By Laide Gold
On The quest for Yoruba original history, we scooped out "Oje Owode" town in Saki West,Oyo State where a hidden story cropped up linking the first Oloje to a beautiful story worth reading.
An ancient town once existed not far from River Niger,close to old Oyo empire under the rulership of Alaafin Oyo. There lived Olaiduba Ogoromoso Lagbayi Agbo,a sculpture.
A conspiracy sprang up against Alaafin Onigbogi where Yoruba people teamed up with Nupe to a conspiracy which lead to the exile of Alaafin. Onigbogi ran from Oyo to Gbere,a town in Ibariba,his mother's town and he was ceremoniously welcomed because they were both war allies.
Alaafin Onigbogi lived peacefully with his people for years in exile and died in Ibariba. After his demise, Alaafin Ofiran ascends the throne but a new king also ascend Ibariba throne who did not know Alaafin Onigbogi, so he enslaved Oyo people.
Ofiran decided to take his people back home out of slavery but their slave master 'The Ibaribas' refused to let them go. Alaafin Ofiran sent for Olaiduba the sculpture,he gave him a contract to supply him plenty sculptures with different fighting postures.
You can see that the story of Isrealites' Slavery in Egypt is copied from Oyo and Ibariba story. please, read on.....
Olaiduba supplied the sculptures both foot soldiers and horse rider worriors with bows and arrows. Oyo people placed them strategically to scare their enemies. When Oyo moved to go, ibaribas ran after them but stopped when they saw the multitude of soldiers.
Ibaribas did not give up easily,they started throwing arrows at the soldiers just to have their slaves back. They threw arrows for several hours hoping the soldiers will fall and give way but the soldiers only swings and ibaribas will say 'O taa tu' meaning he stands still.
Throwing of arrows continued untill the ibaribas got exhausted both in arrows, strength and spirit.
While they were seated to relax,a strange bird flapped its wings each one of the soldiers,but rather than chasing the bird,the soldiers stayed rooted to one spot. It was then the Ibariba soldiers got to know they had been fighting sculptures for lengthy hours.
By the time they realize their stupidity, Oyo people have gone far away from Ibariba territory.
Alaafin Ofiran died on Kusu road, a donkey was skinned, its leather was used to wrap his corpse tied with ropes. They moved on, heading to Oyo Ile but in other to have a new ruler, Egugunoju was crowned as Alaafin. They all rested in Kusu near Saki, the rope used to tie Ofinran corpse loosed in Saki. The place where the rope loose was named 'Okutu gbogbo' and that is where they built Oyo palace in Saki .
Alaafin Egugunoju laid Ofiran body to rest in Igboho, Ofiran was the first Alaafin to be buried in Bara or Igbo Oba in Oyo Igboho. Alaafin Egugunoju also died and buried in Igboho. Prince Ajiboyede was a small boy while prince Tela was a toddler thereby too young to be enthroned as Alaafin. Princess Ajiun Orompoto niyun ascends the throne as first female Alaafin but record has it that she changed to a man, making her the first transgender in the history of Africa even before the white introduces science.(Story for another day)
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