List of rulers of Ife

Yoruba Copper mask for King Obalufon, Ife, Nigeria c. 1300

Ife bronze casting of a King, dated around twelfth century

The Ooni of Ile-Ife (Ọọ̀ni of Ilè-Ifẹ̀) is the traditional ruler of Ile-Ife (Nigeria), who is seen as the cradle of the Yoruba people. This dynasty goes back hundreds of years. Since the oral tradition was only recently transcribed, there are several detailed lists that contradicts each other. Nevertheless, some key figures are common to all of them. All the Ooni are traced down to Oduduwa, who is seen as the ancestral father of all the Yoruba people. Ooni Oranmiyan, who is said to have lived between 1200 and 1300 A.D, became legendary^[1] for his role in creating many new towns. One of his sons, Eweka, became the first Oba of Benin. Another son, Ajaka, became the first Alaafin of Oyo. Another, Osile, of Oke-Ona Egba. Ooni Lajamisan, another descendant of Oranmiyan is often said to have opened the modern Ife history. The four actual Ruling Houses^[2] are named from Ooni Lafogido, Ooni Osinkola, Ooni Ogboru and Ooni Giesi. The first three were sons of Ooni Lajodogun, and the later a maternal grandson of Ogboru. The actual Ooni is Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II (born October 17, 1974)

Various authors have various lists

The primary sources for the history of the Yoruba are from oral tradition. Since there were not ceremonial recitations of the list of the Oonis (at burial or at crowning), there are in fact several oral traditions, that have generated an unusual number of different written transcriptions. In what follows, #nn is the index of the Ooni in the A list (see table, column LA).

Books and research papers

1. Ojo Bada 1954^[3] quotes 15 names for the Oduduwa to Lajamisan period.^[4][5] See column 5.
2. Chief Fabunmi 1975 quotes 7 names for the same period.^[4] See column 6. Chief Fabunmi is known for his Historical notes.^[6]

3. Chief Fasogbon 1976 quotes 12 names for this period.^[4] See column 7.
4. Chief Awosemo 1985 quotes 22 names from Oduduwa to Giesi.^[4] See column 8.
5. Eluyemi 1986 quotes 41 names from Oduduwa to nowadays.^[4] See column 9.

Sources for the 50 items A list

1. Awoyinfa, Dele, 1992 ^[7][8] pages 30–35.
2. Prince L. A. Adetunji 1999,^[9] pages 70–77. The prince, from the Giesi family, was one of the contenders for the 2015 designation.^[10] See column LA.

Sources for the 50 items B list

1. Ologundu 2008,^[11][12] pages 58–59. Lists 48 names, that are the B list, except from Obalufon Alayemore (#5) and Aworokolokin (#12). Moreover Osinkola (#18) is at #25 (strange place)
   Araba Adedayo Ologundu was a native of Ile-Ife, Nigeria. See column Og.
2. Lawal 2000,^[13] page 21 (nevertheless, this book is Google described as a 19 pages book !). See column LB.

Web sources

1. Source 2015.^[14]
2. Leadership.ng 2015.,^[15] 2015. No references are given. One typo: Ademiluyi Ajagun (1930-19800).
3. Ooni Ojaja II web site,^[16] 2016 quotes 51 names. Same as list B, differs only by the diacritics. No references are given. This list was already in use before 2015.

