Kiriji War

The Kiriji War, also known as the Ekiti-Parapo War, was a 16 year long civil war between the Yoruba people, specifically divided between the Western Yoruba, which was mainly Ibadan and the Eastern Yoruba, who were the Ekiti people and the Ijesha.

Kiriji War (Ogun Kírìjí)
Date July 30, 1877-1893 Location Yorubaland, now Southwestern Nigeria Result Military Stalemate Ekiti people gain independence on September 23, 1886 British-Ijebu War Capture of Ilorin by Royal Niger Company in 1897 Siege of Oyo Subsequent colonization and annexation of Yorubaland creation of British Nigeria
Belligerents
Western Yoruba (Ibadan)	Eastern Yoruba (Ekiti-Parapo)
Commanders and leaders
Obadoke Latoosa Babalola Ajayi	Fabunmi of Okemesi Saraibi Ogedengbe Karara of Ilorin
Strength
estimated 100,000	10,000 in 1879, 100,000 at end of the war
Casualties and losses
unknown	unknown

Reasons for the war

During the war, all the subethnic groups of the Yoruba either supported the Ibadan or the Ekiti. The main reason for the civil war was an attempt to halt the expansive efforts of the Ibadan city-state, which attempted to replace the Oyo Empire as the dominant region in Yorubaland.[1] In addition, Ibadan wanted a unified Yoruba nation similar to that of the Oyo Empire, while the Ekiti wanted a loose confederation of cities that had existed in the Ekiti region.

The fall of the Oyo Empire, which had dominated the region for 500 years left a gap in the government of Yorubaland. Many city states, which were previous provinces of the empire, rose up to replace the dominant Oyo Empire, including Ibadan. Ibadan had won the 1840 Osogbo War and the Battle of Ijaiye in 1862 and had grew in immense power, almost rising to that of its predecessor.

The Western Yoruba, the Ibadan, were led by the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Obadake Latosa, the military commander-in-chief. They quickly gained the support of people of Modakeke, Offa, and Oyo. The Eastern Yoruba, known as the Ekiti Parapo, were led by Fabunmi from the town of Oke-Mesi and was later led by Saraibi Ogedengbe, the Balogun (Captain) of Ijeshaland. Most of the other Yoruba groups supported the Ekiti, including the Ijebu, Ife, Egba, Akoko, Igbomina, Ilorin, and Kabba.[2]

Weaponry and Tactics

The civil war saw one of the most technically advanced and decisive wars in Western Africa, with the use of cannons and imported guns from Hamburg, Germany.[3] Weapons were also imported through the Lagos Harbor and Benin. The Ekiti-Parapo also used several modern tactics like the building of trenches and platoons, a spy network with the headquarters in the town of Ilara-Mokin, and the use of animal behavior and symbols as signals in the war.[4]

British Intervention and Peace Treaty

The war unofficially ended with the signing of a peace treaty of September 26, 1886 that granted independence to the Ekiti union. However, conflict still occurred around the Ijebu area that did not end till the conquering of the Ijebu by the British during the British-Ijebu War. Sir Robert Lister Bower convinced the 2 warring sides to surrender as they had both been severely weakened during the war.[5] Unable to prevent the occupation of the British, Southern Nigeria was subsequently declared a protectorate of the British Empire. The casualties of the war are unknown, but it is said that there was no killing of children or women, and about 500,000 soldiers fought in the war in total.[6]

Etymology

The name "Kiriji" is an onomatopoeic word that is said to describe the sound of cannons used by the Ekiti-Parapo troops, and it was the first war in the region that used these weapons.[7][8] The other name, the Èkìtì-Parapọ̀ War, comes from the name given to the Eastern Yoruba forces, and means in the Yoruba language "Ekiti Union."

References

1. https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2017/09/27/kiriji-the-worlds-longest-civil-war-by-adewale-adeoye/
2. https://odediranodeyinka.wordpress.com/2017/02/08/ogun-kiriji-the-kiriji-war-1877-1893/
3. https://ruhm.es/index.php/RUHM/article/download/570/494
4. https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2017/09/27/kiriji-the-worlds-longest-civil-war-by-adewale-adeoye/
5. https://ruhm.es/index.php/RUHM/article/download/570/494
6. https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2017/09/27/kiriji-the-worlds-longest-civil-war-by-adewale-adeoye/
7. https://www.africanexponent.com/post/10324-the-worlds-longest-ethnic-civil-war-1877-1893
8. https://oldnaija.com/2019/03/18/the-kiriji-war-1877-1893/