Owa of Igbajo wants Kiriji war to be remembered with peace, unity, economic cooperation among Yoruba

By Ola Taiwo

The Owa of Igbajo, Oba Ademola Stephen Kayode Makinde, has called on the Yoruba people to turn the painful memories of the kiriji war fought at the boundary of  the Igbajo town into a foundation for lasting peace, unity, cultural preservation and economic cooperation.

The traditional ruler made the call in his goodwill message at the 140th anniversary of the Kiriji Peace Treaty held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

The monarch who noted that the Kiriji war was fought for several years among the Yoruba people  said the greatest lesson of the war lies in the decision of the peoplee to eventually abandon warfare and embrace dialogue and reconciliation.

He described the conflict as a product of a complex combination of political rivalry, the collapse of the old Oyo political order, struggles for power and the administration of conquered territories.

The traditional ruler said confrontation involving Fabunmi and Awopetu, an Ibadan Ajеlе at Imesi-Igbodo, became one of the major triggers of the revolt that eventually brought the Ekiti and Ijesa communities together under the Ekitiparapo alliance to fight against the Ibadan.

Oba Makinde while stating that the story of the war was woven into the ancestral memory of Igbajo said the community’s involvement in the conflict was also shaped by its own history of attacks and its search for security.

“For Igbajo, the Kiriji story is not a distant historical account. It is woven into the ancestral memory of our people and the history of the Yoruba nation.

“On the side of Igbajo, it was a spirit of independence and self-assertion, especially from Ilesa, who had incessantly attacked the town to subdue it,” he stated.

The monarch noted that Igbajo’s strategic hills and fortified terrain subsequently made the town important to the Ibadan military campaign and one of the major theatres of the Kiriji War.

He said that the site of the battlefied should not be viewed as the exclusive heritage of one community as he noted that the conflict was fought around the boundary between Igbajo and Imesi-Ilé 

He stated that the historic site should therefore be jointly preserved and developed.

“It is therefore reasonable to admit that the war was fought within Igbajo and Imesi-Ilé. Thus, none of the two hosts could lay singular claims to the site. It was a ceasefire line or armistice line. The development of the site should be joint efforts of the two towns,” he said.

Oba Makinde also challenged historical accounts concerning the final resting place of the renowned Yoruba military commander, Aare Latosa, saying the warrior died at his camp in Igbajo before his remains were taken to Ibadan for burial.

He said artefacts associated with Latosa were historically kept by the Owa of Igbajo before their subsequent transfer in connection with the installation of Samuel Ladoke Akintola as Aare Ona Kakanfo.

He however said that beyond the historical disputes, the central message of Kiriji should remain the triumph of reconciliation over division.

“The significance of Kiriji, therefore, goes beyond the battlefield. It lies in what happened after the battle—when our forebears recognised that no community could permanently prosper through division and that the survival, dignity and progress of the Yoruba people demanded reconciliation,” he said.

The monarch urged the present generation to learn from the experience of their ancestors, stressing that disagreements over interests and perspectives should not become permanent barriers to cooperation.

“The lesson for our generation is clear: conflicts may arise, interests may differ and communities may take divergent paths, but there must always remain a pathway to dialogue, reconciliation and unity,” he said.

The traditional ruler called for greater investment in the preservation of Yoruba history, saying young people must be taught the causes and consequences of historical conflicts to prevent similar mistakes from being repeated.

He recommended the institutionalisation of Yoruba history in schools and cultural centres, stronger traditional institutions, regular dialogue among traditional rulers, cultural exchanges and closer relationships between communities that once stood on opposing sides.

The monarch suggested that there should be an annual Kiriji peace summit, to rotate among communities connected with the war and provide a platform for historical lectures, cultural exhibitions, youth engagement and renewed commitments to peace.

He solicited support of the Federal Government as well as the Osun and Ekiti State governments in transforming Kiriji-related sites into historical and tourist attractions.

He suggested that  a Kiriji/Ekitiparapo War and Peace Museum should be established where war relics, historical artefacts and other materials connected with the conflict could be preserved.

He also suggested that the tombs of Aare Latosa at Latosa Village in Igbajo and those of Isola Fabunmi and Ogedengbe in Ilesa should be preserved as historical monuments and incorporated into educational and cultural tourism programmes.

The traditional ruler said developing the sites would not only preserve history but could also create economic opportunities for communities while helping younger generations understand the human cost of conflict.

“We are not to fight the war all over again, but to turn our weapons into agricultural implements and make the best use of our land in feeding ourselves and the nation,” he stated.