Ooni Ogun & The Obalades crown chiefs of Yoruba Land

Ooni Ogun & The Obalades crown chiefs of Yoruba Land

It is widely believed that you have to be somehow associated with Ifa to get the Yoruba people’s genuine history.

Hence this article is about the man whose influence is believed to have impacted how Ifa oracle in Yoruba land is consulted.

Ogun is believed to have introduced oral tradition through the Ifa system in Yoruba Land.

He was crowned the first Ooni of Ife after the demise of Oduduwa; however, Ogun was not Oduduwa’s child.

Who is Ogun?

He was a craftsman and the head of spiritual responsibilities in Yoruba land.

The highly sophisticated metal-work of the ancient Yorubas discovered all over the Yoruba land during colonization is attributed to Ogun’s work, from the bronze cast to Iron weapons, and many other sculptures.

All of these arts are believed to have been produced at the Ogun shrine in Ife.

 The Obalades

The throne of Ooni was vacant after the demise of Oduduwa, and Oduduwa’s children were busy elsewhere.

Ogun sent Oduduwa’s children on different journeys as advised by the Ifa oracle to effect Yoruba land and territory expansion.

Oduduwa’s eight children’s descendants are known as the Obalades (crown chiefs) of Yoruba land.

They are the Onipopo of Popo, (Benin Republic), Onisabe of Sabe, (Benin Republic).

And the Alaafin of Oyo (Nigeria), Oregun of Ile-Ila (Nigeria), Alake of Egbaland (Nigeria), Alaketu of Ketu (Nigeria), Owaoboku of Ijeshaland (Nigeria), Owa of Ilesa (Nigeria) were the true heir to the throne.

“It is believed that Ogun purposely sent all Oduduwa’s children on different journeys to effect Yoruba territory expansion.

But historians have argued that Ogun had followed Ifa oracle’s advice and Ogun did nothing malicious.

It made Ogun, who is not related to Oduduwa, the opportunity to become the Ooni of Ife.

Is Oduduwa a Yoruba man?

Oduduwa is believed to have migrated to Yoruba Land. His wives were, however, a Yoruba woman, and his children got married to the Yorubas. 

It is worthy to note that Yoruba people’s reason for worshiping their ancestors was how documentation is achieved.