Oba Adetutu Akanmu, Onisabe of Sabe Kingdom in the Republic of Benin recently paid a royal visit to celebrate with the monarch of Igbobi-Sabe in Lagos on the occasion of this year’s Isese Day. The highly revered monarch took time out to speak with Gboyega Alaka on the relationship between the two thrones; his connection with the Oduduwa throne of Ile-Ife, Oyo and how one of the seven crowns of Oduduwa is now lost in history.
HOW excited are you, coming to Nigeria to celebrate Isese Day with us in Lagos this year?
Before we get to that, I need to let you know that this Igbobi-Sabe throne that is playing host to me today, their ancestors came from Sabe-Ile around 1800. You know the old Oyo Empire collapsed; but before then, Oyo had waged war on Sabe and took some Sabe people as slaves to Oyo. So it was after that Oyo collapsed that some of the Sabe captives scattered and some found their way down south to Eko here while others found their ways abroad overseas as slaves. It was some of the Sabe people and descendants that escaped from that Oyo that settled here in Igbobi. And like it is our Yoruba culture, they did not forget their history; and that was why they retained the name Igbobi-Sabe.
Good that you have traced that history, because I was also going to ask you how your own Sabe in Republic of Benin relates with Igbobi-Sabe here in Lagos, Nigeria.
The predecessor of this current Oba visited me in Sabe Kingdom in Benin when he was alive. That was around 2006. It was after his demise that this current Oba started tracing history, until he identified my kingdom and decided to come home to pay a visit. In fact, when he wanted to be crowned, he invited me. He wanted me to be around on his coronation but I was not able to make it then. So when he invited me again on this occasion and I could spare the time, I decided to come over to honour him. In essence, like you heard him say, father has come to greet his son.
How does the Onisabe of Republic Benin throne relate to the Oduduwa Ife throne? We have been hearing the story, but it would be nice to hear it directly from a prominent monarch like you.
Sabe is a son of Okanbi, who is son of Odududwa, the great Yoruba progenitor. They were seven grandchildren; four are domiciled in what is today known as Nigeria, while the other three: Alaketu, Onisabe and Olupopo journeyed as far as the geographical location today known as the Republic of Benin. Unfortunately, of that three, only two of the three thrones are existing and traceable today. Olupopo went as far as Togo to settle. You know there were lots of wars in those days, so they were conquered and dispersed, so much that we can no longer trace them or the throne. Literally that throne got lost in history.
So aside the thrones in Nigeria, it is only two of the three thrones outside that are traceable today?
Yes. You know, Sabe Kingdom and people extends as far as Iganna near Oyo, where we have this Oyan River. It was when the Europeans came that they divided us. In the days of the Dahomey war, our people used to escape as far as Opara to hide; and when there was ceasefire or end of war, they would come back to base. The same story applies to the Ketu people. That was how we managed to retain our territory and kingdoms. The people of Olupopo were, however, not able to come together; and that was how we lost that kingdom and crown. So as we speak, we only have six direct crowns from Oduduwa still existing.
Can you reel out to us the other four direct Oduduwa crowns in Nigeria?
I know of Oyo throne. You know Oyo is the youngest among us, but he became the strongest. He was a fighter and conqueror and extended as far as Dahomey. He even collected tributes (Isakole) from the Dahomey people for about one hundred years. He used to collect the tribute through the Onisabe. The Ooni is another direct crown. The third is Orangun Ile Ila. I cannot remember the fourth now. I am very particular about Oyo and Ife because we all left from Ife. That part of history is not controvertible.
Does your kingdom still relate or do things with Oyo and Ooni of Ife?
Sure. The immediate past Ooni, Oba Sijuade Olubuse, came to visit me three times before he passed. When I became Oba in 2008, we came to crown me with the original Oduduwa crown to honour me. I also used to pay him visits, and he was always very delighted to have me. In fact he was always telling me, ‘You have come home. This is your home.’
How about Alaafin of Oyo?
