Co esponding au ho : Richa d Akinsanmi TIWO
Copy igh © 2025 Au ho (s) e ain he copy igh o his a icle. This a icle is published unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion Liscense 4.0.
The Yo uba people's his o ical o e iew: Ex ica ion o ac s om my h and
examining he hie a chy o he Obas classi ica ion
Richa d Akinsanmi TIWO *
Depa men o School o Geog aphy, Geology and En i onmen , Keele Uni e si y, S a o dshi e, ST5 5BG, England.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 785-793
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 14 Ma ch 2025; e ised on 03 May 2025; accep ed on 05 May 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.26.2.1674
Abs ac
D awing on exis ing his o ical accoun s, his a icle explo es he di e se pe spec i es on he o igins o he Yo uba
people, acing hem back o he ances o Oduduwa and he adi ional Oba sys em cen ed in Ile I e. Many in ica e and
complica ed adi ional s o ies desc ibe Ile I e's his o y, om Oduduwa's e a o he mode n day. Despi e he as
numbe o adi ions and e sions, his summa y was ca e ully cons uc ed o add o he exis ing Yo uba li e a u e o
o igins and iden i y, including he Yo uba Obas (Kings) hie a chy and he de elopmen o hei owns. Al hough Yo uba
schola s ha e ied o es ablish he o igins o he Yo uba people h ough igo ous esea ch, hey ha e had limi ed
success. By explo ing he a ia ions in o igin, iden i y and de elopmen s in Yo uba land, his pape p o ides esh
pe spec i es on p e iously his o ical-in e p e ed hemes, leading o new conclusions.
Keywo ds: Yo ubas; Oduduwa; Ile I e; Oyo; O anmiyan; Oba; Hie a chy
1. In oduc ion
The Yo ubas a e g oups o people li ing in he Sou h-wes e n pa o Nige ia. Acco ding o Adeoye (2005), he Yo uba
people a e some o he mos widely dis ibu ed e hnic g oups ac oss many pa s o Wes A ica. Conside able po ions
o Nige ia, Togo, and Benin a e home o hese people. Ayandele (2004: p. 121) epo s ha o e 40 million people speak
he Yo uba language in Nige ia. The his o y o ea ly Wes A ican popula ions in mode n-day Nige ia is poo ly
unde s ood, ye he Yo uba's ise may ha e occu ed in he la e S one Age (Ade ibigbe, 1976). A chaeological e idence
sugges s human ac i i y in wha is now Nige ia, in a eas his o ically domina ed by he Yo uba, da es back as a as
12,000 BC (Ade ugbo, 1982).
Yo uba his o ical p ese a ion e o s no wi hs anding, he o igins o he Yo uba people a e s ill a sou ce o signi ican
con en ion and obscu i y (Akin oye 2004: p.3). Ancien my hs and legends obscu e he ancien his o y o he Yo uba
people, e ealing hei ounda ional belie s. Shokpeka (2005) pos ula es ha Vansina (1965) iden i ies my hs by hei
subjec ma e and alks abou hem as hose s o ies ha deal wi h and in e p e he ela ions be ween he na u al and
he supe na u al and a e conce ned wi h all ha pa o eligious li e ha lies beyond he mo al o de . A igbo (1977),
in u n, conside s my hs as explaining his o ical ins i u ions and de elopmen by appealing o nonhis o ical ac o s and
o ces – such as s o ies ha see he supe na u al ac ing a imes h ough he agency o man, h ough he agency o he
lowe animals and a o he imes e en h ough he agency o inanima e objec , as he o iginal and con inuing causes o
mo ion in socie y. In his day and age, one can del e deepe in o my hs h ough c i ical hinking. In his con ex , his
jou nal will discuss h ee accoun s, one o which will be ocused on ha bes sui ed o he O igin o he Yo ubas based
on c i ical hinking and li e a u e s udies.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 785-793
786
The i s is he c ea ion my h, which h ows Ile I e up as he cen e o he c ea ion o he uni e se, hus a ac ing
he exp ession, I e o'ndaye, ibi ojumo i mo wa (meaning: I e, he poin o c ea ion whe e he day dawns
(Akinjogbin, 1980). This goes u he in some qua e s, wi h he belie ha Oduduwa came down om hea en wi h
a chain. Acco ding o a ious legends, Oduduwa descended om he hea ens wi h a golden chain and a calabash
illed wi h soil (Saunde s e al., 2019). This descen ma ks he beginning o he c ea ion o he Ea h. The descen
o Oduduwa om hea en was he celeb a ion o he Olojo es i al when he Ooni o I e wo e he Aa e C own
(Agunlejika, 2018). Acco ding o Saunde s e al., (2019), Oduduwa's b o he is Oba ala, he eli e o he O ishas,
gi en he ask o building he Ea h. Thei a he , Olo un, he God o he Sky, ga e him a hand ul o mud, a chain, a
i e- oed chicken, and de ailed ins uc ions o ge him s a ed. Bu like many builde s h oughou his o y, Oba ala
ailed o u n up a he appoin ed hou . Ins ead, he had gone o a pa y. Seeing his chance o ame and glo y, cheeky
li le b o he Oduduwa pu loined he holy building ma e ials and a emp ed o c ea e he Ea h himsel . Ad ised
by a iendly chameleon, he lowe ed he chain o e he edge o hea en, climbed down, and ossed he lump o mud
in o he p imae al sea. The i e- oed chicken hopped in o he mud and began sc a ching i in all di ec ions. P e y
soon, he e was a decen landscape o size, and hus, he Ea h was bo n. Fo an ama eu builde , i wasn' bad.