Influence on king making

The filling of the stool of a deceased Ooni of Ife is not a simple local affair as it may seem but has national ramifications. Since Ife is regarded as the cradle of the Yoruba, this town has always been the leading religious center of the Yoruba people. But other roles are also involved.^[17] Especially, the Ooni of Ife is often presented as the highest ranked Oba^[2] or, even more, as the natural chairman of the Council of Yoruban Chiefs.^[18] The rules to fill a vacant stool are the Chiefs Law Cap 25 Laws of Osun State (modified 2002).^[19] And the Declaration made in 1980 by the traditional Chiefs under Section 4(2) of this Chief Law. In 1957, the former Declaration recognised four ruling houses and established the following order of rotation:

1. The Oshinkola House, Iremo (present) [as of 1957]
2. The Giesi House, More
3. The Ogboru House, Ilare
4. The Lafogido House, Okerewe

In 1977, references to locations in Ife were suppressed. And the January 1980 Declaration confirmed everything just before the death of Adesoji Aderemi.^[19] These families are tagged in column desc, as sourced from Vanguard^[20] for Lafog, Osink, Ogbor, Giesi. And Newz^[21] for the rest. (Both sources don't give their own sources).

In 2015, it was the turn of the Giesi Family, as confirmed by the Ife kingmakers.^[22] Nevertheless:

• Olakunle Aderemi (leader of Osinkola) said that, despite having produced Adesoji Aderemi (1930-1980), Osinkola house deserved to produce the new King because the family produced the least number of the Ooni among the four ruling houses. Ife Chieftaincy Declaration of 1980 technically throws open the contest for filling the stool of Ooni, he added.^[23]
• The Lafogido house went to court, describing the Chieftaincy Declaration as unfair. Lafogido house had been constantly marginalized in chieftaincy reviews in Ife since 1957 they said. 14 Oonis have been enthroned from Lajodogun and only 8 from Lafogido ruling house they added.^[24]
• Adetowo Aderemi (of Osinkola) got even further, faulting the 1957 and 1980 Ife Traditional Council Declarations, describing them as a fraud. That they are against the customary law of succession of the Ife people, he said. He also faulted the inclusion of Giesi Ruling House among eligible royal families to fill the stool of Ooni, saying that Giesi was only invited to complete the term of Ogboru, not being from the male linage with right to the stool as the grandson of Ogboru.^[25]

Finally, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, from the Giesi house, was elected October 26, 2015.^[26]

Avoiding original research when consolidating

Consolidation at the price of the diacritics

The actual romanization of the Yoruba language involves many diacritic signs. Like for the old McCune–Reischauer system for Korean, this leads to a large blur when quoting and searching. Here, the case is worse since what is to be transcribed is the oral tradition: the romanization becomes locutor-dependent. Some examples:

Ojajii	LB	Eluyemi (x86)
Osangangan Obamakin	Osanganga Obamakin	Osanganga Obamakin
Odidimode Rogbeesin	Odidimode Rogbesin
Gboonijio	Gbodo-Nijio	Gbodo-Nijio
Okanlajosin	Okunlajosin	-
Adegbalu	Adegbolu	Adegbolu
Luwoo	Luwo (Female)	Luwo (Female)
Ojelokunbirin	Oje Lokunsinrin	Ojee Lokunsinrin
Larunnka	Larinka	Larinka
Adegunle Adewela	Adegunle Abeweela	Abewela
Degbinsokun	Degbin Kumbusu	Degbinna-okun
Orarigba	Orayigba Ojaja	Orayigbi

Here, the choice has been done to erase all the diacritics, and ignore differences that clearly come only from pronunciation.

Consolidation at the price of the obvious discrepancies

1. Dele Awoyinfa (one of the list A sources) numbers again Obalufon Alayemore when he comes back after the death of Oranmiyan. And all the list becomes shifted. Since no one else proceeds that way (even not L. A. Adetunji, this has been shifted back (obtaining again what is listed in the LA column). To keep a track, the second reign of Obalufon Alayemore is tagged #4.5 in the LA column.
2. Usurper Lajuwa/Lajua/Lejua^[27] is named but not numbered in the list A, but is taken into account in three other lists. Tagged as # 5.5.
3. Some sources are naming Osinkola the #47 Ooni, elected for two months in 1910. In any case, the identification is clear, while Osinkola is the Ruling House name. Replaced by Adekola.

Typographic errors

Printing fixes everything, even the typographic errors.

