By AYEKOOTO AKINDELE
Before the incursion of imperialists to Africa, Yoruba nation was ravaged with wars among majorly itself and each town always aimed to enslave another….those who were overpowered would then be paying seasonal ransom to their captors until another warrior among them rose to free them. It was a soap opera.
One of the most popular kidnapping story was the one that involved the Olowu and Alaafin Ajaka…..
Olowu and his warriors launched a banditry attack in Oyo Kingdom and kidnapped the Alaafin…..it was the greatest embarrassment ever suffered by Oyo. Alaafin was taken in chains to Owu and was put in a solitary conferment. There was anger and shame in Oyo but most importantly, there was fear in the land. No one could dare the Olowu and Oyo was probably becoming a colony of Owu!!! Abomination!
Oyo people decided to seek the help of Ajaka’s brother who lived in his mother’s town of Nupe in today’s Niger State. His name is Sango a popular Magician in Nupe, tall, strong, bold, daring and wise. A delegation was sent to Nupe to fetch him. “Sango, your brother the Alaafin has been kidnapped by your cousin the Olowu of Owu. Don’t let Olowu put Oyo into everlasting ridicule. Your home needs you. Come back home, save the throne of your fathers…..”. Sango accepted the plea.
Sango headed straight to Owu to meet his Cousin, the Olowu. On getting to the Palace of Olowu, Sango postrated flat before him and his banditry team and said “Your highness my Cousin, the Powerful Olowu of Owu, I reference you, I adore you, you are the mighty one, I came here because of your Cousin Alaafin Ajaka, you kuku know that same blood run in our veins, release him to me. Name your price, I will pay …”
The later part of Sango’s pleas captivated Olowu more than the blood and vein ‘cock and bull’ story of Sango….”didn’t i know he’s my cousin before I kidnapped him?”….
Olowu demanded for incredible amount of yam tubers, herds of cattle, goats in terrible numbers, horses, slaves among other incredible ransom….Sango did not even negotiate the ransom, he took a moment from the king and walked to the front of the Palace of Olowu. He raised up his OSE to the sky and alas…., according to the historians( because I wasn’t there), all the ransom demanded by Olowu appeared on ground! Sango then entered the Palace and asked Olowu and his council to come outside and verify the ransom. To the amazement of Olowu, he saw all the ransom in font of his Palace and he handed over Ajaka to Sango….. The duo began a trip back to Oyo immediately!
But Oyo people didn’t want to have Ajaka as king again. They saw him as a Weakling who couldn’t protect the kingdom, so he would not be welcomed to the throne. They all wanted Sango, his brother, in his stead! SANGO became the Alaafin of Oyo.
The first thing Sango did was to restore the glory of Oyo Kingdom by wagging a hot war against the Olowu and he angrily ravaged Owu and restored authority back to OYO…..
How did Sango’s rein end in Oyo?…..wait till next week. Until then SAY NO TO KIDNAPPING AND BANDITRY…..
Good morning to all Progressives only.