E en hough i was ough a ound he edges, and some o he moun ains we en' s aigh , a leas he job was done
on schedule (Ibid). Olo un was so pleased wi h his son ha he p omo ed him o God o he Ea h, while he sodden
olde b o he Oba ala sunk in o disg ace and was o ced o c ea e humani y as punishmen . Oduduwa la e wen
down o Ea h o ule o e he Yo uba people, becoming hei i s King, ances al olk he o, and legenda y home
imp o emen expe (Saunde s e al., 2019).
A simila e sion in andem wi h he abo e pa ag aph na a ion, acco ding o I e Communi y T us Founda ion
(2005), is ha when Oloduma e (God), he Sup eme Being and C ea o who owns he hea en and uni e se and
whose powe sp eads a ound he whole uni e se decided o c ea e he wo ld. Then Oloduma e sen Oba ala wi h
`apo-iha' (bag o wisdom) comp ising soil and six- oes cocke el o sp ead he soil o e he ma shy land. On he
way, Oba ala me Ogun, he god o i on, who ga e him (Oba ala) palm wine o d ink. Oba ala go d unk and slep .
Wai ing impa ien ly, Oloduma e sen Oduduwa o inqui e abou wha was happening o Oba ala, bu Oduduwa me
Oba ala d unk. He hen decided o ake o e he assignmen . He (Oduduwa) ca ied ou he assignmen
success ully. When Oba ala woke up and ealised wha had happened, he owed ne e o d ink palm wine again.
To his day, all he ollowe s and amily membe s o he Oba ala dei y do no d ink palm wine. Ins ead, hey d ink
a ia-palm wine (Ogu o). A e some ime, he sen a chameleon o inspec he uni e se o see i he soil was d y. I
was he ea e ha Oloduma e sen men o he wo ld a e Oba ala had moulded man and he li e gi en o him by
Oloduma e (Ibid).
I is hough ha he Yo uba o igina ed om he no heas e n egion o A ica, pe haps Egyp o Mecca. A igbo
(1977) sugges s ha hei o igins lie in he cons an wes wa d and sou hwa d mig a ions o ibes ac oss he
con inen be o e 600 AD. In 1812, Mohammed Belo posi ed an A ab o igin o he Yo uba people (Muhammad,
2013, p. 19), a heo y con as ed by Samuel Johnson's la e sugges ion (ci ca 1890s) o a Cop ic Egyp ian o Nubian
ances y. He ied dissocia ing he Yo uba o igins om A abia and Islam (Johnson, 1921: p. 5; Agai, 2021).
Acco ding o Johnson (1921, p. 3), e en hough some Yo uba o al adi ions link hei o igins o he eas , o en
in e p e ed by hose he in e iewed as A abia o Mecca, ci ing he belie ha he Yo uba o igina ed om
Lamu udu, a Meccan King, no wi hs anding, Johnson s ill has doub s. He said ha he eas migh ha e mean Egyp
and no Mecca. He u he exp essed ha he Yo ubas a e no o A abian O igin: 'The Yo ubas a e ce ainly no o
he A abian amily, and could no ha e come om Mecca' (Johnson, 1921: p.5; Agai, 2021). Acco ding o Folo unso
(2003: p. 87), A ab in luence on he Yo ubas emains ele an and needs o be s udied in dep h.
While ea ly Yo uba his o ical accoun s, including o al adi ions ci ed by Belo, Johnson, and Adeyemi, sugges an
A abian o igin (Muhammad, 2013: p.11), many con empo a y schola s dispu e his heo y. No wi hs anding, i is
he e o e no su p ising ha Geo ey Pa inde belie ed he Yo uba cul u e has some simila i ies wi h he cus oms o
he A ab people. He sugges ed he Yo uba cul u e migh ha e o igina ed om A abia and, by in e ence, he Yo uba
people (Pa inde 1951: pp.205-209; Agai, 2021). Simila ly, D Sabu i Oladeni Biobaku belie ed he Yo uba cul u e
could no be sepa a ed wholly om he cul u e o he A abians. He is o he iew ha i does no ma e whe e he
Yo ubas o igina ed: whe he Egyp o Is ael o E u ia o Me oe o Yemen, wha is signi ican o him is ha he A abs
in luenced he Yo ubas, ha he Yo ubas came unde A ab in luences in hei old home, and hei subsequen mig a ion
was connec ed wi h A ab mo emen s' (Biobaku n.d: pp.63-64; Agai, 2021). Yo uba people like Biobaku do no suppo
he heo y o he local O igin o he Yo ubas. He belie ed, amongs o he s, ha he Yo ubas o igins we e p esumably
in luenced by some supe io aces om he ancien wo ld nea he Middle Eas , mainly he A abs. The e o e, he A ab
heo y o Yo uba o igin could ha e o igina ed om anywhe e wi hin Wes A ica o ou side Wes A ica, a heo y u he
dissemina ed by Wes A icans and non-Wes A icans.