1. The two printed quotations^[4][5] of the printed Ojo Bada^[3] have discrepancies: Otaataa=Otasasa, Arirereokewe=Arirekewe, Lajamusan=Lajamisan.
2. When Awosemo 1985 (quoted by Sina Ojuade^[4]) says Giesi before Ogboruu, this is probably a typo. Indeed, all other sources are saying that Ogboruu #23 was the maternal grand father of Giesi #24.
3. the quotation of Ademakinwa^[5] (p158) uses Kworokolokun: this is probably Aworokolokun.
4. In column x86, Lagunja is repeated. How to correct ?
5. Perhaps Ologundu 2008 ranging Osinkola #18 at place #25 is also a typo ?

Remaining discrepancies

1. In list A, Lajamisan is ranked #11. This can be tracked to the 1973 Daily Sketch kinglist^[5] (p158). This is strange since a list from start to Lajamisan should end by Lajamisan. Moving this one just before Otujabiojo #17 would synchronize the ordering of all the kinglists from Oduduwa to Lajamisan. This should be checked in detail.
2. While list A sources put both Aworokolokin and Ajuimuda Ekun before Lajamisan, most of the list B sources are saying that Aworokolokin, Ajuimuda and Ekun were three descendants of Lajodoogun. We can only underline the discrepancy. Moreover, Ologundu don't quote Aworokolokin at all in his lists. (green in the table).
3. The same occurs with the only woman that became Ooni. Most of the time, she is quoted as "Luwoo Gbagida" #18 and placed before Lajodogun #19. But also as "Luwo (Female)" and placed after Giesi #24. (green in the table).
4. Efon Ayioye #6 in Awoyinfa is quite surely the same person as "Ayioye" in Bada and Fasogbon. But they are not ranked the same by the sources relatively to Ajimuda Ekun #7. Perhaps this was the reason of the comment no matter how ripe the okra is, it cannot be older than itself.
5. 9 names aren't part of list A or list B.

"At least, it can be said that the existence of numerous variants requires explanation, and an interpretation can be assessed according to how satisfactorily it accounts for their existence. The method might be described as one of reductio ad non absurdum." ^[28]

