By Our Reporter
The historical greatness of Alaafin in the creation of the Yoruba dynasty can not be over-emphasised nor underestimated. Everything about kingship and its orchestrated hierarchy traces back to Alaafin, particularly Orayan, the founder of Oyo and Alaafin SANGO in 1078AD.
Oyo Crown Prince takes us down memory lane of how royalty originated from the supreme Oyo dynasty.
Prince Siyanbola Oladigbolu, a grandson of the 40th Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abubakar Siyanbola Oladigbolu revealed how a “talking” drum (iya-ilu) and sekere originated from oduduwa son (oranyan).
According to the youngest contender to the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo, Prince Siyanbola Oladigbolu who may be the next Alaafin and Oladigbolu the 3rd from the Agunloye ruling House to the most highly respected traditional office of authority in the western part of Nigeria, and the stool of one and only empire across the Niger, the Oyo Empire that reigned for an uninterrupted seven hundred and fifty-five years, before the invasion in 1830s.
The Talking Drum tradition is very old indeed. It was introduced as a means of communication during the inauguration of the Alaafin of Oyo and developed throughout the period of the Oyo Empire, established in the 12th century during the reign of Alaafin Aganjusola, Abenu Asasi (the one with irreversible curses).
The drum is an important musical instrument in different aspects of human life in Africa. Meaning is attached to every drumming outing, “for in Africa, we drum for a purpose” It consequently becomes an artistic and humanistic expression of the need for socialisation and communication among people. Such expressions alongside other characteristics of the “talking drum” emphasised using “language in representation”, and non-verbal semiotics method of communication to explain some of the symbolic representations.
The uniqueness of Oyos and when entertaining the Alaafin is actually what people don’t understand when a happy and dancing Alaafin suddenly becomes angry. The drummers must have used the drum (iya-ilu) to inform the king that the enemy or unwanted person has gotten access to the Palace or anywhere close to where the king is.
They can also use the drum to communicate with Alaafin throughout the day without anybody knowing.
The speechless semiotic way of communicating with alaafin is next to none. You can never see any chief or palace functionary whispering to Alaafin on any occasion that it is time to go home. As soon as Alaafin steps out of the palace, the drummers automatically become the guideliners via the iya-ilu drums throughout their stay.
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The iya-ilu drum is decorated with a pocketable size of gong made of brass to produce low sounds to support the master drum’s sound production. However, the Oyos always go deeper in whatever they do. They have no interest in doing anything cultural the way others do. Any drum with little gongs decorated with brass is specially for Alaafin. No matter the personality, they must not use the drum to entertain anyone. Such a drum must not be heard of except in the presence of Alaafin. History has it that if the drummers entertain anyone else, such a person instantly becomes deaf and dumb. They also use the same drum to confirm the authenticity of any prince inspired to be a new Alaafin. If he’s not the right person, he becomes deaf and dumb instantly. I doubt if they are still using that method in this modern-day. That was what a “movie ” titled Saworoide was all about.
I hope all the contenders for the vacant stool of Alaafin are aware of this.
Sekere (beaded gourd) was also introduced by Oyos and solely to entertain Alaafin.
The (gourds) Sekere originated in the Oyo empire, which comprises the present Benin and Togo and some parts of Ghana. Alaafin’s conquest was 20 times bigger than what is known today as the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of today is just 243,610km².
“Dahomey,” the present-day Benin Republic that was actively subdued and ruled by the Oyo Empire, is 114,763km², while Togo, another part of the Oyo Empire, has an area of 56,785km².
Without mentioning other cities covered and ruled here in present-day Yoruba land, connecting it to the first headquarters of Oyo-Ile, Kutunga, sharing boundaries with present-day Niger State. One should know that the United Kingdom is like a lawn tennis court competing with an Olympic football pitch. Despite the distance from Niger state of today, Yoruba land to Benin Republic to Aflaho in Togo and down to Ghana by Royal doings, Alaafin taught them what
Royalty was all about.
The Alaafin was able to complete Royal brochures and templates for outings and entertainment out of sekere display some of the present days royals are enjoying. Still, aji se bi oyo laari, o di aye atunwa ki ara oyo o to se bi eni kookan. The displays of “gourds” (sekere) could go up to 10 metres. And when I say sekere, not a regular handy ones used for praise and service in churches or regular ceremonies. Not even the one local musicians are used to. The standard sekere can be sighted in the Africa Gallery or the Palace of Alaafin.
