*Reflections Without Mirror—Niyi Aborisade -*
*The Masquerades- Oloolu v Ajagbemokeferi. Religious Violence. Part 2.*
This is a continuation of the last Article published on 11.08.2023
So the die was cast for the fight. Oloolu though was aware that he had opposition in the person of Ajagbemokeferi but the likelihood of encountering him in a fight sounded unbelievable, why should there be a challenge to his authority, he had not used his power to attack anybody nor speak against any religion. He was just doing his own thing within the confines of the traditional law of the land. A Masquerade that tried it many years ago suffered greatly and so no one has ever dear him since. ‘His ancestors will surely protect him and fight against his enemy’ so he thought.
I was then in primary school, The rumour had been circulating that Ajagbe and his women would watch Oloolu , before that time Ajagbe as fondly called by his admirers had been mocking all the Masquerades and banned them from passing through his place. He later tried late Pastor Obadare after the Oloolu incident. Obadare was a blind christian preacher but a genuine prophet and evangelist widely respected. At that time he was holding crusade at Sango Ibadan and there were many testimonies of miracles, Ajagbe was not pleased with this and he called him a blind man that is leading other blind people to darkness . He tried to attack him physically in the crusade but he was not successful. He gave up and turned it into abuse and insult . I can’t remember how the matter was later resolved but both genuine Moslems and Christians who were indigenes of Ibadan were not happy at the development. The relative peace of Ibadan had been disturbed by a non indigene. Within a yoruba family, you have Moslems and Christians and we lived together in peace and harmony and that remain till today.
Ajagbe devoted his attention to Oloolu and other Masquerades . The fight took place around June or July 1976, it was during the reign of Oba Adebimpe , the Olubadan of Ibadan and his Palace was around Odinjo area. He reigned between 1976 and 1977.
Oloolu had visited the Olubadan as was his wont. Ajagbe knew where he would pass and the battle was joined at Modina area very close to Wesley College , Elekuro Ibadan. He chose a perfect place for the fight because the name Modina is yoruba pronunciation of Medina. The Original Medina was in Saudi Arabia, Medina is significant in Islamic religion. It is also the 2nd most holy city in Islamic religion. I remember we learnt in primary school that the flight of Prophet Mohammed from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution also known as Hejira was in 622AD. Ajagbe was both cunning and crafty, he used the location as an allurement for other unsuspecting fellow moslems to consider his action as a religious war by choosing a place that bears similar name to attack a ‘kaffir’ in the person of Oloolu. Though the difference was clear, Mohammed escaped persecution from Kaffir but Ajagbe was the one that persecuted Oloolu.
I was not there that day but my elderly cousin was there as one of the followers of Oloolu and on that day when he returned, he gave us blow by blow account of the fight . When I was gathering materials for this Article, I spoke to him again to refresh my memory and he confirmed everything as he did in 1976.
Ajagbe himself was living around Ajegede around that time but led his troops and his wives to the battle field. He was so sure of his ground and his power.
Oloolu had just left the Palace of Oba Adebimpe with his followers, as usual before Oloolu reached the place, his ‘ *Awo* (Skin)’ and second in command were about a kilometer ahead and noises of ‘ hi !!!hi !!!! hi!!!followed by Oolu !!Oolu !!! Oolu Oko Obinrin ( Oolu the husband of women) rented the air and even women who locked themselves inside their rooms shivered. The terror of Oolu was very great upon them although they were safe indoors.
At this juncture, I think it would be appropriate to assess the strength of the combatants.
Ajagbemokeferi was an Islamic scholar and should be regarded as a war General in this fight. He had indoctrinated his followers that this is a religious fight and if anyone dies among them , they are martyrs and Al janna (paradise) is waiting for them where they will be able to marry Seven dark eye virgins . He told them that those who died at the battlefield are not dead but they live because it was a sure automatic way to paradise and even they would be able to save 70 members of their family to paradise. These were young men who were just above puberty stage with high sexual drive, they salivated the beckoning of seven beautiful dark eye virgins and what they would do with them in Al jannah. It was tantalising and they were ready to stake their lives as martyrs. The worst person to fight with is someone who is ready to die for what he believed, whether right or wrong. There was therefore blind loyalty to their boss, Ajagbe himself, they had absolute confidence in him. He assured them that they were soldiers .’ Mujahideens’
Oloolu on the other hand had his own followers but he had nothing to offer or promise them save upholding the traditional value. He cannot promise them heaven or hell, he did not present himself as god to be worshipped other than being the big Masquerade that made sacrifices for peace and prosperity of Ibadan. As a matter of fact many of his followers did not understand what he stands for and up till today they don’t know yet. Those following him were doing so by excitement and the thrills associated with it, many were area boys that were good in looting and enjoyed street fights with some untested charms. Oloolu according to legend was a Masquerade of war and he was brought from one of the expeditions of Ibadan warriors from other Yoruba counties. The Ifa oracle had directed that he should be the leading Masquerade that must perform sacrifice before other Masquerades come out.
In the modern days where there are no more tribal or civil wars, Oloolu had become rusted and lost his art of fighting . Most of his ancestral charms had not been tested for years nevertheless he considered them reliable and deadly and put his faith in them.
The above assessments were the situation of things between Ajagbemokeferi ‘the challenger’ and Oloolu the ‘defender’ of tradition and culture when the battle was joined.
Ajagbe Boys started the attack , they were well prepared and had gathered stones and other deadly weapons to prosecute the fight. They were chanting ‘Allah Akbar’.!!!!! Ajagbe himself was in front of his boys
When Oloolu arrived at the scene where Ajagbe was waiting for him, all his followers moved behind him. Oloolu’s mouth was moving very fast , chanting incantations for protection of him and his followers when Ajagbe Boys commenced the attack by throwing stones , Oloolu led from the front and was using his hand to direct all the stones to other places so that both him and his followers were not touched . AJAGBE was urging——-‘to be concluded next week.
Niyi Aborisade is a lawyer, a Human Rights Activist and an Historian.
