List of rulers of the Yoruba state of Oyo

Territory located in present-day Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

.

In the Yoruba language

Yoruba language

Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...

, the word 'oba

Oba (ruler)

Oba is a West African synonym for monarch, one that is usually applied to the Yoruba and Edo rulers of the region. It is also often used by their traditional subjects to refer to other kings and queens, such as Elizabeth I of England, in their native languages.-Edo account of the word's origin:The...

' means king or ruler. It is also common for the rulers of the various Yoruba

Yoruba people

The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...

domains to have their own special titles. In Oyo

Oyo Empire

The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today southwestern Nigeria. The empire was established before the 14th century and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by European explorers. It rose to preeminence through its possession of a powerful cavalry and wealth...

, the Oba is referred to as the Alaafin
Alaafin
Alaafin or Man of the Palace in the Yoruba language was the title of the emperor of the medieval Oyo empire of northwestern Yorubaland. It was retained through the fall of that state as the official title of the ceremonial ruler of the contemporary Oyo clan....

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Tenure	Incumbent	Notes
c.1400	Foundation of Oyo Empire Oyo Empire The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today southwestern Nigeria. The empire was established before the 14th century and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by European explorers. It rose to preeminence through its possession of a powerful cavalry and wealth...
c.1835	Invasion by Fulani Empire Fulani Empire The Sokoto Caliphate is an Islamic spiritual community in Nigeria, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar. Founded during the Fulani Jihad in 1809 by Usuman dan Fodio, it was one of the most powerful empires in sub-Saharan Africa prior to European conquest and colonization...
1888	British protectorate
1400 to ????	Oranyan Oranyan Oranyan Omoluabi, King of the Yoruba, also known as Oranmiyan, was a Yoruba king from the kingdom of Ile-Ife and heir to Oduduwa. According to Yoruba history, he founded Oyo at around the year 1170 and one of his children, Eweka I, went on to become the first Oba of the Benin Empire... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Ajaka Ajaka Ajaka was an Oyo emperor who was twice on the throne. His father was Oranyan or Oranmiyan and his brother, according to the historian Samuel Johnson, was Sango.-Life:... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Shango Shango In the Yorùbá religion, Sàngó is perhaps one of the most popular Orisha; also known as the god of fire, lightning and thunder... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Ajaka Ajaka Ajaka was an Oyo emperor who was twice on the throne. His father was Oranyan or Oranmiyan and his brother, according to the historian Samuel Johnson, was Sango.-Life:... (restored), Alaafin
???? to ????	Aganju Aganju of Oyo Aganju of Oyo was a Yoruba emperor of the Oyo state, in present day Nigeria. For the Yoruba deity of the same name, see Aganju.... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Kori Kori Kori may refer to:* Kori, Central African Republic* Kōri, Fukushima, a town in Japan* Kori one of the scheduled castes of India* Kori or kouri, the Hausa language term for a wadi* Kōri, a possible Japanese reading of Goryeo, a dynasty in Korea... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Oluaso Oluaso Oluaso was an Oyo king known for his handsome and strong physique. Legends of his reign describe it as one of peace, longevity and love. He built numerous palaces in the empire and also had numerous wives and children.-References:... , Alaafin
c. 1500 to ????	Onigbogi Onigbogi Onigbogi was a king of the Oyo Empire in West Africa who succeeded his father, the Alaafin Oluaso to become the 8th king of the Oyo.According to Oyo fables, his mother, Aruigba-Ifá left her hometown of Ota to be with her son and to serve in his office as an advisor. She brought along with her the... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Ofirin, Alaafin
