Oonirisa, though not of Odùduwà’s blood, grew up in the palace, mastering the rituals, sacrifices, and spiritual duties of the shrine. This made him a fitting choice to act as Adélé Odùduwà when Odùduwà disappeared, but it did not elevate him above Odùduwà’s direct descendants
By Akinyele Oladeji
Yoruba kingship is layered, complex, and often contested. Like the endless debates between Israel and Palestine, the interpretation depends on how far back one is willing to travel.
From the beginning, Ilé-Ifẹ̀ was the cradle of the Yoruba people—the sacred seat of Odùduwà, our great progenitor. There is an old Yoruba saying: “Where the head is, there is the headquarters.” Ifẹ̀ was that head—the spiritual root of the Yoruba nation (Johnson, 1921).
Yet, no king can make all his children kings within his palace. Odùduwà therefore sent them out to establish new territories. Among these was Oranmiyan, who went on to found the great Ọ̀yọ́ Empire—an empire that shaped Yoruba history and influenced kingdoms far beyond (Akinjogbin, 1992).
At that stage, the relationship was straightforward: Ifẹ̀ was the father, Ọ̀yọ́ the child. There was no rivalry. Ọ̀yọ́ grew in wealth, power, and military strength, while Ifẹ̀ remained the source of spiritual authority.
The Disappearance of Odùduwà
A turning point came when Odùduwà embarked on a journey from which he never returned. After waiting in vain, the elders of Ifẹ̀ invited Oranmiyan to occupy his grandfather’s seat (Johnson, 1921).
But Oranmiyan hesitated. What if Odùduwà returned? Could he abandon his empire for a throne that might not truly be vacant? To resolve this dilemma, he appointed another to serve as Adélé Odùduwà—a placeholder for Odùduwà. To give the appointment legitimacy, he sent his royal staff of authority to Ifẹ̀. That staff remains an object of veneration in Ifẹ̀ to this very day (Falola & Genova, 2006). Thus began the institution now associated with the Ooni.
Blood, Conquest, and the Basis of Kingship
In Yoruba political tradition, kingship rests on two foundations: blood or conquest (Ojo, 2010). The stool of the Ooni, however, was built on neither.
Odùduwà himself never bore the title Ooni. The word Oonirisa—from “Eni Orisa ri sa” (“the one whom the gods rejected”)—tells its own story. Oral tradition holds that Odùduwà often offered human sacrifices, usually of slaves. On one occasion, a pregnant slave woman was spared—“rejected” by the gods. She gave birth in Odùduwà’s palace, and her child became known as Oonirisa (Eluyemi, 1978).
Meanwhile, Odùduwà had only one legitimate child—Okanbi, frail but the father of seven princes. From those princes came dynasties and kingdoms, with Oranmiyan the most powerful (Johnson, 1921).
Oonirisa, though not of Odùduwà’s blood, grew up in the palace, mastering the rituals, sacrifices, and spiritual duties of the shrine. This made him a fitting choice to act as Adélé Odùduwà when Odùduwà disappeared, but it did not elevate him above Odùduwà’s direct descendants. He was never an heir, never a conqueror—only a placeholder.
Alaafin, Ooni, and Colonial Recognition
Even the British, in their colonial ordering, recognised this distinction. The Alaafin of Ọ̀yọ́ was acknowledged as paramount ruler of the Yoruba and was the one who signed all treaties with the colonial authorities (Crowther, 1852; Falola, 1999). Ifẹ̀, having no army and no conquests, could not assume that role.
Yet, this recognition was never to deny Ifẹ̀’s spiritual headship. Indeed, it was the Ooni who was called to mediate disputes such as the one between the Elepe and the Akarigbo (Ojo, 2010). The Alaafin could not have been summoned in such matters unless war was intended—for war was his instrument, while spiritual arbitration belonged to Ifẹ̀.
Thus, the two roles were distinct and complementary:
• The Alaafin—paramount ruler, commander of armies, and appointing authority for key offices such as the Aare Ọnàkakanfò.
• The Ooni—spiritual head, custodian of sacred rites, and mediator in conflicts.
History must not be confused or rewritten. Odùduwà was never an Ooni. The Ooni is, and has always been, Adélé Odùduwà — the placeholder, not the progenitor.
Neither blood nor conquest established his stool. The Ooni’s role remains invaluable as the spiritual head of the Yoruba, but this does not diminish the Alaafin’s position as paramount ruler of the Yoruba nation. Each has its place, its authority, and its legacy
References
• Akinjogbin, I.A. (1992). The Growth of Yoruba Culture and the Rise of Oyo Empire. Ibadan University Press.
• Crowther, S. (1852). Vocabulary of the Yoruba Language. London: CMS.
• Eluyemi, O. (1978). “Oral Traditions of Ile-Ife and the Origins of Ooni.” Odu: Journal of West African Studies, 17(1), 19–28.
• Falola, T. (1999). Yoruba Gurus: Indigenous Production of Knowledge in Africa. Africa World Press.
• Falola, T., & Genova, A. (2006). Historical Dictionary of Nigeria. Scarecrow Press.
• Johnson, S. (1921). The History of the Yorubas. London: Routledge.
• Ojo, O. (2010). Yoruba Kingship and Colonial Rule: A Study in Power Relations. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
•Ashipa Akinyele Oladeji, PhD, wrote the piece as a rejoinder to the revered Araba Ifayemi Elebuibon’s position on the recent seeming face-off between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja 1, and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade 1.
•Opinions, positions or thoughts expressed here are personal and strictly of the author/writer and do not represent the views of The Daily Crucible.
