Oranmiyan
Oranmiyan
Omoluabi Odede, Great
Prince of Ife, King of the Yoruba was a king from Ile-Ife Kingdom who was the heir to
Oduduwa. Oranmiyan Omoluabi Odede, Great Prince of Ife, King of the Yoruba was the grandson and the most adventurous of the members of
Oduduwa's household; taking the title of Alafin, he succeeded in raising a very
strong army and expanding his kingdom to an empire. Regarded as being founder
of the Oyo Kingdom in Nigeria, some accounts state he was also the third ruler
of Ife.
According
to Yoruba history, he founded Oyo as its first Alaafin at around the year 1300 and one of his children, Eweka I,
went on to become the first Oba of the Benin
Empire in Nigeria.
Oranmiyan
was a powerful warrior who founded Oyo and Benin Kingdoms. After several wars
and conquests, Oranniyan returned to Ife where he died. When Oba Oranyan
died his family is fabled to have erected the
commemorative stele known as the Staff of Oranmiyan which was named Opa
Oranmiyan. Oranmiyan is one of the greatest king of the Yorubas
Oranmiyan
when to Benin Kigdom among his travels. He was requested by the peopleof Benin Kingdom for spiritual and
political direction from Ife after the death of Ogiso Owodo of Igodomigodo were
led by Oranmiyan. When he got to
there he met opposition from the kin of the Ogiso, and was refused
entrance into the City. The
attitude of the Igodomigodo people made him angry so in anger he called the
land "Ile - Ibinu" meaning Land of Vexation. It was when the
Portuguese people came that they corrupted the place and named it “Benin”. On leaving
“Ile-Ibinu” he had an affaitr with the daughter of the Enogie(Duke) and
that is how Eweka 1 was born.
After
leaving Benin at about 1290 he founded a city, Oyo-ile, which his
descendants expanded into the Oyo Empire. It was his marriage to married Torosi- a
Tapa that Ṣango Akata Yẹri-Yẹri was born.
Oranmiyan Omoluabi Odede, Great Prince of Ife, King
of the Yoruba, Oranyan, Opa Oranyan, Father of Ile-Ife the greatest warrior
that ever lived.
Opa Oranmiyan
Opa
Oranmiyan in Yoruba Dynasty means - at the place where their father died.
Opa
Oranmiyan stands over five meters tall in Moopa area of the town within a fenced
wall. Few symbolic trees are scattered around the staff with some dotted marks,
which the custodian says are marks of bullet during the several wars fought by
Oranmiyan. High chief Johnson Owoyemi, the Akogun of Ife is the current
custodian of the Opa Oranmiyan – a staff that Oranmiyan, the grandson of
Oduduwa used to take to war. The staff made of granite obelisk with iron stud
stands within the Oranmiyan shrine manned by Chief Eredumi as chief priest who
is the link between the dead and the living.
Oranmiyan’s Role In Yoruba History
Oranmiyan from history was a belligerent person. A war hero and
where his brothers and sister failed to give the yearly ten percent duty as
agreed with the staff of Oduduwa he used force. He later appointed his
representatives in each of the kingdoms of Yoruba to monitor the returns, thus
the creation of Oyo Empire that lead to the end of the kingdom Oduduwa created
which was not properly coordinated. There was no proper channel of control
during Odua. Oyo Empire gave the Yoruba race the much respect and proper
foundation in the south of Sahara. The new empire grew with amazing rapidity
throughout West Africa and was like the Ghana or Shonghai Empire of the
medieval history in the south of Sahara.
One of the strategies of the Oyo Empire was engagement in
slavery. It was a tactical way to weaken opposition among the Yoruba’s and
those captured. Oranmiyan and his descendants were absolute in control and
management. Infact, the word Kabiyesi that was later adopted by subsequent
Alafin from the time of Sango oko Oya in Oyo meant absolutism the king could
never be wrong. Such was the fear and power of Alafin throughout Yoruba land.
Oranmiyan’s administration was the best in Africa and could be
likened to the British system of Administration during the colonial government.
The Empire expanded up to the present Benin republic. Those who escaped the
control of Alaafin are the Yoruba’s living in Benin Republic, which was
formerly Dahomey. On the East side there was no historical record of any
interference between the father and the son the rulers in Benin Kingdom. The
reason for this was not known but it will amount to fighting yourself if
Oranmiyan had to wage war of control over Benin. Oba of Benin Omonoba Polopolo
did not explain the reason for the prolong truce between Benin and Oyo Empire.
Spiritual contact was established with each Benin King’s head buried at Ife and
spiritual approval from Ife before any Oba is crowned at Benin? Why is this so
if Benin was the source how come the source goes to the Ife for approval of
final rest of the head of Benin Obas? Ile Ife in actual fact demonstrated its
superiority by having the head of Oranmiyan himself.
At least there was no record of history of any transaction
between father and son commercially or any known tribal or communal war between
Yoruba and Benin Kingdom while Benin Kingdom continued to progress and Oyo
Empire continue to expand to the west coast. In Lagos, there could not be a
clash, it was a place of reunion for Edo’s and Yoruba it was said Eko, which is
Lagos, and in our local dialect is a Benin word. Why did Oranmiyan and his
descendants fail to expand towards the East of the empire, which would have
been a clash with Edo’s? Was it a mutual agreement or respect or tactical error
or oversight in the expansionism of Yoruba Empire? Well I will find out on my
travel to Ile-Ife to see the Elder that preserve the culture and traditions of
the Ile-Ife people.