{{Infobox noble , name = Fábùnmi Ìṣọ̀lá , title = Balogun of the Ekiti-Parapo and Loja-Oke of Imesi-Ile , image = , caption = , alt = , CoA = , more = no , succession = Loja-Oke of

Imesi-ile Imesi-ile is an ancient town in the northeastern part of the Obokun Local Government in Osun State, Nigeria. In the 19th century, this town was the epicenter of the Jalumi and the Kiriji wars among the Yoruba nations, and the foundation of peace ...

, reign = 1902 - 1903 , predecessor = , successor = HRM Ladokun Adefenwa Fabunmi II , suc-type = , spouse = Falola , spouse-type = , issue = Ladokun Adefenwa , issue-link = , issue-pipe = , full name = , native_name = , father = Prince Adesoye , mother = , birth_name = Fábùnmi Ìṣọ̀lá Adésóyè , birth_date = {{Birth year, 1849 , birth_place =

Okemesi Okemesi-Ekiti is the local Government Headquarters of Okemesi/Idoile Local Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria, who's headquarts is the Ekiti town of Okemesi. Its population according to 2006 population census is 56,000 residents. Geography Ok ...

, death_date = {{Death year, 1903 (age 54) , death_place =

Southern Nigeria Protectorate Southern Nigeria was a British Empire, British protectorate in the coastal areas of modern-day Nigeria formed in 1900 from the union of the Niger Coast Protectorate with territories chartered by the Royal Niger Company below Lokoja on the Niger ...

, burial_date = , burial_place = , occupation = Warlord and King , memorials = , website = , module = {{Infobox military person , embed=yes , allegiance =

Ekiti people The Ekiti people are one of the largest historical subgroups of the larger Yoruba people of West Africa, located in Nigeria. They are classified as a Central Yoruba group, alongside the Ijesha, Igbomina, Yagba and Ifes. Ekiti State is populated ...

, battles =

Kiriji War The Kiriji War, also known as the Ekiti–Parapo War, was a 16-year-long civil war between the subethnic kingdoms of the Yoruba people, specifically divided between the Western Yoruba, which was mainly the Ibadan and Oyo-speaking Yorubas, and the ...

, rank = Balogun Fabunmi of Okemesi (1849 - 1903) born Prince Fábùnmi Ìṣọ̀lá, also known as Orara l'ada, was a

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

warlord, chief and ultimately king. He was known to have singlehandedly triggered the longest civil war in Nigeria - the

Early life

Prince Fabunmi Isola was born in 1849 in

(formerly Imesi-igbodo).{{Cite book, last=Adekanla, first=Olabisi, url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/49823357, title=Imesi-Ile : the ancient Kiriji camp, date=1999, publisher=Peetee Nigeria Ltd, isbn=978-35009-0-2, location=Ibadan, pages=96–98, oclc=49823357 to Prince Adesoye, a younger brother of Fatimehin Aponlese, the 9th Owa Ooye of

. His mother was a princess from the town of Ogotun-Ekiti. He was about ten years when

Ijesa The Ijesha (written as Ìjẹ̀ṣà in Yoruba orthography) are a sub- ethnicity of the Yorubas of West Africa. Ilesha is the largest town and historic cultural capital of the Ijesha people, and is home to a kingdom of the same name, ruled by an ...

conquered Okemesi and went on exile at Ila with his father,.{{Cite book, last=Akintoye, first=S.A, title=Revolution and Power Politics in Yorubaland 1840-1893, publisher=Humanities Press Inc, year=1971, location=USA, pages=89–90 His father died in Ila, leaving Fabunmi as the oldest member of his family with huge amount of wealth and slaves. His mother was a Princess from Ogotun. It was while in Ila that he learnt tailoring. He was a very good friend of Prince Adeyale of Ila who later became the military leader of Ila army. When he then travelled to Ibadan to become a war boy under, Akintola, the second son of Balogun Ibikunle. He partook in Iperu and Mamu military expeditions. He soon escaped Ibadan overnight as there were plans to put him to death and sacrifice him to a local deity. When he came back to Okemesi from Ibadan, he practiced tailoring and embroidery while raising his militia army with the slaves he inherited from his father; some relative and youths who were eager to join his army.{{Cite book, last=Akintoye, first=S.A, title=Revolution and Power Politics in Yorubaland 1840-1893, publisher=Humanities Press Inc, year=1971, location=USA, pages=90–91 He is described as being a tall, light skin man whom was impulsive and quick spoken.

Life as a Warrior

In 1878 , Fabunmi became known as the single individual who triggered the

Kiriji war The Kiriji War, also known as the Ekiti–Parapo War, was a 16-year-long civil war between the subethnic kingdoms of the Yoruba people, specifically divided between the Western Yoruba, which was mainly the Ibadan and Oyo-speaking Yorubas, and the ...

in Yorubaland. Oyepetun, an

Ibadan Ibadan (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, with a total population of 3,649,000 as of 2021, and over 6 million people within its me ...