In con ibu ing o knowledge and analysing he wo, a signi ican p oblem ha his pape seeks o sol e is p obing
deepe in o adi ions ha lack his o ical alidi y and accep abili y since esea che s deal wi h ac s ha ha e a ional
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 785-793
787
in e p e a ions, which, un o una ely, some o he Yo uba adi ions o o igin do no p o ide. No wi hs anding, wha
he esea che belie es is mo e c edible is he mig a ion con ex om he Middle Eas o he p esen day Ile I e in Yo uba
land, which is mo e plausible and c i ically discussed in his pape . In his con ex , o he s may ha e di e en opinions,
bu i is pa amoun ha o he s' eedom o exp ession and pe sonal belie s a e espec ed, e en when you disag ee wi h
hem wi hou ancou . We mus sha e hough s and expe iences posi i ely and espec ully, and y o ind common
g ound o a eas o in e es . Finding common g ound o a eas o in e es is c ucial o os e ing posi i e ela ionships,
imp o ing communica ion, and achie ing collabo a i e goals in Yo uba land. I in ol es iden i ying sha ed in e es s,
opinions, o expe iences ha can be buil upon o s eng hen connec ions and acili a e be e unde s anding, e en
when disag eemen s exis .
2. Me hodology
Folklo e S udies, also known as Folklo is ics- adi ionally conside ed o al ales o a socie y, in mo e b oadly e m ha
e e s o all aspec s o a cul u e – belie s, adi ions, no ms, beha iou s, language, jokes, music, a , oodways, ools,
objec s, my hology, his o ical-a sys ema ic collec ion o people's es imonies abou hei own expe iences and li e a u e
e iew o pas and cu en knowledge including subs an i e as well as heo e ical and me hodological con ibu ions o
a ious books and jou nals guided he esea che in del ing deepe in o he his o y o he Yo ubas.
3. Oduduwa - P ogeni o o he Yo uba people
E en hough mos o his o y passed down by o ebea s is sh ouded in my hs, some c i ically analysed a e much mo e
c edible han o he s. One o hese is ha o he dei y Oduduwa, he p ogeni o o he Yo uba people o ace sojou n
om he eas o Ile I e. In his con ex , his jou nal will no ake shape and conclude logically wi hou discussing
Oduduwa and his sojou n o Ile I e, he c adle o he Yo uba people. Acco ding o Samuel Johnson, he wo d Oduduwa
migh ha e o igina ed om he ph ase Odu ( i o da iwa). The Yo uba ph ase i o da iwa signi ied any hing la ge o big
ega ding s eng h. Johnson (1921: p.143) speci ically used he e m Odu o desc ibe a la ge con aine o po . Johnson's
connec ion o he wo d Odu wi h Oduduwa emphasised he s eng h and he g ea ness o Oduduwa as he au ho o
exis ence. Johnson ega ded Oduduwa, acco ding o he Yo uba o al adi ion, as he sou ce o c ea ion o a g ea
con aine . He said he e m Odu '… implies he g ea con aine [sic!] he au ho o exis ence' (Johnson, 1921: p.143).
Building on Johnson's e ymology o "Oduduwa," 21s -cen u y Yo uba his o ians such as A olayan con inued o link he
e m o he c ea o . Simila o Johnson and Lucas, A olayan (2004: p. 32) posi s ha Oduduwa is a sho ened o m o
"Odu i o da iwa," implying ha he en i y Odu (dei y o mys e y) c ea ed exis ence, li e, and cha ac e . Johnson may
ha e been he i s 19 h-cen u y w i e o connec he wo d "Oduduwa" wi h Yo uba o igins, a connec ion la e
expanded upon by au ho s such as Lucas Olumide and Ellis, building on Johnson's in e p e a ion in *The His o y o he
Yo ubas*. P ima ily d awing on he accoun s o Oyo elde s (Johnson 1921: p.3), Johnson documen ed he Oduduwa o al
adi ion. Howe e , a ious Yo uba g oups o e a ying in e p e a ions o he Oduduwa o al adi ion. Johnson (1921:
p.4) pos ula es ha Oduduwa came o Ile I e and me people he e, including Agboni egun (Se ilu), who was said o be
he ounde o I a wo ship. Muhammad (2013) a gued ha Oduduwa me o he e hnic g oups ha li ed in he p esen
day Yo ubaland when he came, and ha i was impossible o Oduduwa o subdue he people he ound in Yo ubaland.
This led o a comp omise ha esul ed in he o ma ion o he 'Yo uba' people. The a i al o Oduduwa and his g oup is
belie ed o ha e led o a poli ical con lic , dis up ing he exis ing s uc u e o he 13 communi ies led by Oba ala. This
con lic is hough o ha e been a ca alys o ea ly mig a ions away om I e. Some heo ies sugges ha Oduduwa and
his ollowe s migh ha e had supe io echnology o mili a y s eng h, allowing hem o es ablish dominance and a
cen al go e nmen wi h Oduduwa as he sup eme ule (Jonhson, 2021). In essence, Oduduwa's a i al in Ile-I e was a
signi ican e en ha dis up ed he exis ing social and poli ical landscape, es ablishing a new powe s uc u e and
in luencing he subsequen mig a ions and de elopmen o he Yo uba people.
