Afonja, Alimi and the fall of Oyo

Overview

In 1817 Afonja, Oyo’s own commander-in-chief, rose against the Alaafin at Ilorin and called in Shehu Alimi, a Fulani Muslim teacher, and his following of Hausa and Fulani fighters. The alliance cut Oyo off from its north. About 1824 Alimi’s son Abdulsalami turned on Afonja, who was killed, and Ilorin became an emirate of the Sokoto Caliphate under Gwandu. Ilorin’s armies ended Oyo-Ile in the 1830s, and the court moved south to Ago-Oja, today’s Oyo.^{[1],[2],[3],[4]}High confidence

Who took part

• Afonja, Are-Ona-Kakanfo at Ilorin· Rose up
• Shehu Alimi and the jama’a· Ally
• Oyo Empire· Defended

What happened

1. 1817 · Ilorin

   Afonja’s revolt

   The Are-Ona-Kakanfo declares Ilorin independent of the Alaafin and invites Shehu Alimi to fight beside him.

2. c. 1824 · Ilorin

   The allies fall out

   Abdulsalami, Alimi’s son, turns on Afonja, who is killed. Ilorin becomes an emirate.

3. c. 1835–1837 · Oyo-Ile (Old Oyo)

   Oyo-Ile abandoned

   After defeat by Ilorin, the capital of the old empire is left empty; Oyo is rebuilt far to the south.

Kingdoms involved

• Sokoto Caliphate
• Oyo Empire

Sources

Every claim carries a confidence level: high (well attested), medium (one source or approximate) or disputed (sources disagree).

1. Johnson, Samuel. (1921). The History of the Yorubas. Routledge, London (CMS Lagos)
2. Law, Robin. (1977). The Oyo Empire, c. 1600 – c. 1836: A West African Imperialism in the Era of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Clarendon Press, Oxford (cited elsewhere, not yet checked directly)
3. Wikipedia contributors. Afonja (cited elsewhere, not yet checked directly)
4. Wikipedia contributors. Ilorin