The Reign of Bashorun Gaa in Old Oyo Empire. December 13, 2020. As Oyo’s wealth increased, so did its leaders’ political options; some wished to concentrate on amassing wealth, while others advocated the use of wealth for territorial expansion. The kingmakers for the Olubadan of Ibadanland are … The Yorùbá people are a Niger-Congo ethnic group of southwestern and north-central Nigeria, as well as southern and central Benin. Old Oyo Empire was razed and demolished eventually in the year 1896. They were also the kingmakers. Political structure The Oyo Empire developed a highly sophisticated political structure to govern its territorial domains. Many do not recognize or identify their “callings” and then strive to operate under that grace and canopy, in which they are not called. Following the conquer and subjugation of the Kingdom of Dahomey, Oyo’s wealth grew and the empire flourished for many years. Formation of the Oyo Empire. There were seven members of the Oyomesi, ranked in the following order: Basorun, Agbakin, Samu, Alapini, Laguna, Akiniku, and Asipa. Here is the pre-colonial political administration of the Oyo empire. The reason being that the Oba is not an absolute ruler and there is the principl… By 1680, the Oyo Empire spanned over 150,000 square kilometers. 13 min read. A bitter and bloody civil war broke out during the reign of Alaafin Abiodun, and this caused a weakness in the central government of the empire. Meanwhile oyo empire was established on 12th century and it was collapsed in 18th century. At its apogee, the empire stretched from the Niger westward to Pop and Dahomey. 0. Oyo Empire was well known for it’s industrial productions in brass making The Alaafin and Are-Ona Kakanfo Afonja developed serious issues. Truth Be Told. The Alaafin was assisted in the administration of the empire by a group of seven chiefs, known as the Oyomesi. He was betrayed and killed by them instead. The power of the alafin was checked by a group of leaders known as the Oyo Mesi, who appointed and reviewed the head of state and had the authority to condemn him to death by suicide if … Some of the rulers aimed to use the wealth to further strengthen their military force; but the other half wanted to gain more wealth, and amass a fortune. They exercised legislative functions and was headed by the Bashorun. The Yoruba Story, So true. Many empires signed a treaty with oyo empire from been attack and free trade routes. Although not autocratic in nature, (due to the established system of checks and balances), he was undoubtedly a driving force in the growth of the Empire. Oyo Empire - Yoruba empire that arose in the 1600's in present-day Nigeria and dominated its neighbors for a hundred years. Each title is hereditary,not necessarily from father to son but within the same family. 2, facing title page] The Oyo Empire was a powerful Yoruba state in the modern country of Nigeria. The two most relevant structures in Oyo-lle were the Alaafin’s palace and his market. Oduduwa the founder of ile-ife gave birth to one male which was known to be okanbi or Akanbi.Okanbi gave birth to seven sons and they were;Orangun,Ol owu,Onipopo,Onisabe,Oba of Benin (Ewuare) and Oranmiyan or Oranyan was said to be the last born. Alaafin of Oyo, Iku Baba Yeye, Igba Keji Orisa, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III. Although archaeology has yet to discover concrete connections between the various successive states of what is today Nigeria, oral traditions, such as those in the Kingdom of Benin (13-19th century CE), located just to the east of Oyo, tell of a king of Ife who not only sent a prince to rule other areas of the region but also sent a mast… The Afonja, hungry for power; began a series of attacks in the northern faction of Oyo. Allada in 1698. The Benin Empire was “one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of West Africa, dating back to the eleventh century” The Edo people were the founders and settlers of the Benin Empire, but were initially ruled by the Ogiso (Kings of … The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were very significant in the history of the Oyo empire. They were the judicial arm of the empire and were consulted for spiritual solutions, strategy, and prayers. The palace was at the center of the city close to Oba’s market called ‘Oja-oba’. Are-Ona Kakanfo Afonja secured the help of the Islamic Fulani, thinking they would help him overthrow the Alaafin. In the Oyo Empire, the Oyomesi were essentially the highest councillors of the state. 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