If you have been following this series, you would be aware that the most probable origin of the Yoruba tribe is from a certain man called Lamurudu who was displaced by Muslims from the middle east because of his idolatry. He left with the aim of settling in Egypt.
In Egypt, men were fellowshipping with demons of high ranking and taking up their nature. In return, these demons found a way to implant their seed in Egyptian women (like it happened in Genesis 6) who gave birth to Nephilims- giants. Lamurudu learned from a man called Yariba how to fellowship with these demonic princes too. His own demon of high ranking is called Oduduwa. This is why most history books are lost when they trace the origin of Oduduwa.
Lamurudu soon became a master in this kind of sorcery that Yariba became jealous and it led to a fight. Lamurudu decided to move on to a place where he would be able to settle and be the king. Leaving Egypt, he began to introduce himself as Oduduwa instead of Lamurudu.
In Ile Ife, Lamurudu introduced himself in the name of the spirit that he worships- Oduduwa, so there is no record of Lamurudu entering Ile Ife. All record points at Oduduwa. So, in this account, I would now refer to the man Lamurudu as Oduduwa. He entered the land with the aim of taking over spiritually and politically, and more importantly, he had to establish the worship of Oduduwa to ensure that he retains the strength of his priesthood.
His plan would have been easy, but Ile Ife was already occupied by a community of people led by a group of elders and a king. The king that Oduduwa met in the land was called Obatala, a great diviner whose divination system is called Ifa. Oduduwa immediately waged war against the established political system. It was a battle of guns and altars. It was fierce, but short. Oduduwa won and established a new royal dynasty in the land- Ooni.
Obatala was banished from the land, but his supporters never really submitted to Oduduwa. Instead, they regrouped in the bushes and would constantly attack the Ile Ife people. They referred to them as the Ugbo people. It was more like a guerrilla war, so defeating them completely was tasking. (Remember Moremi story?) The war raged on till Oduduwa died. His death was orchestrated by a combination of physical battles combined with sorcery. Obatala had a very vast diviner on his side too- Orunmila.
Obatala and Orunmila were able to defeat Oduduwa, but they couldn't return to take over Ile Ife because of a certain weapon Oduduwa left behind. That weapon was a young man that was touted to have two fathers- Oranmiyan. We will look at the mystery behind the birth of Oranmiyan in the next episode.
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