀gbá, Ìjẹ̀bú, Ifẹ̀, Rẹmo, Ijesha, Èkìtì, Ondo, Ketu, Ùgbó and Ibini were not part of Yoruba. 

We are all connected to Ile Ifẹ that is why we speak same Language but we are not all Yorubas until 1919/1920.

The adoption of Yoruba name was part of colonial legacy.

Between 1901- 1904 there was a war between Awujale of Ijebu Òde and Akarigbo of Isagamu. The war was so serious to an extent that the British was unable to curtail it.

Then the British always thought that Aláàfin was the head of all the Obas because it was the Aláàfin that invited them to Yorubaland  during the kiriji war, they sent message to Aláàfin for intervention. Aláàfin sent his Staff of office to the seat of war but the  messengers were chased away. 

The British were loosing money and goods from inter land because the war between the two major people to the Port was damaging the British economic interest. Goods couldn't reach Lagos Port via Isagamu/Ikorodu and Ijebu Òde/Ẹpẹ. 

The Aláàfin advised them to meet the Ọọni of Ifẹ instead.

The British quickly ran to Ọọ̀ni to rescue the situation, then  it was a taboo for Ọọni of Ifẹ̀ to leave the palace or Cross water. After a long begging, the iwerefa of Ifẹ̀ agreed to let the Ọọni set aside the tradition for peace to reign with heavy fine for the sacrifices by iwarefas, the British agreed to be responsible. Then for the first time in the history Ọọni of Ifẹ̀ left his palace.

The day the Ọọni of Ifẹ̀ left his palace, Baba told me that all the Ọbas and Baalẹs in Yoruba land including Ọba of Benin and Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́ vacated their palace to honor the tradition, the Awujalẹ and Akarigbo ordered their army to seize fire when they heard the coming of Ọ̀ọni of Ifẹ̀. That was how powerful the tradition was.

After the war, the British started the process to weaken the Yoruba people and traditional bonds, they finally called the meeting of the first class traditional rulers to adopt 'Yoruba' as a common name, but the Awujalẹ of Ijebu ode, Ọ̀ọni of Ifẹ̀ and Oba Benin rejected the  name but the British had their way.

That is the smartest way to control us as a whole.

So if the Aláàfin Ọ̀yọ́ said he is the only King that has the power to confer title of Yoruba on anyone he may be right because the Yoruba name belongs to Ọ̀yọ́ people.

It's part of colonial hangover! 

Iba Bába mi. 

Iba àwọn àgbà!