…..Setting the Record Straight on the Stool of Owa Obokun of Ijesaland
The method of ascending to the throne of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland follows a rotational system among the various ruling houses. One of the prominent ruling houses is the Bilaro Ruling House, which is divided into two branches:
1. The Ofokutu Lineage
2. The Ajimoko (Haastrup) Lineage
The story of how the Haastrup family became part of the Bilaro Ruling House dates back to the Ijesa/Ekiti Parapo war against Ibadan. Haastrup, a former slave who had returned from Lagos where he was doing business, played a crucial role in the conflict by securing superior arms from his former masters. His involvement was instrumental in the war, in which Ogedengbe, one of the Ekiti Parapo military commanders, participated.
When the Ibadan forces saw the advanced weaponry Haastrup had supplied, they sought a truce, which ultimately led to the end of the war. At the time, it was common for former slaves to bear the names of their white masters, which is how Haastrup got his name.
After the war, when the Owa throne became vacant, war commanders led a campaign to compensate Haastrup for his contribution by awarding him the throne. Despite initial difficulty in tracing his lineage to any of the four ruling houses, it was eventually claimed that Haastrup’s mother was related to Owa Ofokutu, who reigned in Ijesaland from 1846 to 1858. Based on this connection, Haastrup was crowned Owa.
Upon ascending the throne, Haastrup opted to use the name “Ajimoko” instead of “Ofokutu,” thus creating two distinct branches within the Bilaro Ruling House. However, it is important to note that there is no separate “Oro Ajimoko Ruling House.” The ruling house remains the Bilaro Ruling House.
The question of Haastrup’s claim to the throne becomes more complex when considering his two reigns, including his second ascension to the throne between 1946 and 1957, which took place nearly a century after Owa Ofokutu ruled. Given this history, it is now appropriate for the Ofokutu lineage to produce the next Owa Obokun of Ijesaland. In the words of the Yoruba people, “Je ki njẹ ni mú ayo dùn” – “Let the next to rule bring joy to the people.”
The Ofokutu family last ascended the throne in 1846. Now, it is their turn once again.