An example o his is wha anspi ed in B i ain in he mid-5 h o 7 h cen u ies AD when Anglo-Saxon mig an s om
wha is now no hwes Ge many, sou he n Denma k and he Ne he lands mig a ed o he B i ish Isles sho ly a e he
Romans aca ed he B i ish Isles; in a way, b inging wi h hem an ad ance cul u e. The Anglo-Saxons se led on he
B i ish Isle in he mid-5 h cen u y and came o domina e he bulk o sou he n G ea B i ain. When hey a i ed in
B i ain, hey me he B i ons e e ed o as Cel s. While some in eg a ed wi h he Anglo-Saxons, o he s mig a ed o he
p esen day Sco land, I eland and Wales. Thei language o igina ed as a g oup o Ing aeonic (No h Sea Ge manic), a
linguis ic g ouping wi hin Wes Ge manic, encompassing Old F isian, Old English, and Old Saxon, as well as hei
descendan s. I 's named a e he Ingae ones, a Ge manic cul u al g oup desc ibed in classical an iqui y as inhabi ing
he No h Sea coas . (Ba ack, 1978). languages spoken by he se le s in England and sou he n and eas e n Sco land in
he ea ly Middle Ages, displacing he Cel ic languages, and, possibly, B i ish La in ha had p e iously been dominan
(G imme , 2014). Also, he e a e equally undoub ed ins ances o alliance and accommoda ion (Ibid). The main eason
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 785-793
788
oday he majo i y o he Kings and Queens o B i ain, h ough ma iages wi h he na i es (Cel s), ace hei lineage o
he Anglo-Saxon, and la e on, No mans-o F ench o igin mig an s s a ing om King Egbe (Ecghe h ) 827-839
(His o ic UK, 2025). The e was a anspa en olk mig a ion o massi e numbe s o Ge mans in o wha became England,
and hei cul u e was adop ed wholesale by he na i e peoples whom hey conque ed. The same can be a gued o ha e
mani es ed in Ile I e when Oduduwa and his people a i ed, essen ially making he Yo uba cul u e dominan . This so
o p ocess has likely occu ed many imes h oughou human his o y.
Acco ding o Johnson (2021), Oduduwa had many child en, he eldes o whom was Okanbi, who, in o de o age, we e:
1. The mo he o he Olowu, 2. The mo he o he Alake u, 3. The King o Benin, 4. The O anyan o Ila, 5. The Onisabe o
Sabe, 6. The Olupopo o he Popos, and 7. O anyan, he i s Ala in o Oyo. Howe e , i is pe inen o s a e he his o ical
e o ega ding O anyan in he lis o Re . Samuel Johnson (1921). Ha ing ins alled his son Eweka as Benin's ule ,
O anmiyan e u ned o Ile-I e. On his way be o e a i ing in Ile-I e, he mo ed no hwes o ind he Oyo Kingdom.
Re e encing con adic ions in Samuel Johnson's w i e-up conce ning he posi ions o Obas in Yo ubaland. Samuel
Johnson's w i e-up is based on o al his o y (Akin oye, 2004: p.3; Falola, 1999: pp.33-34; Agai,2021). He in e iewed
many Yo uba leade s, elde s and he oyal ba ds o a okins who wo ked in he King's palace, especially in Oyo.
The a okins se ed he Alaa in (King) o Oyo as o al adi ionalis s, his o ians and musicians (Johnson, 1921: iii;
Muhammad 2013: p.5; Agai, 2021). Johnson also said ha a he palace o he Oyo king, he e we e ba ds, he King's
d umme s and cymbalis s whom we elied upon o ob ain in o ma ion ega ding he Yo uba O igin: i is on hem he
depends as a as possible o any eliable in o ma ion we now possess' (Johnson, 1921: p.3; Agai, 2021). In his
ci cums ance, one can deduce ha mos in o man will gi e hei accoun o Yo uba Oba his o y o sui hei people and
ego. Fu he mo e, based on li e a u e, one can a gue ha he posi ion o he Oba o Ile I e is unques ionable as he
o emos King o he Yo ubas.
Ano he accoun by Akande (2020) s a ed ha Okanbi was he only son o Oduduwa, he p ogeni o o Yo uba. He had
six sons who we e all Kings. They we e ne e successo s o hei g and a he 's h one. They sp ead ou in di e en
di ec ions a di e en imes o ind hei owns and p esided o e he a ai s o hei kingdoms. The six sons we e Olowu
o Owu, and Alake u o Ke u, no in p esen day Nige ia. Onisabe o Sabe, (no in Nige ia). O anmiyan, Oba o Benin and
Founde o Oyo empi e; Onipopo o Popo (no in Nige ia) and O angun o Ila. The imp ession gi en by his accoun is
ha he g ea p ogeni o o he Yo uba did no gi e bi h o g and p incesses. This may no be ue. The e is a high le el
o emp a ion o belie e ha sons we e emphasised on because he male is ega ded chie ly as being who has wha i
akes o ind a own o s a a communi y o a se lemen . This was connec ed wi h he equi ed p o ision o secu i y
and sa e y o esiden s o such a communi y, which a woman is suspec ed no o be buil o . Also, ano he s o y
s ipula es Oduduwa had sons, daugh e s and a g andson who ound hei Kingdoms and Empi es, namely Ila O angun,
Owu, Ke u, Sabe, Popo and Oyo. I was gene ally accep ed ha Obalu on Ogbogbodi in was he eldes son and
O anmiyan he younges . Okanbi was he eldes daugh e who bege he Olowu o Owu and six o he amous Kings
(Fabunmi, 1985).
