Ooni, Akintoye, others to host 134th anniversary of Kiriji War September 22

In a move aimed at restoring and reawakening the history and culture of Yoruba, eminent Yoruba leaders, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi; President-General of Yoruba World Congress (YWC), Prof. Banji Akintoye; Afenifere Chieftain, Pa Ayo Adebanjo; Pro-democracy crusader, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu (rtd); Chairman of Yoruba Council of Elders, Justice Ademola Bakare (rtd), among others, will tomorrow, Tuesday, September 22 and Wednesday, September 23, 2020 converge to celebrate the 134th year anniversary of the end of Kiriji War.

The event has been slated to hold in Okemesi, Ekiti State, and Imesi-Ile, Osun State, where the war started and Igbajo, Osun State, where the peace treaty that marked the end of the war was signed, while the September 23 event will hold at the expansive Secretariat of YWC in Ibadan, Oyo State, where well-meaning Yoruba traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi and Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, will address Yoruba people.

The Kiriji War, also known as the Ekiti-Parapo War, was a 16-year long civil war between the Yoruba people where all the sub-ethnic groups either supported Ibadan or Ekiti factions.

The war, according to Oxford History Library, was an attempt by the Ekiti to halt the expansive efforts of the Ibadan city-state, which attempted to replace the Oyo Empire as the dominant region in Yorubaland.

The organisers of the Kiriji War anniversary said Yoruba elders had met and agreed that the day Kiriji War ended should now be celebrated as Yoruba Nation’s Day.

According to a statement by George Akinola on behalf of the conveners of the event, the purpose of the two-day ceremony is to unite the people of Yorubaland towards achieving prosperity and development.

Akinola said the event would commence at Okemesi by 10:00 a.m., Imesi Ile at noo and Igbajo at 3:00 p.m. while that of 23 would kick-off by 11:00 a.m. in Ibadan.

He, therefore, urged all Yoruba sons and daughters worldwide to make their presence felt at the events,
both physically or morally.