???? to ????	Eguguojo Eguguojo Eguguojo was the Alaafin of Oyo during the sixteenth century.It was during his reign that the capital city was moved from Oyo ile to Oyo Igboho , after a protracted battle with the Nupes and also as a result of internal fighting. Prior to the establishment of New Oyo, his grandfather had gone on an... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Orompoto Orompoto Orompoto was an Alaafin of Oyo, also the empire's titled ruler. He was the brother of his predecessor, Eguguojo. He was considered a skillful warrior and was known according to Oyo tales of his inadvertent victory at the battle of Illayi. While fighting his enemies, he lost three leaders of the... , Alaafin
c. 1600 to ????	Abipa Abipa Abipa was an Alaafin of the Oyo.Prior to his reign, three rulers of Oyo had presided from Oyo Igboho instead of the capital city Oyo ile due to external threat from the Nupe and internal squabbles. Abipa was the Alaafin who moved the capital back to Oyo ile after both threats were subdued.... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Obalokun Obalokun Obalokun was an Alaafin of Oyo, he was first in an era of successive despotic and short-lived kings of Oyo.-Life:Obalokun Agana Erin was born to the daughter of the Alake of Egbaland... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Oluodo, Alaafin
???? to ????	Ajagbo Ajagbo Ajagbo was an Alaafin of the West African Oyo Kingdom, who was on the throne for a remarkable length of time. He was notable for introducing the title of Kakanfo, similar to a field marshal in Oyo... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Odarawu Odarawu Odarawu was an Alaafin of Oyo, who was on the throne for a short period of time. He was considered a man of bad temperament. According to Oyo legend his bad temper led him to being removed as king and also served as educational warning and lesson to future kings on character development.Odarawu's... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Kanran Kanran Karan was an Alaafin of Oyo who succeeded Odarawu as king. He was considered a fierce and tempestuous leader who subjected citizens to severe harm and punishments. As a result of his propensity to incite scourge on his subjects, a plot was conspired to terminate him or get him to abdicate the throne... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Jayin Jayin Jayin was an Alaafin of Oyo and the son of Oba Kanran. He was considered to be an effeminate and dissolute prince prior to his ascension to the throne. As king of Oyo, his Harem was usually filled with varied sort of characters... , Alaafin
???? to ????	Ayibi, Alaafin
???? to ????	Osiyago, Alaafin
c. 1728 to 1730	Ojigi Ojigi (Oyo) Ojigi was Alafin of the Yoruba Oyo Empire in what is now Nigeria from 1724-1735.Alafin Ojigi's rule began Oyo's "great age of conquest". His reign is also considered the peak of imperial success, and Ojigi enjoyed the strong support of several important chiefs... , Alaafin
c. 1730 to 1746	Gberu Gberu Gberu was one of the rulers of the Yoruba state of Oyo at its peak. He was on the throne from 1730 to 1746.... , Alaafin
1746	Amuniwaiye, Alaafin
1746 to 1754	Onisile, Alaafin
1754	Labisi, Alaafin
1754	Awonbioju, Alaafin
1754	Agboluaje, Alaafin
1754 to 1770	Majeogbe, Alaafin
c. 1770 to 1789	Abiodun Abiodun Abiodun was an 18th-century alaafin, or ruler, of the Oyo people in what is now Nigeria. Coming to the throne shortly after the Oyo subjugation of neighboring Dahomey, Abiodun soon found himself embroiled in a civil war over the goals of the newly wealthy state.Bashorun Gaha, the empire's prime... , Alaafin
1789 to 1796	Awole Arogangan, Alaafin
1796 to 1797	Adebo, Alaafin
1797	Makua, Alaafin
1797 to 1802	vacant, vacant
1802 to 1830	Majotu, Alaafin
1830 to 1833	Amodo, Alaafin
1833 to 1835	Oluewu Oluewu Oluewu was the Alaafin of Oyo from 1833-1835.During his reign, the Fulani empire had already captured Ilorin after an internal coup and transformed it into a Fulani emirate.... , Alaafin
1837 to 1859	Atiba Atobatele (at new capital), Alaafin
1859 to 1875	Adelu, Alaafin
1876 to 1888	Adeyemi I Alowolodu, Alaafin
1888 to 1905	Adeyemi I Alowolodu (as British Vassal), Oba
1905 to 1911	Lawani Agogoja (as British Vassal), Oba
1911 to 1944	Siyanbola Onikepe Oladigbolu I (as British Vassal), Oba
1944 to 1945	Regent Regent A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu... (as British Vassal), Oba
1945 to 1955	Adeyemi II Adeniran (as British Vassal), Oba
1955 to 1956	Regent Regent A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu... (as British Vassal), Oba
1956 to 1960	Bello Gbadegesin Oladigbolu II (as British Vassal), Oba
1960 to 1970	Bello Gbadegesin Oladigbolu II (as Nigerian Traditional Monarch), Oba
19 November 1970 to Present	Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III (as Nigerian Traditional Monarch), Oba

See also