Yoruba Culture Research Paper

SOCIO-POLITICAL AND CULTURAL EXPOSITION IN THE COGNOMEN OF ALAAFIN OF OYO

BY

OJEBODE, AYOKUNMI OLADELE AJAYI CROWTHER UNIVERSITY, OYO MATRIC NO: 07H01/011

A LONG ESSAY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT S FOR THE DEGREE OF B ACHELOR OF ART, AJAYI CROWTHER UNIVERSIT Y, OYO, NIGERIA. JUNE, 2011

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THE OYO PEOPLE AND COGNOM EN 1.0 Introduction One of the traditions that is gradually wearing off among the Yoruba today due to modernity is the knowledge of cognomen (Oriki). Different families and lineages in the Yorubaland have a cognomen that they are known for, most times the recitation of a cognomen is performed by an aged person in a household, either a
at a site called Ife. It is very probable that there were people already living in the forest and that the intruders came in a series of discrete waves, deferring to Ife as the spiritual source of the Yoruba people but granting it no political primacy. That Ife was an important center may be inferred from the splendid art she produced at this early period, but there could have been no genuine unity among the Yoruba who never even provided themselves with a national name--the term, Yoruba, originating during the nineteenth century, applied not by the Yoruba themselves but by outsiders to describe a series of city-states where variations of the same language were spoken. Tradition began to give way to historical fact with the formation and development of the state of Old Oyo. Founded according to tradition by Oranmiyan, a son or grandson of Oduduwa, it probably dates from the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century A.D., after which it quickly became politically predominant throughout Yorubaland, its authority extending at its height during the eighteenth century north to the Niger, south to the sea, east as far as Benin, and west to include the kingdom of Dahomey. The Oyo Empire was not a centralized monolith but consisted rather of layers of states with varying loyalties to the center. Most closely connected was metropolitan Oyo, which was directly administered. Next were provinces closely allied with Oyo, then provinces with considerable local independence
Oyo never encompassed all Yoruba-speaking people but it was by far the most populous kingdom in Yoruba history. 1.1.6 Reconquest and Expansion The key to Yoruba reconquest of Oyo would be a stronger military and a more centralized government. Taking a cue from their Nupe enemies (whom they called "Tapa"), the Yoruba rearmed not only with armor but cavalry. Oba Ofinran, Alaafin of Oyo, succeeded in regaining Oyo 's original territory from the Nupe. A new capital, Oyo-Igboho, was constructed, and the original became known as Old Oyo. The next oba, Egunoju, conquered nearly all of Yorubaland. After this, Oba Orompoto led attacks to obliterate the Nupe to ensure Oyo was never threatened by them again. During the reign of Oba Ajiboyede was the first Bere festival, an event that would retain much significance among the Yoruba long after the fall of Oyo. And it was under his successor, Abipa, that the Yoruba were finally compelled to repopulate Oyo-Ile and rebuild the original capital. Despite a failed attempt to conquer the Benin Empire sometime between 1578 and 1608, Oyo continued to expand. The Yoruba allowed autonomy to the southeast of metropolitan Oyo where the non-Yoruba areas could act as a buffer between Oyo and Imperial Benin. By the end of the 16th century, the Ewe and Aja states of modern Benin were paying tribute to Oyo. 1.1.7 The Dahomey Wars The reinvigorated Oyo Empire began raiding southward at