Ondo Kingdom

The Ondo Kingdom is a traditional state that traces its origins back for over 500 years, with capital in Ondo City, Ondo State, Nigeria. The kingdom survived during and after the colonial period, but with a largely symbolic role. The ruler as of 2010 was Oba Adesimbo Victor Kiladejo, the 44th Osemawe, or traditional ruler.^[1]

Origins

The Ondo people are one of the largest subgroups of the Yoruba people. According to tradition, the progenitor of the Yoruba was Oduduwa, who migrated from Mecca to Ile-Ife. One of his 16 sons was Oranmiyan, the first Alaafin of Oyo. Oranmiyan's granddaughter Pupupu was a twin, which was regarded as unlucky, and her mother was forced to leave Oyo with the twins. After various wanderings, Pupupu became the first ruler of the Ondo Kingdom in the 15th century and her descendants wear the crown today.^[2] Another tradition is that the kingdom was founded by migrants from Benin.^[3] The Oba Luju was one of Oba Pupupu's sons, reigning from 1561 to 1590. He had four sons, who ruled after hims in order of seniority, and each of whom establishing a ruling house. One of these houses died out, and today the Oba is selected from one of the remaining three.^[1]

Colonial and independent Nigeria

When British missionaries started to penetrate Yorubaland in the later 19th century, Ondo was still a major kingdom. However, some of the missionaries considered that the Ondo were socially lower than other Yoruba tribes, perhaps because their custom of concubinage was unacceptable in the Christian tradition.^[4] Ondo was unusual in the status given to women, who had their own council which consulted with the men's council.^[3] The Ondo land tenure principle was that all land was property of the king, but that any man could farm it as long as he obtained permission from the leader of the nearest community.^[5]

The Osemawe of Ondo made an agreement on 20 February 1889 with the Governor of the British Lagos Colony by which free trade was guaranteed between Ondo and the colony, and disputes would be referred to an arbitrator appointed by the governor for resolution.^[6] In 1899 an order in council was issued to extend the Lagos protectorate over Yoruba land, making Ondo formally subject to the British crown.^[7] The kingdom survived under colonial rule and subsequent independence, and the coronation of the 44th Osemawe on 29 December 2008 was a major event, attended by many dignitaries.^[8]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "500 years of the Osemawe Dynasty". The Punch. 02/07/2010. http://news2.onlinenigeria.com/news/general/42431-500-years-the-Osemawe-Dynasty.html. Retrieved 14 September 2010. 
2. ^ "Ondo Kingdom: History". Ondo Development Committee. http://odcekimogun.org/m21.html. Retrieved 14 September 2010. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ ^{a b} Robert Sydney Smith (1988). Kingdoms of the Yoruba. Univ of Wisconsin Press. p. 52ff. ISBN 0299116042. 
4. ^ J. D. Y. Peel (2003). Religious Encounter and the Making of the Yoruba. Indiana University Press. p. 287. ISBN 0253215889. 
5. ^ Jeremy Seymour Eades (1980). The Yoruba today. CUP Archive. p. 73. ISBN 0521226562. 
6. ^ Great Britain. Foreign Office (1889). British and foreign state papers, Volume 81. H.M.S.O.. p. 599. 
7. ^ Nowa Omoigui. From "Glover's Hausas" to 4 Guards Battalion – 141 years later. ISBN 0521226562. http://www.dawodu.com/omoigui56.htm. 
8. ^ HOPE AFOKE ORIVRI (30 DECEMBER 2008). "Ondo stands still for 44th Osemawe". Nigerian Compass. http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7053:ondo-stands-still-for-44th-osemawe&Itemid=7966. Retrieved 14 September 2010.