Titles of Traditional Monarchs in Yorubaland You Should Know

The Oba’s office and person in a traditional Yoruba setting was and still is sacred. During the pre-colonial era, the Oba was the priest and protector of his people, and the people naturally wished to live in his shadow. The titles of the Obas were usually derived from the name of their towns, for example, Olubadan of Ibadan which literally translates to “The lord/head of Ibadan” but there are some notable exceptions to this where other circumstances explained the title. In Yorubaland, there are two different kinds of monarchs: The kings who preside over clans, which are often simply networks of related towns, where each of those towns has its own Oba. For example, the Oba of Lagos presides over the whole Lagos clan, also the Oba of Egba who bears the title “Alake of Egbaland” because his ancestral seat is the Ake quarter of Abeokuta –  hence the title Alake; which translates to “The man/owner of Ake”. We also have the kings of individual Yoruba towns, for example, the king of Iwo – a town in Osun State who bears the title “Oluwo of Iwo” which means ‘The Lord/Head of Iwo’. Today, I will give you 3 Yoruba Kings’ titles and the circumstances that explain them: 1. Ọ̀RÀNGÚN OF ILA Ọ̀ràngún is the title of the paramount king of the Yoruba kingdom called Ila-Orangun which is presently situated in Osun State in South Western Nigeria. The first king of the town, according to Yoruba history, is the fourth son of Odùduwà named Fagbamila and nicknamed Òràngún. The nickname which later became the title of successive Ila-Orangun kings after him is a contraction of “Ọ̀ràn mí gún” meaning “my situation is perfect.”   2. ATAOJA OF OSHOGBO: The story behind this royal title goes thus: the first king (Laaroye), a hunter who settled at a place close to Osun River, had an encounter with the river goddess and she advised him to perform some functions. The royal title ‘Ataoja’ was derived from the particular function which the goddess of Osun River advised Laaroye to perform during the last day of a festival. Ataoja is a contraction of “Ate’wogb’eja” meaning “one who stretches his palm to receive a fish.”   3. DEJI OF AKURE: Oral tradition states that Akure was founded by Omoremi Omoluabi, a grandson of the Emperor Oduduwa. Originally, the kings of Akure that reigned after him were referred to as Ajapada. The title ‘Deji of Akure’ started with Oba Arakale, whose father took the daughter of Oba Atakumosa, the Owa of Ijeshaland as one of his wives while the latter was on his way to Benin. By the time Oba Atakumosa was returning to Ilesha from the pilgrimage, his daughter (Owawejokun) had given birth to a son. While other dignitaries gave the little baby common gifts, Oba Atakumosa was said to have presented his grandson with a small diadem. So it was said “Owa fi ade ji” which translates to “Owa gave him a diadem or royal crown” and it became the nickname of the young boy. By the time he was an adult, “Owaf’adeji” had become his de facto name. When he became Oba, the appellation assumed a titular importance and because of his prominence as an Oba, subsequent Obas or Kings assumed the title while the advent of the modern era has formally made ‘Deji’ the official title of the Obas of Akure. However, the original title of ‘Ajapada’ has remained a significant part of the Deji’s ceremonial style till date.     About the Writer: Chris Bamidele is a passionate and unapologetic Nigerian, who believes in God and humanity. He is a writer, blogger, and an aspiring Television Director; and an optimist to the core. He blogs at www.chrisbamidele.wordpress.com and tweets @Chrisbamidele  

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This article was first published on 13th March 2015

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