Aggregated list

A semi-detailed sketch of contemporary Yorubaland and surrounding areas

LB	Og	9	8	7	6	5	LA	date	name	desc (nwz)	nickname [9]	comments [9]
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	Oduduwa	Founder		Founder of the Yoruba country
2	2	2						1.2	Osanganga Obamakin	Elder of Ife		See[5] for more details about the 16 Elders
3	3	3						1.4	Ogun	Elder of Ife		metallurgist/warrior [5]
4	4		2	2	2	2	2	2	Obalufon Ogbogbodirin	S Oduduwa		Elder son of Oduduwa. He lived and reigned for an unusually long period of time.
5		5	3	3	3	3	3	3	Obalufon Alaiyemore	S Obalufon I		Became the Ooni after his father’s death while Oranmiyan was on sojourn. Fled when Oranmiyan returned.
6	5	4			4	4	4	4	Oranmiyan	9Son of Oduduwa	Odede=title ?	Said to have lived between 1200 and 1300 A.D. Eweka, the Oba of Benin and Ajaka, the Alaafin of Oyo were his sons.
							4.5	4.5	Obalufon Alaiyemore			Back to the throne after Oranmiyan’s death. Reigned at the same time as Dada, Alaafin of Oyo.
7	6							4.7	Ayetise	S Oduduwa
					5	5	5	5	Aworokolokin
		6	4	4			5.5	5.5	Lajuwa (usurper)		Okoo olori-ko-yun-ajo (A king’s wife, called olorì is forbidden to travel)	Head messenger. Said to have usurped the throne at the death of Aworokolokin.
				6		7	6	6	Efon Ayioye		Ogbolaajuree (no matter how ripe the okra is, it cannot be older than itself).
			5	5	6	6	7	7	Ajimuda Ekun
							8	8	Laamoro Ogijan			From Molodo compound, Ilode.
							9	9	Oseganderuku		(turns the forest into dust).
			6	7				9.5	Otaran
						8	10	10	Oye		Okukuyewu Ilode
				8		10		10.7	Lamoro
			7	9		11	12	12	Larooka			From Moore. Descendant of Ọ̀ranmiyan and Ancestor of Giẹsi. There is one common saying: Larooka built the town hall and Giẹsi constructed a support for it at the bottom.
							13	13	Owodo			From Okerewe.
			8			12	14	14	Arirere Okinwe
						9	15	15	Otaataa		Ọtaataa-kiran	From Owodo. Alade yokun-saayo-lorun.
			9	10		13	16	16	Lapeleke		Oro-wuye-oluku-eti
				11		14		16.3	Oluwo
8	7	7	10	12	7	15	11	16.7	Lajamisan	S Aiyetise		From Ilare. Descendant of Oranmiyan. Modern Ife history began with his reign which was unusually long.
							17	17	Otujabiojo		who_scatters_the market_like_rainfall
		9					18	18	Luwoo Gbagida		Ayare, Akọsulogbe	From Owode compound, Okerewe. Descendant of Otaataa (#15). She was married to Chief Ọbalọran of Ilode and became the mother of Adekola Telu, the founder of Iwo town. Was the only woman Ooni. .
9	8						19	19	Lajodogun	S Lajamisan		From Igbodo, Okerewe. Descendant of Lajamisan.
							20	20	Lafogun			From Igbodo. Descendant of Lajodoogun.
10	9	8	11				21	21	Lafogido	Lafog		From Igbodo. Descendant of Lajodoogun. Prominent among his children were: (1) Otutu biosun ? (2) Okiti #30.3 (3) Olojo Agbele #30 (4) Adagba #36.4 (5) Wunmonije #41 (6) Lugbade #30.6 (7) Lumobi #24.2 (8) Yeyelueko, mother of Singbunsin Yanningan ?
11	10							21.1	Odidimode Rogbesin	D_Lajodogun
12								21.2	Aworokolokin	D_Lajodogun
13	11							21.3	Ekun	D_Lajodogun
14	12							21.4	Ajimuda	D_Lajodogun
			12					21.5	Luciro
15	13	10	13					21.6	Gbodo-Nijio	D_Lajodogun
16	14	11	14					21.7	Okunlajosin	D_Lajodogun
17	15	12	15					21.8	Adegbolu	D_Lajodogun
		13	16					21.9	Odidi Egbesin
18		14	17				22	22	Osinkola	Osink		Descendant of Lajodoogun.
			18					22.2	Lagbuja
			19					22.4	Omoropo
		15						22.6	Lagunja
