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Alaafin Oyo & Sir Walter Egerton circa 1910 - ColorizedOutermost entrance to the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo called "Oju Abata"
Alaafin, or The custodian of the Palace in the Yoruba language, is the title of the king of the medieval Oyo empire[1] and present-day Oyo town of West Africa. It is the particular title of the Oba (king) of the Oyo.[2] It is sometimes translated as "emperor" in the context of ruler of empire. He ruled the old Oyo Empire, which extended from the present-day Benin republic to Nigeria, originating from states in the South East and West to the North. The people under him are called Yoruba people and spoke the Yoruba Language.
The Alaafin of Oyo in Yoruba mythology and history is said to be one of Oduduwa seven grandsons who later became Kings, forming the bedrock of the Yoruba Civilization.[1]
The Alafin and the Oyo Mesi formed the central government of the Empire. Local provincial government was in the hands of oba (if crowned head) or bale (if not entitled to wear a crown).[3] The relationship between the Alafin and the Obas was a feudal one, that is for his rule and protection, the Obas, the Bales and chiefs of vassal states owed him certain obligations.[4] By the early 1800s, however, conflicts between the Oyo emperor (alafin) and the hereditary kings (obas) of the core city-states, who comprised an independent executive council (oyo mesi), had considerably weakened cen- tral authority-even as the Oyo Empire began to lose control over outlying kingdoms and city-states.[5]
The title was retained after the fall of the Oyo Empire as the official title of the ceremonial ruler of the contemporary natives of Oyo, Nigeria. The Alaafin is the political head of the Yoruba people and the only monarch with the pre-requisite power to appoint a chieftain representing the entire Yorubaland.[6] Examples of such appointments include Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland and Iyalode of Yorubaland.
As of 2021[update] the Alaafin (Emperor) of Oyo was Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III who was the 45th Alaafin,[7] celebrated his 50th year on the throne.[8] Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, Iku Baba Yeye, Alaafin (Emperor) of Oyo was the permanent Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs until his death on Friday, 22 April 2022.[9] The style used for Alaafins is Imperial Majesty.[10]
^ abDavid D. Laitin (1986). Hegemony and Culture: Politics and Change Among the Yoruba. University of Chicago Press. p. 113. ISBN 9780226467900.
^Jr, Everett Jenkins (2015-07-11). Pan-African Chronology II: A Comprehensive Reference to the Black Quest for Freedom in Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia, 1865-1915. McFarland. p. 220. ISBN 978-1-4766-0886-0.
^Nigerian Forum. Nigerian Institute of International Affairs. 2005. p. 344.
^Ezenwaji, Ifeyinwa U. (2002). Traditional Administrative System in Nigeria: A Study of Selected Nigerian Societies. Institute for Development Studies, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. p. 154. ISBN 978-978-2409-41-6.
^Khapoya, Vincent (2015-07-14). The African Experience. Routledge. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-317-34358-5.
^"No comparison between Alaafin, Aare Ona Kakanfo chiefs". Vanguard Newspaper.
^Adebayo, Musliudeen (2022-04-24). "45th Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi has joined his ancestors at Bara - Palace source". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
^"Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi: 50 Years on – Thisdaylive".
^"Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, is dead - Premium Times Nigeria". 23 April 2022.
^"ALAAFIN OF OYO – This is the website for the Alaafin of Oyo". Retrieved 2023-03-04. Welcome to the website of His Imperial Majesty, The Alaafin of Oyo, The Head and Paramount Ruler of the Yorubas.
Alaafin, or The custodian of the Palace in the Yoruba language, is the title of the king of the medieval Oyo empire and present-day Oyo town of West Africa...
(meaning 'king' or 'ruler' in the Yoruba language) with the title of "Alaafin of Oyo" (Alaafin means 'owner of the palace' in Yoruba). He left all his treasures...
In Ọ̀yọ empire, the oba is referred to as the Aláàfin, meaning owner of the palace. List of Alaafins of Oyo Oyo Empire Yoruba states List of rulers of...
2022) was the Alaafin, or traditional ruler, of the Yoruba town of Oyo and rightful heir to the throne of its historic empire. Alaafin Adeyemi III was...
the wars as the disintegration of the old Oyo Empire after the death of Alaafin Abiodun in 1789 and a resurgence of long-standing quarrels between the...
refer to their various rulers, though other titles such as Ooni, Alake, Alaafin, Awujale, Olomu, Akarigbo, Orangun, Olu'wo, Eleko, Soun, Olumushin and...
member of the Governor's Executive council from 1949 to 1951. In 1950, the Alaafin of Oyo, Adeyemi II, gave the Oloye Abayomi the chieftaincy title of One-Isokun...
originally from Oyo but migrated to Lagos. He was a great-grandson of the Alaafin Abiodun of Oyo. He attended C.M.S. Grammar School, a missionary school...
Siyanbola Ladigbolu was Alaafin of Oyo from January 1911 to 1944. He was the Alaafin of Oyo when Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria were amalgamated...
Orompoto (also spelled Oronpoto) was an Alaafin of the Yoruba Oyo Empire. The empire of which she ruled is located in what is modern day western and north-central...
of Lagos in 1999 On Monday, January 13, 2020, he was installed by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi as the first Mayegun of Yorubaland. Merit Award...
to be the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland by Oba Adeyemi III, the Alaafin of Oyo. The chieftaincy title was last held by Chief Moshood Abiola before...
hardship among the people.[citation needed] Alaafin was so impressed by Ogunlola's prowess that he, the Alaafin, requested Ogunlola to stay in the capital...
staying with him until 1994. She was crowned "Queen of Waka Music" by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi in 1992. Waka is an Islamic-influenced, traditional...
made up of the most powerful noblemen in imperial Oyo. No emperor, or Alaafin of Oyo, was capable of being enthroned in the capital without the prior...
an ordered life. According to Oluwo Aderemi Ifaoleepin Aderemi from Oyo Alaafin, to the criminally minded who celebrate wickedness, injustice, and immorality...
the Alaafin of Oyo and, by so doing, initiated a new era in the history of the Yoruba States. After his coronation, Ooni Ogunwusi met with the Alaafin of...
South-Western Nigeria. Oral history has it that Akesan was a daughter to an Alaafin who along with her husband Ajagbe migrated from Ile Ife to finally settle...
government was adapted at the Oyo Empire, where its obas or kings, called the Alaafins of Oyo, once controlled a large number of other Yoruba and non-Yoruba city-states...
itself from the former capital to the north, 'Old Oyo' (Ọ̀yọ́-Ilé). The Alaafin of Oyo continues to serve a ceremonial role in the city. Oyo State is noted...
prince of old Oyo - one of the surviving sons of Alaafin Abiodun Adegoriolu). Abiodun Adegoriolu the Alaafin of Oyo, who reigned between C1750 - 1789 was...
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