By Adejumo David Adebayo
” When two brothers fight, strangers inherit them”
I’ve studied a repetitive pattern in Yorùbá Historiography in both Pre-Colonial/Pre-Nigeria and Colonial/Post colonial and Nigeria political history (~1884/1914- Present):
Infighting amongst a large nation as Yorùbá with many subgroups and individuals with interests or group interest, politics, ambitions are to be expected for a people of about 50M in population.
The only problem is introduction or invitation of external forces or elements into our internal rivalry, power struggles, this has led to unquantifiable destruction that have affected all the people in history, in this article I shall discuss briefly on these scenarios.
Here are examples of Intra- Yorùbá rivalry or conflicts and the repercussions:
- Lagos- ( Èkó) Òbàship tussle between Òbà Dosunmu and Kosoko, succession dispute.
Invitation of the British.
External conquistador: The British.
Implications: Lagos politics became vulnerable to British interference, Lagos was bombarded and annexed to become a British colony in 1861, Start of Colonialization of Whole Yorùbáland and subsequently Nigeria, British involvement in Ongoing Yorùbá Civil wars; thereby Elongating the war and psyop operation, they used Smallpox as a biological weapon to take our some Ibadan generals, supplied weapons to other side of the warring faction just like NATO/US supply of arms, ammunition and materials to Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022 after Russia special military operation, thereby Elongating and intensifying the war.
Note: The warring factions may have had genuine grievances or cause for their wars but External force choosing a side in exploitation or as conquistador.
Another example is almost ongoing Sudan crises.
This led to The British exploitation of Hinterland, as well as Anglo-ijebu war for trade route.
As a matter of fact, same people who helped to elongate the war and there by preventing Pan Yorùbá solidarity against their conquest bombarded Òyó and became ” Mediator” of the war, they became peacemaker! This time on their own terms!
It’s estimated that The Whole Yorùbá Country had close to 500,000 armies at these time, however, they could not unify to stop the British conquest, Ijebu soldiers fought their war themselves in Imagbon.
Treaties were signed, one of such was 1888 treaty between Òyó and British Crown.
Summary: Two brothers fought ( Kosoko|Dosunmu) but the external conquistador inherited them.
- Òyó and Ilorin Tussle/Rift/War/Political brouhaha.
Actors: Aláàfin Aole and Successor Vs Aare Ona kakanfo, Afonja.
External Conquistador: Alimi|Gwandu Emirate|Sokoto Caliphate|Jamas.
Sidenote: ” Òyó was no more Imperial at this time While Òyó’s military power continued to extend the boundaries of the empire, the political leadership in the metropolis was imploding under the stress of intra-elite conflict between the two dominant pillars of Òyó monarchy, the aláàfin and the oyómèsì.
The two were victims of their own political success. At the core of their conflict was the struggle over the distribution and control of the gains that derived from Òyó’s territorial expansion.
The Imperial Òyó started crumbling in mid 1700s (
~1750 c.a) with Internal political instability, social instability, lack of social reforms, drought, slave trade, lack of respect for institutions.
The Basorun Gaa debacle and subsequent aláàfin, Aláàfin Abiodun focus on commerce more than Military action to hold Non Yorùbá tributary states.
Òyó became very Commercially prosperous during aláàfin Abiodun reign, the empire attracted many traders from across Yorùbáland and Non Yorùbáland.
The empire’s diminished military capability and the new trade routes linking the Central Sudan with the Volta region encouraged imperial Òyó crumble.
By 1783, Borgu( Ìbàrìbá) declared its independence from Òyó.
By 1791, The Nupe not only followed suit shortly after but also returned to brigandage activities in the northeastern and north-central Yorùbá region, raiding several polities and communities in Ìgbómìnà, Okun, and Àkókó for captives.
Between 1790-1820, Egba declared independence from Òyó led by Lisabi.
Dahomey Tributary state also declared independence from Òyó after few battles and became anti Òyó.
Òyó was left with itself and Ibolo provinces.
Therefore, by 1800s, Òyó was no more an EMPIRE, it climaxed in 1790, all tributary states had declared independence, it was vulnerable!
As Òyó crumbled, across the Sudanic region, Sokoto Jihad had occured in 1804 and Sokoto Caliphate was the New and rising Power.”
The tussle between two brothers ( Aláàfin| Afonja) led to Stranger inheriting their house ( Ilorin).
Afonja Political Ambition led him to invite the Non Yorùbá Who were Domestic slaves of Òyó to his military rank so as to declare independence of ilorin from Òyó.
After which he was successful, he was killed in a Palace coup.
This subsequently led to vulnerability of Òyó and its suppression after, The People vacated their homeland which was Òyó Ile towards Tropical rainforest Southwards.
- Awolowo – Akintola Tussle.
External Conquistador: Northern ( Hausa-Fulani) And Eastern Elements ( Igbo ) in the Nigerian State.
Awolowo- Akintola Tussle isn’t that of betrayer but Political Ideological clash and Clash of principles.
Action Group ( Yorùbá dominated party) which Awolowo belonged was forced into Opposition when NPC ( Hausa-Fulani majority party) – NCNC ( Igbo dominated party ) allied.
Awolowo was not going to have Alliance with North based on his Principles, he regarded North as Feudal region, where the minority class lord over the majority, He would rather stay in opposition rather than to form West – North Alliance.
He’d preferred West – East alliance in 1959 but was outsmarted by NCNC who would form the alliance with NPC of the North.
Akintola in the other hand, would not want Western Region to be in opposition, he complained of East – North gaging up against the West, and East getting all the civil service jobs, railway jobs and so on there by monopolizing different sectors and West being marginalized.
He was also against Democratic Socialist political philosophy of Awolowo ( Awoism ideology), He felt West should make alliance with North instead.
( this is the most important reason he was targeted by Coup plotters for killing).
The tussle between Awolowo faction and Akintola faction led to internal political instability in Western Region setting the stage for external Conquistador to take the bounty of war.
Knowing fully well that Akintola – NNDP and Balewa/Saudauna -NPC was forming alliance in the 1964 election.
NCNC sought postponement of the election but was not successful ( it feared it’ll become opposition party), when it was clear the election was going to hold sought West alliance through Action Group to form ” UPGA ” ( to boycott the election) but unfortunately, it was late.
Plot twist: Igbo Caucus/Intelligentsia in NCNC in their meetings Recorded:
” For the Caucus the North was not a danger: the West was the danger. Worried that the premature jubilation and indiscreet statements of some Igbo individuals that tended to warn the Yoruba and the Hausa-Fulani “of our objective”— that is seizure of the control of the country— might endanger the cause, the Caucus recorded:
” If we can win the west at the next regional election by keeping the Yorùbá divided, we shall secure control of the federal cabinet and the country.
” Play up Awolowo at all times, this will keep up the resistance of Action group members, and stop them from uniting with the NNDP to form a solid Yorùbá Front. This is vital and there is no harm in this Pro- Awolowo propaganda for he is no longer a headache or danger to us.
” Intensify all propaganda against Akintola.
Don’t hold that that he is sufficiently discredited already. He is still dangerous, we must always keep the quarrel between himself and Action Group alive, this will ensure the disunity amongst the Yorùbá leaders.
” Seek all means to discredit Fani Kayode. He is the real and only barrier to our domination of the West and our ultimate control of the Federation.
The Election led to violence in the western region, State of emergency was declared.
In January 1966, The Military Coup happened, Akintola and others were killed, the coup was led by Ifeanjuna.
All of those sympathetic to the West – North Political alliance were killed.
Western Region was vulnerable even till and during the civil war.
“No Force can defeat a United Yorùbá Nation.
