The
post of the Aare [Ona Kakanfo] was ordered by Alaafin Ajagbo in the seventeenth
century. The Aare Ona Kakanfo controlled the armies of the provincial towns.
To
avoid conflicts between the Aare and the provincial rulers who were themselves
war commanders (for example, the Onikoyi and the Okare), the provincial rulers
were often exempted from the campaigns led by the Aare. The Aare himself was a
provincial ruler.
Indeed,
the title was generally conferred upon a provincial ruler reputed for his
qualities as an outstanding warrior. As Ajayi rightly observes, “Kakanfo were
expected to typify in the extreme the qualities and outstanding characteristics
of the Eso.”
 |
| The 15th Aare The 2nd to be installed by Alaafin Adeyemi |
At his
initiation, the Aare received all sorts of charms from the leading Babalawo,
besides the several incisions on the back of his head. “Like the Ilaris,” writes Johnson: “At the time of taking office, he is first to shave his head completely,
and 201 incisions are made on his occiput, with 201 different lancets and
specially prepared ingredients from 201 viols are rubbed into the cuts, one for
each. This is supposed to render him fearless and courageous.”
An
Aare could be distinguished from other members of the public by the peculiar style
of his haircut, “they are always shaved, but the hair on the inoculated part is
allowed to grow long, and when plaited, forms of tuft or a sort of pigtail.”
His
ensigns of office, which set him apart from others, included ojijiko, “ a cap made of the red
feathers of the parrot’s tail, with a projection behind reaching as far down as
the waist”; “The Staff Invincible”; the asiso (pigtail) and “an apron of leopard skin to sit on always.”
 |
| MKO Abiola: The 14th Aare Ona Kakanfo The first to be installed by Alaafin Adeyemi |
An
Aare should be stubborn and obstinate: “They have all been more or less
troublesome; this is supposed to be the effect of the ingredients they were
inoculated with.” The Aare’s powers made him a potential rival to the Alaafin:
The Aare should “give way to no one not even to the king, their master.”
However,
measures were taken to prevent personality clashes between the two heads. In
the district where the Aare lived, he was allowed to be the lord, and his
decisions on several issues were final. His attention was directed to wars:
“By virtue of his office he is to go to war once in three years to whatever
place the king named, and dead or alive, to return home a victor, or be brought
home a corpse within three months.”
 |
| Ladoke Akintola: The 13th Aare Ona Kakanfo Installed by Alaafin Ladigbolu |
The
Aare was not generally chosen from among the members of the royal lineage or
those qualified to be members of the Oyomesi to make it difficult for one
person to combine military and political power.
Source:
Ibadan – Foundation Growth and Change 1830-1960 by Prof Toyin FALOLA, published
by Bookcraft (2012)
Onigegewura........tanx oooooooo
ReplyDeleteSuccinctly penned... Thumbs up always for Onigegewura. "Isese" rejuvenated
ReplyDeleteOnigegewura you are too much.More of this.
ReplyDeleteAfter going through the qualities/requirements of Aare, one can only wonder if Abiola met the criteria then.
ReplyDeleteOtunba Onigegewura keep it up. I learn a lot of ethnic culture here, thank you
After the incisions, what is left of the body?
ReplyDeleteSir, Thank you
ReplyDeleteOnigegewura is a legal practitioner and an 'amateur' historian. I beg remove that amateur, what else do professional historian write that you have not or can not. I always love your write up Sir. To me you are professional . Please keep it up. And again kindly help us do a research into Eruobodo, that political giant of Ibadan in those days. Was he superior to Adedibu or vice versa. I was young then and had a vague idea about who the man was. Thanks all the time for bringing the past to the present.
ReplyDeleteOnigegewura is a legal practitioner and an 'amateur' historian. I beg remove that amateur, what else do professional historian writes that you have not or can not. I always love your write up Sir. To me you are professional . Please keep it up. And again kindly help us do a research into Eruobodo, that political giant of Ibadan in those days. Was he superior to Adedibu or vice versa. I was young then and had a vague idea about who the man was. Thanks all the time for bringing the past to the present.
ReplyDelete