Prince Kolade Afeez Siyanbola Oladigbolu, an Oyo prince and a biological grandson of a late Alaafin of Oyo, has rejected what he described as a “distorted and unfounded genealogy” being circulated about the Yoruba people, insisting that the Alaafin institution and Yoruba history must not be misrepresented.
Prince Oladigbolu, who is also a cousin to the incumbent Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, stated that recent narratives attempting to define Yoruba origins through the phrase “Kaaro, Ojiire” are historically inaccurate and culturally misleading.
According to him, the expression “Kaaro, Ojiire” simply translates to “good morning” and “how was your night” in the Yoruba language and has no basis whatsoever as a tribal or ethnic identifier.
“How can simple greetings such as ‘good morning’ and ‘how was your night’ be transformed into the name or origin of a people?” the prince queried.
He argued that historical narratives must be rooted in verifiable facts, noting that no individual or group can impose themselves on a history they were not part of. He further dismissed claims that Oduduwa descended from the sky, describing such assertions as mythical rather than historical.
Prince Oladigbolu maintained that Oduduwa’s reign was in Ufẹ, not Ile-Ife as commonly portrayed, stressing that Ufẹ is distinct from present-day Ile-Ife. He added that the current Ile-Ife was historically part of Modakeke.
He further contended that physical symbols attributed to Oduduwa, including the staff of the office displayed at Enu Owa in present-day Ile-Ife, are modern constructs and not original relics of Oduduwa’s era.
On traditional authority, Prince Oladigbolu stated that the Ooni of Ife was assigned leadership over deities’ worship by Oduduwa, while the Alaafin of Oyo holds the position of a warlord, sovereign king, and king over kings.
Speaking on the historical formation of Ibadan, the prince asserted that Ibadan was constituted by the Alaafin of Oyo through the assembly of warriors.
He claimed that a significant majority of Ibadan inhabitants are of Oyo origin, while others are descendants of warriors drawn from different regions.
“There was no Olubadan institution before the 1970s,” he alleged, adding that the unique succession process of the Olubadan stool reflects its historical evolution.
He further traced the ancestral origins of several past Olubadans to Oyo and other towns, insisting that historical records support these claims. He therefore urged Ibadan indigenes to acknowledge historical realities rather than what he described as “mythical narratives.”
Prince Oladigbolu concluded by reaffirming the supremacy and historical influence of the Alaafin institution, emphasizing that Ibadan remains a product of Oyo’s military and political heritage.
He ended with a traditional Yoruba homage underscoring the authority of the Alaafin across Oyo territories.