19	16	19	21				23	23	Ogboruu	Ogbor		Descendant of Lajodoogun. Ogboruu was deposed after reigning for 70 years. Six princes were appointed successively within a year and all died without completing the coronation. Finally, Ogboruu agreeded to bless Giesi, a son of his daughter Mọropo
20	17	20	22				24	24	Giesi	Giesi		Maternal grandson of Ogboruu
21	18							24.1	Luwo (Female)	D Lafogido
22	19							24.2	Lumobi	D Lafogido
25	22	16						24.3	Lagunja	D_Lajodogun
26	23	17						24.4	Larinka	D_Lajodogun
27	24	18	20					24.6	Ademilu	D_Lajodogun
	25							24.8	Osinkola
28	26							24.9	Omogbogbo	D_Lajodogun
30	28	24					25	25	Dejinle	Lafog		Descendant of Owodo #13 and ancestor of Abeweela #42
							26	26	Aroganganiagbo			From Akui.
24	21	21						26.3	Oje Lokunsinrin	D_Lajodogun
34	32	25					27	27	Aribiwoso	Osink	Aribiwoso-lode-Akui	From Akui.
							28	28	Sojuolu_Ogbonsegbonde			From Owodo compound.
23	20	22					29	29	Agbedegbede	Giesi		Descendant of Giẹsi.
31	29	26					30	30	Olojo	Lafog	Agbele-wojuorun-yanmongi	From Okerewe.
32	30							30.3	Okiti	D Lafogido
33	31							30.6	Lugbade	D Lafogido
							32	32	Ajifadesere
							33	33	Otuko
							34	34	Odidimode Rogbesin			Ancestor of Mọlodo, Awura and Lami (?,?,?)
29	27	23					35	35	Ajila Oorun	Giesi?		From Moore. Descendant of Agbedegbede #29
35	33	27					31	35.5	Osinlade Otutubiosun	Lafog?		Descendant of Lafogido. <:-- Was the Oni of Ife when King Abiodun was the Alaafin of Oyo (1775-1789) ?? -->
							36	36	Abigboola
36	34							36.5	Adagba	D Lafogido
37	35	28					37	37	Ojigidiri	Osink	Lambuwa.	From Akui ward, Ife.
38	36	29					38	1770_1800	Akinmoyero	Lafog	Iriko dunle biojo (the mist cannot wet the ground like rain).
39	37	30					39	1800_1823	Gbanlare	Ogbor	Gbadioro at x86	From Ilare ward, Ife.
40	38	31					40	1823_1835	Gbegbaaje	Giesi
41	39	32					41	1835_1839	Wunmonije	Lafog	Wunmo-nije-soogun	A descendant of Lafogido.
42	40	33					42	1839_1849	Adegunle Abeweela	Lafog	Abewe-ila gberengedẹ (spread out like the leaf of the okra plant).	He is said to have died at about 35 years of age.
43	41	34					43	1849_1878	Degbin Kumbusu	Giesi		The first fall of Ife occurred during his reign in 1849.
44	42	35					44	1878_1880	Orayigba Ojaja	Giesi	Ayikiti-ninu-aran (rolls around in velvet fabric).	Imposed by the Ibadan.
45	43	36					45	1880_1894	Derin Ologbenla	Giesi		Ooni-elect, who never came to be crowned at Ife before he died at Okeigbo. During his reign, the second fall of Ife occurred in 1882.
46	44	37					46	1894_1910	Adelekan Olubuse_I	Ogbor	Eriogun, Akitikori, Ebitikimopiri	First Ooni to reign in Ile Ife after the end of Ekitiparapo war. The evacuation of Modakeke occurred during his reign.
47	45	38					47	1910_1910	Adekola	Osink	Lawarikan, Agbejanla-bofa.	From Akui. An Ooni-elect for only two months, June-July 1910.
48	46	39					48	1910_1930	Ademiluyi, alias Ajagun	Lafog		He was a descendant of Otutubiosun #31. During his reign the Modákẹ́kẹ́ people returned to Ifẹ̀ in 1921.
49	47	40					49	1930_1980	Adesoji Aderemi	Osink	Ainla, Ọmọ Adekunbi Ipetu	From Akui. death=2/7/1980. Was a descendant of Ojigidiri Lambuwa (#37)
50	48	41					50	1980_2015	Okunade Sijuade Olubuse_II	Ogbor		death=28/7/2015. Grandson of Adelekan Olubuse. <note> Okunade Sijuade Olubuse II banned the sale of the Adetunji's book in IIfe town because it included a story pertaining to his grandfather Adélẹkàn Olúbùse, which he did not want publicized</note>.
51							51	2015_xxxx	Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja_II	Giesi