On pages 18 and 19 o his book: "This is Ile-I e" published in 1986, Omo oso Eluyemi asse s ha he child en and
g andchild en o Oduduwa who le Ile-I e o ound o he kingdoms we e:
Table 1: Child en and g andchild en o Oduduwa who ounded majo Yo uba owns.
S/no.
Name o ounde
The kingdom ounded
1
O anyan (g andson)
Benin and Oyo
2.
Ajagunla
The O anangun o Ile-Ila
3.
Se opasan
The Alake un o Ke u (now in Benin Republic)
4.
Ajaleke
The alake o Egbaland
5.
Ajibogun
The Owa o Ilesha
6.
Lagbo ogan
The Awujale o Ijebuland
7.
Oba ada
A Kingdom in Benin Republic
8.
Oninana
A Kingdom in Ghana
9.
Onipopo
(Okanbi) Popo Kingdom in Benin Rep (Egun) a Ailada)
10.
Onisabe
Sabe Kingdom In Benin Republic
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11.
Pupupu
The Osemawe o Ondo
12.
Ajaponda
The Deji o AKu e
13.
Ajibosin
The Olowu o Owu
14.
Awama oi
The Ewi o Ado-Eki i
15.
A e eo
The Olowo o Owo
16.
Ada awale
The Ala a o A amoko
17.
Ogbe
The Aje o o Ije o
18.
Owa an an (Owo e)
The Owo e o O un Kingdom des oyed by he Fulanis in Ilo in P o ince
19.
Akinsola
The Elekole o Ikole
20.
The Aka igbo o Ijebu Remo
21.
The Olosi o Osi Eki i
22.
The Alaye o Ipole Aaye (E on
Alaaye)
23.
The Olujudo o Ido
24.
The Owa A igbajo o Igbajo
25.
The Owa O an o O an Aiyegbaju
3.1 The Abo iginal people conund um
Saunde s e al., (2019) desc ibe Oba ala as he b o he o Oduduwa. Acco ding o he o al adi ions o I e, he mo al
Oba ala was he ounde and King o I e du ing i s classical pe iod. His posi ion as he King was challenged by Oduduwa
when he a i ed in Ile I e and assumed leade ship o he own, domina ing o he s as well, such as exis ing communi ies
and g oups, including he "Ooye Me indinlogun" (Six een Elde s) and he Ugbo's di e en om he Igbos o he Eas e n
pa o Nige ia. These included igu es like Agboni egun (O unmila), associa ed wi h I a wo ship. Oduduwa and his
g oup we e ini ially pe cei ed as ou side s, descending om Oke O a, a hill eas o he 13 communi ies in he I e
Valley. This a i al dis up ed he exis ing poli ical s uc u e led by Oba ala, leading o some ea ly mig a ions om I e.
3.2 Yo uba Obaship Hie a chy
Oduduwa is known o be he o emos pa amoun King o he Yo ubas. In essence, he Ooni dynas y aces i s o igins
back o Oduduwa, making he Ooni he cus odian o a ich his o y and cul u al he i age (Oba e u, 2003). I can be a gued
ha no wi hs anding ha an Ile I e King is bo n by an ensla ed woman imp egna ed by Oduduwa and inhe i ed he
h one, he is he o emos pa amoun ule o he Yo ubas. Also, pe haps, i is possible ha he ensla ed woman
imp egna ed by Oduduwa's son e en ually ascended he h one belonged o he na i i y class in Ile I e a he ime.
Acco ding o Oba e u (2003), Oduduwa ook as his wi e an ensla ed woman called Lakange, cap u ed by Ogun in Ile-
I e. Chie Samuel Ojo Bada, he Bada o Saki, said she was a P incess o Oo e O un (Owa on an), one o he abo igine
Obas who opposed Oduduwa adminis a ion. She ga e bi h o O anmiyan (also known as Odede), who was ligh -
skinned like Oduduwa and black-skinned like Ogun, who cap u ed he . The insinua ion is ha Oduduwa and Ogun
p obably ha e canal knowledge o he ensla ed woman one way o he o he , and ha he issue ou o i , O anmiyan,
belongs o Oduduwa and Ogun. F om he esea che 's iew, pe haps because o a de iciency in knowledge a he ime,
some hing o ha na u e is impossible. Oduduwa was po ayed as ligh -skinned, and he ensla ed woman he made as
wi e and copula ed wi h who was o da k skin ga e bi h o O anmiyan, who ook he colou o his a he . This s o y
possibly lays c edence o he s o y ha Oduduwa migh u h ully mig a e om he Middle Eas o he p esen day Ile
I e, and he is o A ab descen associa ed wi h ha ing ligh skin.
