Yorubaland

Mr. [J.O.] George in Historical Notes on the Yoruba Country (1895) gives us another variant of the historical traditions of the Yoruba.

Photo Source: Map of the Yoruba country from History of the Yorubas

Text Source: Nigerian studies; or, The Religious & Political System of the Yoruba by Dennett, Richard Edward

Published 1910

Mr. George says : — " .... The Yoruba Kingdom was once a great Power in West Africa. It had Dahomey, Hausa, Tapa, and many other important tribes and countries under its control.

"It lost its power through internecine wars, which, together with foreign invasions, brought about an entire disruption of the Yoruba Kingdom. The remains formed themselves into small towns, their once tributary towns, and these countries of course became independent.

"In these small towns the remnant of the Yoruba nation remained in peace for about 250 years. After this another war broke out, which we are told began at Apomu, a market in the Ijebu Country.

In this war the whole Yorubaland was laid waste, and from this the exportation of slaves from the Yoruba Countries commenced."

Mr. George describes how a General called Maye, the Balogun (or war Chief) of Ife, with his Captains, Abe and Laboside, overran the whole of the Yoruba Country. He appears to have become a great slave raider. At his death the whole nation was again scattered.

He continues : " These wars which have laid our country waste one hundred years ago, still continue from that time to this" (somewhere in the nineties of the last century). "

The whole country has not had ten years' rest.

The Ijaiye War of 1860 which extended to Iperu, Makun and Ikorodu and the Eketiparapo and the Ibadan-Ilorin war are the offspring of this Opomu War.

We are inclined to believe that the different tribes themselves cannot yet settle these differences, seeing that each tribe* has a hand in the causes which led to them."

Anyone wishing to know how this peace was accomplished by the British should read " Papers relative to the Reduction of Lagos," 1852, & " Correspondence respecting the War between native tribes in the Interior," 1887

— two very interesting papers presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her late Majesty.

This is interesting as at the present day many half-educated natives are apt to put down the ruin of their country to its occupation by British Government.