See also

• I. A. Akinjogbin (2002). Milestones and concepts in Yoruba history and culture: a key to understanding Yoruba history. Olu-Akin Publishers. p. 167. (not read)

References

1. M. I. Ogumefu, B.A. (1929). "25: the staff of Oranyan". Yoruba Legends. london.
2. "The Place Of Oranmiyan In The History Of Ile – Ife". Vanguard (Nigeria). 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2016-04-20.
3. Ojo, Bada of Shaki (1954). Iwe Itan Yoruba. Apa Kinni, Ibadan, 228 pages. Cited from Ojuade & Obayemi, not read directly.
4. J Sina Ojuade (1992). "The issue of Oduduwa in Yoruba genesis: the myths and realities" (PDF). Transafrican Journal of History 21: 139–158. (p.154)
5. Ade Obayemi (June 1979). "Ancient Ile-Ife: Another Cultural Historical Reinterpretation" (PDF). Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria 9 (4): 151–185. (p.158)
6. M. A. Fabunmi (1985). An Anthology of Historical Notes on Ife City. J. West Publications. p. 282. ISBN 9789781630170.
7. Awoyinfa, Dele (1992). Ooni of Ife in Yoruba history. Lichfield Nigeria. p. 96. ISBN 9789783049871.
8. "Awoyinfa, Dele". Worldcat. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
9. Prince L. A. Adetunji (1999). The Glory of Yoruba Nation. Lichfield Nigeria. p. 128. ISBN 9789783049871.
10. "The Ooni has spiritual and physical powers". Vanguard (Nigeria). 2015-08-30. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
11. Ologundudu, Dayo (2008). The cradle of Yoruba culture. Center for Spoken Words. p. 206. ISBN 9780615220635.
12. Searchworks. Stanford.
13. Lawal, Ladun Kofoworola Owolade (2000). Ile-Ifẹ : the cradle of the Yoruba : with Oduduwa as their progenitor. Ikoyi, Lagos : Ayojide Enterprises. p. 19.
14. http://ilfng.org/The-source.html, trustees= Chief Kemade Elugbaju, Hon. Rotimi Makinde, Dr. Akin Awofolaju, Dr. Ramon Adedoyin, Niyi Murele, Sen. Babajide Omoworare, Prince Adedamola Aderemi, Kehinde Awoyele, Prince Adeleke Ijiyode
15. "Ooni Of Ife: Ademiluyi Family Set To Produce Successor". Leadership Newspaper. 2015-07-30. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
16. "Past Ooni of Ife". Retrieved 2016-04-21.
17. "The Rulers of Ife: The Traditional and Adaptive Roles of the Ooni". Ancient Origins. 2015-10-03.
18. Olufemi Vaughan (2006). Nigerian Chiefs: Traditional Power in Modern Politics, 1890s-1990s. Rochester studies in African history and the diaspora. University Rochester Press. p. 168. ISBN 9781580462495.
19. Dr. Abiola Sanni. "Erring on the law to fill Ooni stool". Bar Alpha (Nigeria). Retrieved 2016-04-21.
20. "How Giesi Family Joined the Ruling Class". Vanguard (Nigeria). 2015-10-31. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
21. "Names of Ife Ooni, from Oduduwa ascension".
22. "Ife kingmakers narrow selection of Ooni to Giesi Family". Nigerian Tribune. 2015-09-14. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
23. "New Ooni: As expected, ruling houses have already started fighting". The Scoop (Nigeria). 2015-08-27. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
24. "Ife kingmakers announce that Giesi would produce next Ooni; but one other family is heading to court". The Scoop (Nigeria). 2015-09-14. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
25. "New Ooni: Bickering gets worse as Osinkola Ruling House distances self from rotation of crown". 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
26. "Profile of Ogunwusi Ooni-elect". Vanguard (Nigeria). 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
27. William Dewey. "Head of Lajuwa". Africa Uima at U-Iowa. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
28. R. C. C. Law (1973). "The Heritage of Oduduwa: Traditional History and Political Propaganda among the Yoruba" (PDF). The Journal of African History (Cambridge University Press) 14 (2): 207–222. p.221.