Thread by @maxsiollun

1) A thread explaining the significance of the #Alaafin of Oyo Oba Adeyemi's death. The Alaafin was the latest in an ancient line of kings going back hundreds of years.

#NaijaHistory

2) The first ever Alaafin was Oranmiyan. The Alaafin ruled the Oyo kingdom; which was the largest and most powerful kingdom in what is now Yorubaland. In its heyday 300-400 years ago Oyo was much bigger than current Oyo State of #Nigeria, and stretched into modern Benin and Togo.

3) Although we have seen many photos of the most recent Alaafin, in ancient times it was forbidden to see his face. Alaafin were considered "Ekeji Orisa" (2nd in command to the gods), and wore special crowns that hid their faces (like the one in the photo below).
#NaijaHistory

4) Alaafin was a dangerous job. The Alaafin's royal council (the Oyo Mesi) could sentence him to death for misrule and order him to commit suicide. At least half a dozen Alaafin were deposed by forced suicide in this way.

#NaijaHistory cc:@toluogunlesi @Funmilola @HistoryVille

5) Oyo had a warrior culture and a powerful military. It conquered neighbouring kingdoms and even invaded the far away Kingdom of Dahomey (in Benin Republic).

#NaijaHistory cc:@tundeleye @HistoryVille @YorubaHistory

6) Oyo's power was halted by three different forces: an secessionist rebellion led by a warrior called Afonja, an external invasion led by a Jihadi Fulani army which destroyed Oyo's capital, and finally the British conquest of Nigeria.

#NaijaHistory

@tundeleye 7) The chaos after Oyo collapsed led to many of its people becoming refugees or slaves. Some of those slaves ended up in Brazil, Cuba, and the Caribbean. Their descendants still speak their native language and practice their old religions till today in the Americas.
#NaijaHistory