The kingdom of Oyo was a powerful Yoruba state in the territory that is present South West of Nigeria. The kingdom was bordered to the North by Noupé, to the East by the Niger River and to the West by the powerful kingdom of Dahomey. The populations of Oyo believed in the divinity Ogu; the kingdom was subdivided into provinces each headed by an Oba. Trade and military powers were the main demarcation points of this kingdom.
Birth of the Kingdom
We trace the birth of the kingdom of Oyo around the 15th century. At its beginning, the Yoruba territories formed only one great Empire called Ilé-Ifé. Oduduwa, king and founder of Ifé, sent his son Oranmiyan in the company of a master craftsman, to govern neighboring lands. Oranmiyan in his desire for sovereignty, had the idea of federating the territories he dominated into kingdoms. But it was his son Shango who truly founded the kingdom of Oyo and was considered its very first king, taking the traditional name of Yalafin, a title that all the kings of Oyo would eventually bear. Living on a very rich soil, the Oyo took full advantage of the resources available in the area. Namely okra, yams, dates, palm oil and fish. This greatly limited their dependence on the outside.
Heyday of Oyo Kingdom
The rulers of Oyo in their quest for hegemony, first set out to form a powerful army and cavalry. Thanks to this army, the king undertook the annexation of neighboring territories which led to 13 rival kingdoms being conquered. He even succeeded in conquering the powerful kingdom of Dahomey which remained under his yoke for a century. The conquest of Dahomey offered the kingdom of Oyo an opening to the sea through the tribal state of Ajashe, today Porto-Novo, capital of Benin. The goal of these conquests was the total control of the trade routes which were very lucrative at that time.
The vegetation of Oyo was diverse. There was some tropical forest, dry forest, mangrove and savannah. The savannah was the most beneficial vegetation to the kingdom, because it facilitated travel and trade contacts with neighboring states. The main commodities marketed by the kingdom were kola nuts, pepper, ivory, gold and especially slaves. Europeans were fond of Yorubas because they found them very robust and perfect for slavery. Thanks to its large army, the kingdom of Oyo easily captured men and transported them to the coast to sell them. In exchange, the Europeans offered artifacts that the kingdom used to organize its trade in the sub-region.
To develop its cavalry and its army, the kingdom imported horses. The kingdom as a consequence, developed iron smelting technology. This made it possible to manufacture iron weapons and tools. This technology also enabled the creation of wonderful sculptures, inspired by the culture of the Kingdom of Benin. In addition to land and people, the kingdom also imported cultural ideas from its rivals. This is how Nupé ancestor worship was integrated into the religious habits of Oyo.
Decline of the Oyo Kingdom
The kingdom of Oyo at its height did not expect such a sudden turnaround. In North Africa, Islamic States began an expansion to impose their religion. Jihads therefore broke out in these areas, which considerably disrupted the trade of Oyo. Faced with this situation, internal friction began to arise in Oyo. Indeed, some believed in keeping the trade peaceful, and others believed that a military invasion of the Jihadists was the solution. Taking advantage of this indecision, the Europeans invaded Oyo and stirred up divisions among the Oba. The provinces decided to take independently their independence, and afterward began to wage war among themselves. The Muslim Fulani from northern Nigeria took advantage of these wars to seize the northern part of the Kingdom, the territory of Ilorin, in 1820. This territory later became the Fulani Emirate of Ilorin. In 1837, the Fulani besieged the capital Oyo. But the British came to drive out the Fulani in 1897 and imposed Christianity on Oyo. The kingdom disappeared giving way to British colonies.