We mus unde s and, b ushing aside he con adic ion o his o ians, ha O anmiyan, Oduduwa's son, was one o his
a he 's p incipal minis e s and o e see o he nascen Edo Empi e, a e Oduduwa g an ed he pleas o he Edo people
o his go e nance. On his o ical accoun , when O anmiyan decided o go back o Ile I e a e a pe iod o se ice in Benin,
he le behind a child called Eweka (Owo mi ka) ha he had wi h an indigenous P incess in his place, " hus gi ing he
Benis he long line o Kings om he O anmiyan dynas y, The young boy became he i s Oba ule o he second Edo
dynas y, in he p esen day Benin (Bonda enko, 2003). Fu he mo e, a e lea ing Edo, on his way back home o Ile I e,
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 785-793
790
O anmiyan la e ound he Oyo empi e ha s e ched a i s heigh om he wes e n banks o he Ri e Nige o he
Eas e n banks o he Ri e Vol a. I would se e as one o he mos powe ul o A ica's medie al S a es be o e i s
collapse in he 19 h Cen u y (Bonda enko, 2003). I is a well es ablished ac ha O anmiyan, desc ibed as "a man o
g ea physical powe and migh y conque o ", ounded Oyo and ins alled his son, Ajaka, as he i s Alaa in o Oyo be o e
e u ning o Ile-I e o occupy he h one o his a he , Oduduwa, un il his dea h (Johnson, 1921). Ano he accoun
explained ha O anmiyan i s became Oba o Benin be o e e u ning o Ile-I e, expec ing o ake o e Oduduwa's
h one. To his su p ise, howe e , he me a King, an Ooni o he same lineage on he h one. To a oid unnecessa y
iolence, which his con es a ion could engende , he p eceded ou o he Ile-I e wi h his la ge ollowe s o ound Oyo.
Whiche e is he case, i is e iden ha he s ool o he Oni o I e exis ed be o e ha o Benin and Oyo (Ibid).
3.3 On he O anmiyan dynas y, aking in o conside a ion sup emacy ba les among Obas
I is e iden ha Eweka was he i s Oba o ule in Benin a e he Ogiso dynas y and ha he had a Bini mo he . Howe e ,
he p ecise da e o his eign was no speci ic because Egha euba (1960; 1965) ga e he da e as 1200 and B adbu y
(1959) was a ound 1300. Also, i is e iden om li e a u e ha O anmiyan ounded Oyo Ile, which his descendan s hen
expanded in o he Oyo Empi e, and he was he i s Alaa in in he yea 1300, be o e aca ing he s ool o his son Ajaka
and e u ned o Ile I e. In he same manne , one can say ha he pe iod o he eign o O anmiyan as he ou h Ooni o
I e canno be p ecisely da ed (Ibid). O al his o y om ou o e a he s a I e old us ha e en hough O anmiyan was on
he h one as Ooni o I e, he was o en away om Ile-I e on his wa expedi ions agains he neighbou ing hos ile na ions
o o he pa s o he coun y.
Agains his backg ound, i O anmiyan was sen on an e and by he a he Oduduwa, he cu en King o Ile I e, he
c adle o he Yo ubas, o Edo, and on his way back o Ile I e, he es ablished Oyo and en h one his son Ajaka and la e le
o Ile I e. I can be deduced ha Ile I e's h one supe sedes ha o Edo and Oyo, because he h one o Ile I e exis ed
way be o e he h one o Benin and Oyo. And as acknowledged in so many qua e s in Yo uba land ha O anmiyan,
he younges son o Oduduwa, eigned, died and was bu ied in Ile-I e, and all Yo uba Kings, as pa o hei ascension
and co ona ion ce emonies, we e expec ed o ecei e and handle he mos signi ican symbol o O anmiyan's s eng h-
O anmiyan's swo d (Ida O anmiyan) as ep esen ing hei swo d o o ice om I e, and also been he cus om o many
yea s o mos c owned Yo uba Obas o isi he g a e o Oduduwa in Ile-I e o blessings du ing hei co ona ion
ce emonies, his makes he Oba and h one o Ile I e sup eme and o emos in Yo uba land. One can no place he h ones
o he sons abo e ha o he a he . In his ci cums ance, one can deduce ha mos in o man will gi e hei accoun o
his o y o boos hei ego and s a us a he han saying i as i was om he beginning.