You know we share border with Oyo. And that was why when I was crowned Oba, I went to his palace to pay him a royal visit. However, he didn’t quite receive me well. And that made me pull back a bit. But the Ooni always received me very warmly; and that was why our relationship grew. The Onisabe that I succeeded used to visit and relate with the two of them, and that was why I decided to follow in their tradition. Much later though, the Alaafin and I reconnected again and our relationship improved.
Have you established contact with this new Ooni?
Oh yes, I have visited the new Ooni three times. But of course you know he is a younger monarch and just came on, but I know our relationship will grow.
Can you make a comparison of the Yoruba in Nigeria and the Yoruba in the Republic of Benin; are there any differences in their cultures and lifestyles?
There is absolutely no difference. You know the traditional cults in Benin, the Ifon and co all speak Yoruba in their Igbale (occult shrine). Even the Ogu (Egun) have a relation with Yoruba. Their Egungun also speak Yoruba in their Igbale. So their spiritual language is Yoruba; and that should tell you something – that they also have Yoruba heritage. Even the King of Agbome, Gezo, his traditional spiritual head (Awo) is Yoruba. So they also have a trace of Yoruba in them.
This Agbome that you mentioned, where is it located?
Agbome is about 135kilometers from Cotonou. My own kingdom of Sabe is about 260 kilometers to Cotonou. Sabe is on the same Meridian pole with Iseyin in Nigeria, which is close to Oyo. So that king’s secret cult (Awo) is Yoruba. His egugun (masquerade) all communicate in Yoruba. So all the cultural practice, mode of housing are all like we have in Yoruba land. So the Yoruba culture has a strong influence on the Ogu (Egun) culture.
I once interviewed the Akran of Badagry and he told me that his people took roots in Kumasi in Ghana.
That may be true, but the cultures have interwoven.
Some even say that splinters of Yoruba extend as far as present day Ghana. How true is this?
It’s true, absolutely true. The Ewe people in Ghana, according to history, migrated from Ife. They are the ones that became Ajatado. It is from there that the Ogu people emerge and returned to Togo and became Alada, Agbome and Kogbonu (Ajase). They are the ones that extended to Badagry (Ogu). It is in the course of their movements that the languages transformed. The Agbome are also from Ile-Ife before they settled in Tado in Port Novo. It is from Tado that they came to establish in Alada. It was at Alada that they separated; one went to Agbome, another went to Port Novo (Ajase). The Ogu people call the Ajase people Kogbonu. It is the Ajase people that extended as far as Badagry. I am very familiar with the Akran of Badagry; I visit him regularly.
What language do Ajase people speak?
The Yoruba at the Seme border Nigeria-Benin, the Dimitrov people have the ability to mix with Nigeria and they have mixed with the Yoruba there. So many Yoruba from Oyo also settled there for business. They call Port Novo people Ajase. That is why we have many Yoruba in Ajase.
What are the deities and festivals you celebrate in Sabe?
We celebrate all the festivals and deities that you celebrate across Yoruba lands here. We celebrate Sango, we celebrate Ogun, Obatala, gelede; we celebrate egugun, Oro, Sapono and so on and so forth.
Do you ever wish that your kingdom was in Nigeria and not Republic of Benin?
To answer that question, I’ll tell you that the Oba that I took over from that signed the protectorate with the Europeans did not want to be classified with Benin at all. He wanted his kingdom to be placed in Nigeria alongside his kinsmen of Oyo, Ile-Ife, Abeokuta and other brother crowns. He fought to the extent that he was arrested and imprisoned for nine whole years. He said there are two rivers – Opara and Ofe. The colonisers put the demarcation/border point in Ofe; but he insisted that they should put the border by Weme River, so that he would be in Nigeria. That Weme River is what traveled in Badagry through to Awori-land and through to Lagos. He insisted he wanted to be with his brothers.
Can you tell us the number of Onisabe that has reigned in the history of the kingdom?
That will be around 55.
That is almost like that of Ife. History Ife has it that Il-Ife has been ruled by around 50-something monarch as well.
It has to be. That tells you that the history is not twisted or just made up. Of course we are the same. If you go to Alaketu Kingdom, I’m sure it’s about that figure as well, Ile-Ife. The same for Ila Orangun. That is why the Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe calls me his father.