A flag was the permission to launch a jihad.
Sent from my iPhone
These are no more than uncritical regurgitations of Oyo-centric oral histories, which neither Baatonu nor Nupe oral histories corroborate, and which are contradicted by written records of the time in some cases. There is no point arguing about the 16th century. I'd only say that the Baatonu, in both Nigeria and Benin Republic, have no record of the putative Alaafin-led Oyo-Baatonu onslaught on the Nupe. Since there is no extant written record to authoritatively dispute or validate this claim, I'll just leave it at that.
The easiest claim to dispute is the claim that "In 1825, the Oyo and a political faction of Nupe collaborated to fight against the rising Fulani-led Islamist power in Ilorin but they lost." First, there was no war between "Fulani-led Islamist power in Ilorin" and Oyo in 1825. Ilorin's first emir was installed in 1823. The first war with Oyo didn't take place until around 1837. At that time, the first emir had died and was replaced by his younger brother, Shita. It was Shita who fought a war with Oyo and Borgu (or, more correctly, with whom Oyo and Borgu fought a war since he didn't initiate it). From the correspondence Sultan Muhammad Bello exchanged with Emir Shi'ta of Ilorin in the 1830s, we know for a fact that Bello sent a contingent of fighters to help Shita, and some members of that contingent were taken from Nupeland where Fulani rulers had taken over political power. So to claim that "the Oyo and a political faction of Nupe collaborated to fight against the rising Fulani-led Islamist power in Ilorin" is counterfactual. It's uncritical acceptance of oral history.
You said, "In 1837, the Oyo and Ibariba collaborated to fight against the Fulani-led Islamist power in Ilorin but they lost. Four Ibariba kings, the Alaafin and his son were among the people who perished in that war. If they had won, Oyo would have benefited the most but these Ibariba leaders were also fighting for their own survival against the expanding Sokoto Caliphate."
Again, that is Oyo-centric historical reconstruction that is not corroborated by the collective memories of the Baatonu people. The Baatonu people don't remember this as a collaborative war. They remember it as a failed self-interested war of conquest. Most importantly, though, there is no shred of historical evidence that the Sokoto Caliphate was "expanding" in the ways you suggest. The Ilorin caliphate was a historical accident. Had Afonja not invited Alimi to Ilorin and told him to resettle his family in Ilorin, there would never have been an emirate in that city. Alimi was only an itinerant Islamic preacher with no connections to the Sokoto caliphate and no political ambitions. In the six years he lived in Ilorin before his death, he never declared himself an emir. It was his son who was made "leader of Muslims" after his father's death. And all records showed that his son didn't seek to expand the caliphate because he was severely insecure and was consumed by existential anxieties. He and his brother sought military help from Sokoto not to expand the caliphate but to survive in Ilorin.
"Soun was the governor that the Alaafin sent to rule Ogbomoso area in the late sixteenth century when the Oyo Empire project began. Yes, he was Ibariba (and possibly other things). But this is a common practice in Oyo Empire --- to send non-natives to govern conquered territories. Oyo Empire sent Yoruba governors to manage affairs in Ibariba country as well. Even Oyo governors of Hausa background were sent to Oyo's colonies in Yewa (Egbado) area. Empire-builders cannot afford to think like a village head. They were successful because they were cosmopolitan in thinking and practice with sharp eyes for meritocracy. Also, you cannot create boundaries when you are trying to expand boundaries. Oyo Empire was a Yoruba-dominated entity but other language communities were absorbed into it and they became Oyo citizens or Alaafin's subjects."
This made me laugh out so loud!!! So you actually believe this? What about the Iba of Kishi who still pays homage to the king of Nikki? Was he also a "non-native" governor sent by the Alaafin?
Farooq
Farooq A. Kperogi, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorJournalism & Emerging Media
School of Communication & MediaSocial Science BuildingRoom 5092 MD 2207402 Bartow Avenue
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, Georgia, USA 30144
Cell: (+1) 404-573-9697
Personal website: www.farooqkperogi.comTwitter: @farooqkperogAuthor of Glocal English: The Changing Face and Forms of Nigerian English in a Global World
"The nice thing about pessimism is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised." G. F. Will
--On Sun, Aug 26, 2018 at 9:38 PM Akin Ogundiran <ogundiran@gmail.com> wrote:
A little clarification because some of the previous exchanges seem to have collapsed about four hundred years of history into one event.--
1. The Ibariba (Baatonu) and the Oyo collaborated in the mid-sixteenth century to defend their homelands from a segment of Nupe militarists (not all Nupe) who were "creating trouble" throughout the northern Yoruba region, and Moshi-Niger area. The Wasangari who were ruling a large section of the Ibariba region feared that the crisis could spread to their territory and they supported this Oyo-Ibariba coalition. The Alaafin-led resistance finally pushed back and subdued the Nupe militarists in the last quarter of the sixteenth century. The victory launched Oyo on its path of political expansion and empire building.