Tomo i (n.d), s ipula es ha "The Alaa in o Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III in a publica ion in (T ibune-Nige ia daily
newspape ) ag eed ha "O anmiyan ounded Oyo Empi e". Fu he mo e, Tomo i explained i i is hen logical o any
Alaa in who descended om O anmiyan o be a son o he Ooni who is no he son o Oduduwa bu Omo Oluwo' ni- ha
is a child o an ensla ed pe son.' Debunking he no ion ha one is he son o an ensla ed pe son, i is on eco d ha
when Oduduwa go o Ile-I e, he ma ied he abo igines (Females) and ga e bi h o p inces and p incesses such as
Olowu's Asunkungbade's mo he , Aleke u's mo he , O anmiyan's mo he , O angun o Ila's mo he and he mo he o
Owa Obokun o Ilesa, O anmiyan ga e bi h o Eweka, he i s Oba o Benin a e Ogiso's dynas ies who became King in
1170 AD a e O anmiyan has e u ned o es ablish Oyo Kingdom. He also ga e bi h o Dada Ajuwon, a.k.a Ajaka and
Sango, a.k.a. Olukoso (Ibid). Taking in o conside a ion he iews o a ious schola s, i can be a gued ha he majo i y
o Oduduwa wi es who ga e bi h o p inces and p incesses, including O anmiyan who ga e bi h o Ajaka (Oyo) and
Eweka (Edo), whe he i is accep ed o no a e placed in he ealm o an ensla ed pe son, leading o he no ion ha we
should s op classi ying a pe son as an ensla ed pe son. Acco ding o a Yo uba adage, (Bi a i bi e u ni a bi omo. Tha is,
he ensla ed pe son and he child a e bo h humans and dese e digni y).
Acco ding o Baba ola (2019), o ease o e e ence, he c isis be ween he King (Aka igbo o Remo) and he King (Elepe
o Epe) ha s a ed in 1899 on he ma e o beaded c own be ween Aka igbo and Elepe b ough o he o e he
pa amoun posi ion and sup emacy o he Ooni o I e in Yo uba land. Se ious iolence and loss o li e esul ed om a
dispu e be ween he Aka igbo o Remo and he Elepe o Epe o e he Elepe's wea ing o a beaded c own wi hou he
Aka igbo's pe mission. Consequen ly, as pos ula ed by Baba ola (2019) and Sijuwade (2025), he hen B i ish
Go e nmen in e ened in he ma e . The Alaa in o Oyo, when app oached by he go e nmen o assis ance, de e ed
o he Ooni o I e, s a ing ha only he held au ho i y o e he beaded c owns o all Yo uba Obas. A he ime o he c isis,
he Ooni on he h one o I e was Oba Adelekan Olubuse (Baba ola, 2019). To esol e he ma e , he Go e no
pe sonally isi ed he Ooni o I e, eques ing his in e en ion and p esence in Lagos. Ile-I e's palace decla ed i o bidden
o he Ooni o lea e a ha ime, ye he Go e no , ci ing his manda e om he King o England, insis ed he Ooni assis
in esol ing he c own dispu e. The Nige ian Na ional A chi es con ain eco ds, ci ed by Baba ola (2019) and Sijuwade
(2025), ha de ail go e nmen al p o isions made o ul il he Ooni's demands. Also, i was documen ed ha he hen
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 785-793
791
(8 h Obaniko o o Lagos – Ajayi Bembe (1897-1906), was he in e p e e be ween he Ooni o Ile I e and he Go e nmen .
Fu he mo e, I was s a ed in he epo s ha was Gaze ed ha all Yo uba Obas, including he Alaa in o Oyo, aca ed
hei palaces and slep ou side he walls o hei palaces on hea ing he news ha Ooni was on his way o Lagos and
emained he e un il his e u n back home (Ibid). To his end, wi h no dissen ing oice om any Oba in he Wes e n
Region, including he Oba o Benin, who a es ed o he sup emacy o Ooni o Ile I e, he inqui y was held a Lagos Ci y
Hall on he 1s o Ap il 1901. I was s a ed by he Ooni o I e ha Elepe o Epe had no igh o a beaded c own and ha
Aka igbo o Remo was igh in his ac ions o demand he emo al o he c own om Elepe (Baba ola, 2019; Sijuwade,
2025).
Du ing his pe iod, he Ooni o I e acco dingly p esen ed he lis o Yo uba Obas en i led o wea beaded c owns and
wha adi ional ma e ials needed o be p esen ed be o e being gi en o allowed o wea beaded c owns. Thus, he
Go e nmen Gaze e o 28 h o Feb ua y 1903 pu o es he issue o he mos pa amoun ule in Yo uba land (Baba ola,
2019; Sijuwade, 2025). Acco ding o Akinjogbin (1966), ega ding poli ical adminis a ions and s able s uc u es, Oyo
had no equali y in Yo ubaland. Also, wi hou doub , cul u ally, Oyo played a i al ole in p ese ing and sp eading
Yo uba adi ions. Oyo, because o i s posi ion as he cen al mili a y ga ison (o he Yo ubas), h ough he o midable
p owess o i s gene alissimos in he likes o Aa e Ona Kakan o and o he s, was able o expand he land mass o he
Yo ubas h ough conques . A key ac o in Oyo's success was i s mili a y s eng h, pa icula ly i s well- ained ca al y,
which dis inguished i om o he Yo uba s a es. The empi e's a my conduc ed campaigns ac oss Wes A ica,
subjuga ing neighbou ing e i o ies, including he Kingdom o Dahomey, which we e o ced o pay annual ibu e a e
being de ea ed in he ea ly 18 h cen u y. Oyo's dominance ex ended no hwa d in o Nupe and Bo gu lands, equen ly
launching aids and ex ac ing esou ces (Ibid). The empi e's abili y o sus ain hese mili a y conques s was closely
linked o i s poli ical s uc u e, which was designed o main ain in e nal s abili y while enabling e i o ial expansion
(Akinjogbin, 1966; Ayandele, 2004). Mo eo e , when he Yo ubas we e expanding hei e i o ies, da ing conques
makes he Alaa in o Oyo o be a he o e on o he mos well known Oba in Yo uba land. S ill, suppose adi ion and
classi ica ion o Obaship is duly ollowed igh om Oduduwa ime, in ha case, his does no make he Alaa in o Oyo
he mos supe io Oba in Yo uba land. Fu he mo e, in some qua e s, Oyo, as he mili a y ou pos o he en i e Yo uba
land, makes i supe io o Ile I e, bu om c i ical analysis, i is no he case. Ile I e, he c adle o he Yo uba people and
i s h one s ill eigned sup eme, and i due p ocess is ollowed and main ained, exis s be o e Oyo and i s h one, and
should be conside ed as no equal o Oyo in e ms o Kinship.
