Ie-Ife

1 APRIL 2023

Just a short journey away from Osogbo, is Ife a small town considered to be the birth place of Yoruba civilisation.

Once there I set off to visit the Ooni Palace, which involved negotiating the security guards and pacifying the obnoxious staff. Armed with pockets of small change, I paid to get through the gates and was then directed to a shrine in front of which laid a fat bellied guy who proceeded to ask for money or bottles of schnapps. 'There are palace etiquettes, you know'. I eventually got taken off by one of the men draped in white, after paying 1000N to this group. The man then showed me round for a further 1000N.

The doorway to the first palace is impressive and dates back to the 13 century. Close by are the statues and shrines to the various Obas. I was then shown the mausoleums of some of the previous Obas, before being taken to the shrine. It seems that Chief Oduduwa, the first Oba of Ife, had a special headdress layered with 210 beasa that covered his head. This was warn only at special occasions. I was also shown the staff - a stick which depicts the power of the Oba and can be given to one if his staff to symbolise that they are representing the Oba at an event.

Ọbalùfọ̀n II established kingdoms across the Yoruba land and Benin. After returning to power, he became the first and only Ooni to be crowned twice. He is described as the grand patron of art as the Yoruba tradition reached its peak during his reign. He is identified today as the patron not only as the patron deity of bronze casting arts and textiles but also as the deity of good governance and the founder of Ogboni, the association identified with both the selection of rulers and with maintaining safe roads for commerce. Obalufon II was married to the famous Ife Queen, Moremi, who also is believed to have played a role in his return to power.