List Of All Yoruba Kings And Their Titles (2024)

Yoruba kingship has been a hot-button issue in Nigeria for decades, with debates raging between the Ooni and the Alaafin of Oyo over who is most powerful.

Ooni of Ife remains the most important monarch in the Yoruba nation, according to the Egbaland Alake, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in a report. The Ooni of Ife should be accorded the honor of the most important king in Yoruba culture.

In the Yoruba nation, there are several Obas who rule over different kingdoms, towns, and even villages. As an example, the Olubadan of Ibadan serves as the traditional ruler of Ibadan, while the Oba of Lagos is revered as the first-class ruler of Lagos. These revered kings and queens are typically regarded as guardians of the Yoruba people’s culture and divinity.

The Alake of Egbaland compiled a list of the Yoruba Empire’s first-class traditional kings, which will be presented in this page. He blamed the lack of harmony among Yoruba traditional rulers and the people of Yoruba territory only on ego and pride, and he appealed for peace in the interest of the Yoruba-speaking community.

Following is a ranking of Yoruba land’s five most important monarchs, in descending order of majesty.

List Of All Yoruba Kings And Their Titles

1. Ooni of Ife

The most powerful Yoruba ruler is the Ooni of Ife. Currently, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi is the Ooni of Ife. Egbaland’s Alake regards the Ooni as Yorubaland’s first of five main Obas, comparable to the Sultan of Sokoto’s position as supreme head of state in northern Nigeria. This is due to the fact that his hegemony dates all the way back to the Yorubas’ inception. Furthermore, he recently married Queen Morenike Naomi Oluwaseyi, a Nigerian prophetess, making him one of the most powerful figures in the country.

2. Alaafin of Oyo

In Nigeria’s Yoruba monarchy, he is the second most powerful man. This state’s Alafin (traditional ruler) and legitimate heir to the throne of Oyo’s historic empire was Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, who died on April 22, 2022. To this day, the Oyo empire recognizes him as the monarch of the Oyo empire. He was one of Nigeria’s wealthiest Yoruba kings.

The 83-year-old Alaafin of Oyo has passed away. He served as Alaafin for the longest time in history.

3. Oba of Benin

The Oba of Benin, also known as Omo N’Oba, is often regarded as Nigeria’s top traditional monarch due to his sway over the Edo people and his widespread adoration throughout the country. The Eweka dynasty of the Great Benin Empire is headed by him.

It is also stated that the Yoruba people in Nigeria are descended from the Benin people, hence the term Oba is used to refer to a ruler. Oba Eweka I, the first ‘Oba’ of the Benin Empire, was responsible for coining the term ‘Oba’ between 1180 and 1300. Traditional ruler of Benin in modern-day Nigeria, Ewuare II’s son, grandson, and great-grandson were all members of the Ewuare family.

4. Alake of Egbaland

On the Yorubaland list of obas, Egbaland’s Alake comes in at number four. He is king of Egba, a city in Ogun State, Nigeria, southwest of Abeokuta. Alake, Oke-Ona, and Gbagura make up Egba Alake, which is ruled by the Olowu of Owu Kingdom. When it came to ranking the monarchs in Yoruba nation from the Ooni of Ife to the Awujale of Ijebuland, he was the one to set the record straight.

5. Awujale of Ijebuland.

In Yoruba country, he is the least powerful of the five most powerful obas. Its Yoruba kingdom was called Ijebu, but it was more often known by its Yoruba namesake, Jebu, or Geebu. It came into being in the fourteenth century, roughly. Obanta of Ile-Ife, according to legend, formed the dynasty that has ruled the country ever since. Sikiru Kayode Adetona is the present Awujale of Ijebuand.

6. Olubadan of Ibadan

In addition, he is a first-class Yoruba traditional monarch who is highly regarded. Oba Adetunji, the reigning Olubadan of Ibadan, has passed away.

There are currently around 54 legitimate Obas (rulers) in Yoruba-land, in addition to the foregoing ranking of Yoruba traditional rulers from 1931. Note that on July 6, 1987, the Nigerian Tribune released a list of all Yoruba Obas.

FULL LIST OF ALL OBAS OF YORUBALAND

  • Ooni of Ife (The source).
  • Olowu – Abeokuta.
  • Alaafin – Oyo.
  • Oba Ado – Ado Bini.
  • Oore Otun – Otun Ekiti.
  • Orangun – Ila.
  • Awujale – Ode.
  • Apero – Ijero.
  • Olojudo – Ido Ogundaru.
  • Ilara – Ara.
  • Elekole – Ikole.
  • Owa – Ijesa.
  • Oloye – Oye
  • Alake – Abeokuta.
  • Ewi – Ado.
  • Alaaye – Efon.
  • Akarigbo – Shagamu.
  • Oloyi Ife – Oyi Ife (Jebba).
  • Agura – Abeokuta.
  • Ogoga – Ikere.
  • Oshemowe – Ondo.
  • Oshile – Abeokuta.
  • Elemure – Emure.
  • Onigbajo – Igbajo.
  • Olowo Oko – Owo.
  • Olowo Ile – Owo.
  • Ewusi – Shagamu (Onimakun)
  • Onise – Ise.
  • Olojudo – Ido Efon.
  • Owa Idanre.
  • Alajogun – Ajase.
  • Oba Dada – Dahomey.
  • Onibara – Abeokuta.
  • Onire – Ire ti Oye.
  • Oloton – oton Koro.
  • Owa Igbara – Igbara
  • Olojudo – Ido Oshun.
  • Oniseri – Iseri.
  • Oloja Oke – Imesi I.
  • Oloja Oke – Imesi II (Now Owa-Ooye of Okemesi).
  • Ologere -Ogere.
  • Ologun – Obagun.
  • Elepe – Shagamu (Alupon).
  • Owalubo – Ubo.
  • Onilawe – Ilawe.
  • Onipokia – Ipokia.
  • Onitede – Tede.
  • Olohan – Ohan (Ara).
  • Alapa – Agbonda.
  • Oloba – Akure.
  • Oniro – Iro.
  • Olota – Otta.
  • Onitori – Itori.
  • Olubadan – Ibadan

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Conclusion

You should take the time to learn about the fascinating Yoruba culture. Oduduwa’s sons have always served as the traditional kings of this ethnic group. The ancestor of all Yoruban royal families and generations, Oduduwa, is widely recognized as the first ruler of Ife.

The Yoruba revere Oduduwa as a warrior god and ancestor figure who served as a father figure to the people. Yorubaland’s first class Obas are rulers who carry on the work that Oduduwa began by uniting the entire Yoruba people under the Yoruba throne, a claim that has some validity today.