On he s eng h o he abo e, one can a gue ha he e was no con es be ween he Ooni o I e and Alaa in o Oyo
h oughou he Colonial ule. Thus, Ooni o I e was he chai man o he i s Council O Obas mee ing in Oyo in 1934.
wi h ou o he Obas lis ed: (1) Ooni o I e, (2) Alaa in o Oyo, (3) Oba o Benin, and (4) Alake o Abeoku a. (Now Alake
o Egba Land). (5) Awujale o Ijebu Ode. (Now Awujale o Ijebu Land) and he Go e no in a endance. Subsequen ly,
he mee ing enue was o a ed a he domains o he Obas lis ed abo e, and in all he mee ings, he Ooni o I e p esided
o e all. Reco ds a ailable a he Na ional A chi es a es ed o his ac (Baba ola, 2019; Sijuwade, 2025). Fu he mo e,
in iew o he o egoing, his explana ion gi es c edence o Ooni o I e's supe io i y among he Obas, no based on my h,
bu c edible esea ch indings ha a e ac ual. I is no ewo hy o unde s and ha he in eg i y o his o ical accoun s
depends on accu a e epo ing backed by e i iable ac s, igu es, and da es om au hen ic documen s; o he wise,
c edibili y is comp omised. Thus, he need o ha e con idence in esea ch indings ha a e belie able and us wo hy
g ounded in employing di e se sou ces, pe spec i es, o me hods o assess a phenomenon.
4. Conclusion
F om he need o mo e on om my h o ac , he Yo uba na a i es examined abo e con ain ce ain ea u es
ep esen ing ac o s o iden i y o ma ion among he people. These unique ai s a e p ima ily a sha ed he i age, a
common ongue, and a common eligious ai h. Yo uba o igin my hs and mig a ion accoun s unde pin he ounda ion
o Ile-I ẹ, hei ances al home. E en in o he wen ie h cen u y, p ominen his o ical schola s accep ed Samuel
Johnson's heo y ha Oduduwa o igina ed in a a away eas e n land, ou side o p esen -day Nige ia, and came o I e as
a conque ing p ince. To his ex en , i is p obable ha he said eas whe e Oduduwa came om migh be Egyp -once
h i ing c adle o ci ilisa ion ha is conside ed o be pa o he Middle Eas acco ding o Ha ding (2024), due o i s
geog aphical loca ion, cul u al ies, and his o ical in luences compa ed o Benin, an asse ion by Oba Edu Akenzua, o
which his son he cu en Oba o Benin has se he eco d s aigh . E en hough mos o Egyp 's landmass is in A ica,
i s eas e n pa ex ends in o Asia. Oduduwa's ule o e I e is ecoun ed in many elabo a e adi ional na a i es,
de ailing bo h p og ess and ad e si y; hese s o ies ha e gi en ise o coun less e sions, each wi h i s own dis inc
angle. This ounda ional adi ional na a i e was c ea ed by me iculously e iewing a wide ange o li e a u e, he eby
adding o he exis ing Yo uba unde s anding o o igins and iden i y. I 's plain o see ha he di e en s o y e sions a e
linked. Pe haps he poli ical na a i e accu a ely e lec s Ile I e's o igins h ough conques and by in oducing a
dominan cul u e. In addi ion, he absence o an o icial documen o law de ailing he Yo uba Kings' hie a chy leads o
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(02), 785-793
792
a ying in e p e a ions. Ra he han a de ined legal o poli ical amewo k, he hie a chy o Yo uba Kings es s on
adi ion, his o ical in luence and he pe cep ion o hei au ho i y. Based on he li e a u e e iewed, he Oni o I e is
a guably he mos p ominen ule in Yo ubaland, wi h he Alaa in o Oyo second in ank. Supposedly, i he Oba o Benin
is b ough in o he equa ion, in ha case, one can a gue ha a e he Oni o I e comes he Oba o Benin, ollowed by he
Alaa in o Oyo based on O anmiyan sojou n om Ile I e o Benin, a e wa ds o Oyo, be o e inally e u ning o Ile I e.
Compliance wi h e hical s anda ds
Acknowledgmen s
The au ho exp ess g a i ude and ecognise he con ibu ions o Ma ins Akin emi TIWO o in aluable ad ice.
Disclosu e o con lic o in e es
No con lic o in e es o be disclosed.
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