Thread by @Dstoryteller_1

Good evening my wonderful people, I am sure your day was great, today we continue our series on YORUBA KINGS...

Join me and others as we take on this wonderful, selfless and special woman

STORY TITLE : MOREMI AJASORO
#thestory_teller

Oloori Moremi lived in the 12th century, hailed from Offa, was married to the then king of Ile Ife, Oranmiyan.

She was a woman of great beauty and
virtue, and had an only son named Ela or Olurogbo.
@DrJoeAbah @julietkego @jeffphilips1 @omohtee12 @iameneji
#thestory_teller

It happened that the city of Ife was at one time in a state of frequent commotion and unrest, owing to the repeated raids of a
tribe of people called the Igbos(the forest people)
The said tribe is believed to have had no relation to the contemporary Ìgbòs of modern Nigeria).

This continued for a series of years.
The Ifes attributed this affliction and distress to the displeasure
of their gods, because those that attacked them from the Igbo territory appeared not to be human beings, but gods or demi gods

the people of Ile-Ife felt they could not withstand them, so these raiders used to make away with easy plunder, including
their valuables, with their women and children. For this they consulted and called upon their gods for help, but received no
response.
Ogun ye le Gan

Moremi, fired with zeal and patriotism was determined to do what she could to free her country from this calamity.

She was resolved to find out what these Igbos really were, and how to fight them.
To this end she repaired to a stream called
Esinmirin

She made a vow to the deity thereof, that if
she was enabled to carry out her plans, and they proved successful, she would offer to the god the most costly sacrifice
she could afford.

Her plan was to expose herself to the raiders
and get caught, and be taken to their country where she could best learn their secrets: 'But,' she said, ' if I perish, I perish.'

(ofe bogun lo)

At the time of the next raid she undertook to carry out her plans, she was caught by the Igbos and taken to their country ;
and being a woman of great beauty, she was given up amongst others, and sundry booty to their king.

Her beauty and virtue soon won her a place in the country and the confidence of the
people ; she became familiar with all their customs, and learnt all their secrets : then she also learnt that those who were such
objects of terror to her people were mere men

covered themselves from head to foot with Ekan grass and bamboo fibres, making them appear extra human, and are nicknamed Eluyare. She extracted from her husband also the secret of attacking them successfully.

If your people know how to make a torch, and have the courage to rush amongst them with lighted torches, they cannot stand that.'

Moremi feeling she was now conversant with everything amongst the Igbos, having disarmed any suspicion they may have entertained of her as a captive, suddenly escaped one day to her native land

And by making use of the secrets she had learnt, she and her people conquered the Igbo territory got back their people and they were all happy

After the war she returned to her first husband, King Oramiyan of Ife, who immediately had her put back as his queen.

Queen Moremi needed to fulfil the pledge she made to Esimirin before embarking on her mission

She went to the stream with her offerings of lambs, rams, and goats for sacrifice, but the god would not accept any of these. She then offered a bullock, which the god also refused to accept, then she prayed the priests to divine for her what would be acceptable

This was done, and the god demanded of her, her only son!

Her son Olurogbo was to be given in sacrifice to the Spirit.

The people of Ile-Ife bewailed her loss and
promised to be to her sons ind daughters, for the loss she had sustained for the salvation of her country.

Olurogbo however, when supposed to be killed, was half dead ; he afterwards revived and rose again, and made a rope with which he climbed up into heaven ; and all Ifes to this day have a full hope that he will come again to this world, and reap the full reward of his good deeds.

Edi Festival is said to have then been started as a means of celebrating the sacrifice she made, a number of public places are named after her in contemporary Nigeria, such as the female residence halls at the University of Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University.

In 2017, the @OoniAdimulaIfe of Ile Ife, Osun State, erected a statue of Moremi in his palace.

The statue is the tallest in Nigeria, displacing the previous holder of that record (a statue in Owerri, the Imo State capital). It is also the fourth tallest in Africa.

The end