2. In 1825, the Oyo and a political faction of Nupe collaborated to fight against the rising Fulani-led Islamist power in Ilorin but they lost.
3. In 1837, the Oyo and Ibariba collaborated to fight against the Fulani-led Islamist power in Ilorin but they lost. Four Ibariba kings, the Alaafin and his son were among the people who perished in that war. If they had won, Oyo would have benefited the most but these Ibariba leaders were also fighting for their own survival against the expanding Sokoto Caliphate.
4. In 1840, Ibadan organized a region-wide defense against the southward push of Ilorin Islamists (who were being directly supported by the Sokoto Caliphate). The Ibadan won the battle in Ilorin and saved the Houses of Oduduwa from becoming emirates. That victory also launched Ibadan on the path of its own expansionist program.
5. Soun was the governor that the Alaafin sent to rule Ogbomoso area in the late sixteenth century when the Oyo Empire project began. Yes, he was Ibariba (and possibly other things). But this is a common practice in Oyo Empire --- to send non-natives to govern conquered territories. Oyo Empire sent Yoruba governors to manage affairs in Ibariba country as well. Even Oyo governors of Hausa background were sent to Oyo's colonies in Yewa (Egbado) area. Empire-builders cannot afford to think like a village head. They were successful because they were cosmopolitan in thinking and practice with sharp eyes for meritocracy. Also, you cannot create boundaries when you are trying to expand boundaries. Oyo Empire was a Yoruba-dominated entity but other language communities were absorbed into it and they became Oyo citizens or Alaafin's subjects.
Akin OgundiranUNC Charlotte
On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 4:07:36 PM UTC-4, Bolaji Aluko wrote:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mobolaji Aluko <alu...@gmail.com>
Date: Saturday, August 25, 2018
Subject: Re: NigerianID | Is Omarosa's Maternal Heritage Nigerian?
To: Imperia Merchant <imperi...@yahoo.com>
Cc:
Imperial:
History does not lie. When for example, Tinubu prides himself as Jagaban Borgu, he has a sense of history. People forget that the Bariba people of Borgu Kingdom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borgu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bariba_people) once fought against the Yoruba of Oyo Empire, but at some later time assisted the Yoruba to fight against the Tapa of Nupe Kingdom (mainly in modern-day Niger State, but also Kwara North and Kogi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nupe_people https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nupe_language), all of who are/were neighbors. Here is a map of West African kingdoms in 1625:
If one were to superimpose the Nigerian portion of that map on these Nigerian states
https://www.nigerianmuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Nigeria-Map-36-States-plus-Abuja-500x436.jpg
as well as on the followung map showing the Niger-Benue confluence:
One will then get a good picture of why you write below that: "(they) claim to be Yoruba from the north (or northern Yoruba ) jbecause the present Kwara and Kogi states were once part of the old Northern Region . The capital of old Yoruba kingdom ( the defunct Oyo Empire ) was located somewhere around the present Kogi State".. In fact, if you draw a straight line through my Ekiti State, you will find that many parts of Ekiti State are more "Northern" than certain parts of Kogi, Benue and Taraba States. Therefore we should make a distinction between the "political North" and the "geographic North" of Nigeria.
Read the fascinating history in:
And there you have it.
Bolaji Aluko
On Sat, Aug 25, 2018 at 1:22 AM Imperial Merchant Trust Ltd <imperi...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Wharf
Non of the three politicians ever denied being Yoruba but they claim to be Yoruba from the north (or northern Yoruba ) jbecause the present Kwara and Kogi states were once part of the old Northern Region .
The capital of old Yoruba kingdom ( the defunct Oyo Empire ) was located somewhere around the present Kogi State up till early 19th century .
Sent from my iPhone
On 24 Aug 2018, at 11:04 PM, 'Wharf A. Snake' via Corporate Nigeria <corporat...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Saraki, Sunday Awoniyi, Dino Melaye say they are not Yoruba but Buska, Ogbeni Dipo, Alagba Afis say they are. Now they have claimed the Itshekiri too. Revanchist they all are.
Ejo ni Mushin - PrinceSent from my iPhone
Yes o, we relate very well as cousinsWe have so many alliances and coalition with Itsekiri
Sent from my iPad
On Aug 23, 2018, at 9:26 PM, 'DIPO ENIOLA' via Corporate Nigeria <corporat...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
A good number of Itsekiri people think they are Yoruba. Some are active in OPC.
The Oha 1
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