#ile-ife

[foxydivaxx]

Statue of Moremi Ajasoro in Ile-Ife.

Now this woman right here was a badass Queen. She saved her people years ago and is an inspiration to all Yoruba women.

[the-torch-bearer]

lemanja

[alaayemore-blog]

Terracotta head of Lajuwa. A court servant reportedly beheaded for impersonating the king. 12th-15th century CE. From the King’s palace in Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. 

 At Ife and other Yoruba city-states, certain court servants had the right to personify the king. We know from Johnson (p. 59) that at Oyo on a number of occasions, surrogates of the king would represent him by assuming his robes and crown. Here, according to Talbot (iII, 569), it was a eunuch with the title of Olosi or Osi’efa’ who took on the king’s identity during judicial proceedings, battles, and certain affairs of state. This Olosi had considerable power in the palace, for he was one of the principal advisors of the king and had a major role at each coronation. As Johnson suggests, “ The Osi'efa or Olosi . . . represents the king in all occasions and in all matters civil as well as military. He sometimes acts as commander in chief in military expeditions, he is allowed to use the crown, the state umbrella, and the kakaki trumpet, and to have royal honors paid to him. On such occasions, he is privileged also to dispense the king's prerogatives.” 

Johnson further notes (p. 163), that "The Osi-efa is always the first as well as the last in the king's chamber. If the king is ill, he takes his place on state occasions, putting on his robes and crown; in war he appears as the king's deputy, invested in all the paraphernalia.” Perhaps related to this practice of a court figure being asked to portray the king for certain state events is a tradition at Ife described by Idowu (p. 208) and Willett (p. 150) in which it is said that a particularly beloved king died, and one of his servants decided to hide his body and pretend that he was still alive by wearing the royal regalia himself. The hoax worked for a time, but eventually it was discovered. The new king, furious that he had been kept from the throne, ordered the servant and the palace artists to be killed.The court servant who is said to have masterminded the deception is identified as Lajuwa, the chamberlain of King Aworokolokin. Lajuwa, Willett notes (p. 57), is now identified as the patron deity of palace servants. Interestingly, Hambly, in his description of the Lajuwa head (p. 465) identifies it as "Lajuwa, the messenger of Onis," suggesting that Lajuwa's role at Ife may have been more that of a representative/advisor than a servant per se. He may have acted as a trusted aid and surrogate of the king.  

-Suzanne Preston Blier, Kings, Crowns, and Rights of Succession: Obalufon Arts at Ife and Other Yoruba Centers.

[alasake]

The Truth About Queen Moremi

Why Ile-Ife’s Hero Was Actually a Spy African Women Were Leaders Too is a HerStoryTellHer series where we sit with the women’s history subtly removed from the front row and put them back where they belong, as documented, verified, undeniable historical fact. Last night, I was speaking with a neighbor of mine, and he brought up a thought that really sat with me. We were talking about…

The Truth About Queen Moremi

[validupdates]

#ValidUpdates Dele Momodu calls out Remi Tinubu for interrupting Adeleke on stage, readers react below #RemiTinubu #Adeleke #DeleMomodu #Osun #Politics

Dele Momodu slams Remi Tinubu for interrupting Adeleke on stage

[validupdates]

#ValidUpdates Remi Tinubu says Nigeria will be lending money to other countries by 2026, and she hailed Ile-Ife while accepting a chieftaincy title; read the full report below. #RemiTinubu #NigeriaEconomy #OoniOfIfe #IleIfe #OsunState #TinubuAdministratio

Remi Tinubu predicts Nigeria will lend money to other nations

[validupdates]

Ooni of Ife steps out after seven sacred days. Olojo rites light up Ile-Ife today. See why the town calls this day first light. #OoniOfIfe #OlojoFestival #Yoruba #ValidUpdates

Ooni of Ife ends seven-day seclusion for Olojo rites

[officialuniqueblog]

[PLACE] Ile-Ife: The Cradle of Yoruba Civilization

Ile-Ife, an ancient city in southwestern Nigeria, is revered as the spiritual heartland of the Yoruba people. Dating back to around 1000 BC, this historic city is steeped in rich mythology and cultural significance. According to Yoruba tradition, Ile-Ife is where the world was created by the supreme god Olodumare. The city is believed to be the ancestral home of the Yoruba people, with its divine…

[PLACE] Ile-Ife: The Cradle of Yoruba Civilization