The Sad Story of how The Yorubas (through King Afonja) lost Ilorin kingdom to the Fulani people in the Mugbamugba war.

 The Yoruba and Fulani inhabitants of Ilorin, the present capital of Kwara State, Nigeria, have for so long been at loggerheads over who should produce monarch for the town.

The Yoruba people in Ilorin claimed that the throne should always have a Yoruba king on seat and backed this with historical references which point Yoruba ancestors as the founders of Ilorin. The Fulani section of Ilorin came up with a counter claim that no Yoruba king has ever been enthroned from the onset, therefore the throne belongs to their (Fulani) ethnicity.

Before Aole took his life, he performed a ritual and cursed the entire Yoruba land that their sons and daughters will be taken as slaves and sold to different parts of the world. Many believe Aole’s curse plunged Yoruba land into series of inter-tribal wars that broke out in

following years such as the Kiriji war, Egba-Dahomey war, Ibadan-Ijaye war and so on. Aole was succeeded by Adebo who ruled from 1796 to 1797; Maku succeeded Adebo and also ruled for few months before his death in 1797. From 1797 to 1802, the Oyo throne was vacant.

It was in 1802 that Alaafin Majotu was crowned and it was during his reign that Are-Ona-Kakanfo lost Ilorin to the Fulani. The Death Of Afonja And The Establishment Of Emir Throne In Ilorin. After defeating Aole, Afonja and Alimi’s relationship strengthened to the extent that Afonja enlisted Alimi’s men into his army and disbanded many of his men whom history claimed he didn’t fully trust. Unknowing to Afonja, the Fulanis were gradually infiltrating his army and before he could realize, it was too late.

He was shot so many arrows that his dead body remained suspended in upright position for a long while. After Afonja’s death, Abdulsalam declared himself the Emir of Ilorin and pledge allegiance to Sokoto Caliphate.

This was how the monarch of Ilorin hold the title of Emir till today instead of Oba or any other Yoruba title for king. Afterwards, the Yorubas attempted to regain the control of Ilorin from the Fulani jammas but failed. Toyeje, the successor of Afonja led the first and second attempts to drive the Fulani people out of Ilorin.

The second attempt is known in history as Mugbamugba war in which Yoruba people suffered untold defeat in the strive to regain the throne of Ilorin.

1

6

the extent that Afonja enlisted Alimi’s men into his army and disbanded many of his men whom history claimed he didn’t fully trust. Unknowing to Afonja, the Fulanis were gradually infiltrating his army and before he could realize, it was too late.

1

6