The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has revealed why the Aare Ona Kakanfo and the Alaafin of Oyo cannot stay together in the same territory.
While speaking during an interview, Gani Adams said in the ancient time, the Aare Ona Kakanfo doesn’t just fight in any war neither does he fight with guns but he only goes to the waterfront to give spiritual backing to his soldiers and give instructions after the war is over. He maintained that part of the duty of the Aare Ona kakanfo is to give spiritual backing, instructions and coordination to his foot soldiers.
According to him, if the Aare Ona Kakanfo is forced to go to any village, he is usually accompanied by over 1,700 brave soldiers which signaled trouble for any community he went to.
He said “Aare Ona Kakanfo doesn’t fight a war alone. In the history of Yorubaland, no Aare Ona Kakanfo succeeds without incorporating the powerful people in different zones. Even in the history of Aare Ona Kakanfo, in the war strategy, Yorubaland was split into four different angles called Ekun Merin. It was zoned as Igboona/Kwara axis is one; Oyo/Osun two; Ogun/Lagos three; Ondo/Ekiti four.
This was zoned in the olden days, which shows you that our forefathers have native intelligence, not to talk about the creation of states now”.
“When we were going to the confab, the South-West was shared into three: Lagos and Ogun; Osun and Oyo and Ekiti and Ondo. However, in the olden days, they were four because Kogi and Kwara were included. So, Aare Ona Kakanfo doesn’t fight war anyhow.
He only goes to the waterfront to the commission after the war has ended. He gives spiritual backing, instructions and coordination. Unless if that war is a very strong one beyond his boys, then he will now go to the waterfront with his staff of office”.
“Aare Ona Kakanfo doesn’t fight wars with guns. When Aare Ona Kakanfo wants to move out, he has 800 soldiers in the front and another 800 behind him, with giving at both sides. Aare will be at the back with the horse. These are not ordinary soldiers, but brave men who can transform into anything. That was why they said ‘Aare n pe e, o lo ndi’fa. Ti ifa ti e ba fore nko, sugbon ti Aare o ba fore, e woo loo se’.
“When Aare Ona Kakanfo is coming to a village or community with almost 1,700 soldiers, already the king of that village knows that there is a problem”.
“That is why Aare Ona Kakanfo cannot live in Oyo with Alaafin. That can never happen. The Japata people in Oyo said they wanted to become Aare Ona Kakanfo. Alaafin said if I made you Aare, you cannot live here again. Alaafin now gave them a village behind Ogbomosho to settle down”.
“That was why two Aare Ona Kakanfo came from Japata. Even before I became Aare, I have been doing my job, fighting for Yorubaland in my own level. The Aare Ona Kakanfo title only gave me the position to complement my efforts”