A clear explainer on the Oyo Empire: how it rose, how the Alaafin and the Oyo Mesi governed, the role of cavalry, and why the empire declined....
A guide to the major Yoruba kings and their titles, from the Ooni of Ife and Alaafin of Oyo to the Awujale, Olubadan and Alake, and the town each one rules....
The Olubadan is the paramount traditional ruler of Ibadanland. Learn how the title works, how the Olubadan is chosen and who the current Olubadan is....
Who is the Alaafin of Oyo? Learn what the title means, the history of the throne, the long reign of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III and how the current Alaafin was appointed in 2025....
How the Oyo Empire rose to dominate Yorubaland: its Alaafin rulers, the Oyo Mesi council, the cavalry, the peak years and the fall of Old Oyo in the 19th century....
A neutral biography of Olusegun Obasanjo: birth, education, military career, head of state 1976 to 1979, imprisonment, president 1999 to 2007 and later roles....
The life of Madam Tinubu, the Egba trader who became a powerful figure in 19th-century Lagos and later Iyalode of Egbaland. Facts, timeline and legacy....
A plain guide to Yoruba chieftaincy titles such as Oba, Baálẹ̀, Balogun, Ìyálóde and Bàbálọ́jà: what each means, who holds it and how titles differ by town....
The story of Moremi Ajasoro, the Ile-Ife heroine of Yoruba oral tradition: the raids, her bargain, her return and why she is still remembered today....
What the Joint Council of Yoruba Unity is, why the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo met in Lagos in October 2025, and why it matters for Yoruba unity....