Administrator (Ajele) was stationed in Okemesi, and his boys were rapacious and evil; forcefully coveting other people’s properties. They had gone to the annual Erinle-odo shrine festival, where Fabunmi was celebrating with friends and acquaintances and had seized food and palm wine meant for the occasion. In the process, they molested Fabunmi’s wife, Falola, who brought the meals and refreshments. Fabunmi was incensed.{{Cite book, last=Usman, first=Aribidesi, url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1082296168, title=The Yoruba from prehistory to the present, date=2019, others=Toyin Falola, isbn=978-1-107-06460-7, location=Cambridge, United Kingdom, oclc=1082296168 He ran back home, got his sword, and made for Oyepetun’s compound. He killed everyone he could lay his hands on including the Ajele. Every other member of Oyepetun’s compound still alive and Ibadan residents in Okemesi deserted the town. This was a direct test of Ibadan powers but given the maladministration of many of the Ajales, the news quickly spread across Ekiti, Ijesa and

Igbomina The Ìgbómìnà (also colloquially Igboona or Ogboona) are a subgroup of the Yoruba ethnic group, which originates from the north central and southwest Nigeria. They speak a dialect also called Ìgbómìnà or Igbonna, classified among the Cent ...

. All known Ibadan officers and everyone known to be working with them were massacred and put to sword. Are Latosisa of Ibadan, called on Olojaoke of Okemesi to deliver Fabunmi, his nephew, a prince and heir apparent to him but he refused. Fabunmi then went ahead to put together a coalition of eastern Yoruba army, called Ekitiparapo, with him at the head; in alliance with Ijebu, Egba and Ilorin armies.{{Cite book, last=Akintoye, first=S.A, title=Revolution and Power Politics in Yorubaland 1840-1893, publisher=Humanities Press Inc, year=1971, location=USA, pages=91–95 Ekitiparapo army moving through

quickly overran

Igbajo Igbajo is a town in the southwest of Nigeria, in the Boluwaduro Local Government Area in Osun State. Igbajo was founded in the 12th century. It neighbors the cities of Iresi, Ìlá Òràngún, Okemesi, Ada, Ire, Otan-Aiyegbaju, Otan-Ile, Imesi- ...

, Iresi, Otan and Ada kingdoms but were beaten back as Ibadan entered the war at

Ikirun Ikirun is a town in Osun State, Nigeria. It is the headquarters of the Ifelodun Local Government Area. It is an historical city that derived its name from the first ruler of the town called Akinorun. Basetan was the first settler and founder ...

.{{Cite book, last=Usman, first=Aribidesi, url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1082296168, title=The Yoruba from prehistory to the present, date=2019, others=Toyin Falola, isbn=978-1-107-06460-7, location=Cambridge, United Kingdom, pages=184, oclc=1082296168 The coalition was in disarray. Several Ilorin soldiers were perished in Otin river. This was called Ikirun or

Jalumi war The Jalumi War, also called the Battle of Ikirun, was a battle that took place on 1 November 1878 in the north east of present-day Osun State, Nigeria. It was part of the larger conflict named the Ibadan War. The forces of Ibadan victorious in det ...

. It was Fabunmi who kept the spirit of the coalition up after the first defeat suffered against

.{{Cite book, last=Akintoye, first=S.A, title=Revolution and Power Politics in Yorubaland 1840-1893, publisher=Humanities Press Inc, year=1971, location=USA, pages=102–103, 106 For he had told Governor Moloney in 1886, that, ‘because, of all the Ijesa and Ekiti war Chiefs, it was I who took the initiative in throwing off the Ibadan yoke, and declaring war against them. Had it turn out that the Ekitis failed to unite in resistance, or the Ibadans succeeded in inflicting heavier calamities upon our country, my name and my people would be subject to everlasting execration from all our tribes on account of my presumption.' Prince Fabunmi was confirmed the Balogun of the Confederates at Otun. In 1880, Ogedemgbe, along with his large army, joined the Ekitiparapo army at Imesi-ile.{{Cite book, last=Akintoye, first=S.A, title=Revolution and Power Politics in Yorubaland 1840-1893., publisher=Humanities Press Inc, year=1971, location=USA, pages=117–218 It was there Fabunmi voluntarily surrendered the leadership to Ogedemgbe. In 1882, Prince Fabunmi and Chief Arimoro were despatched with a small contingent of Ekitiparapo army to defend Ile-ife against Modakeke and Ibadan army. Kiriji war came to official end on September 23, 1886, when peace treaty was signed . Fabunmi, withdrew his military siege on

Modakeke Modakeke is a town in Osun State, South West Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is si ...

and came back to

where the Ekitiparapo were still stationed, in January 1887.

Later life

After the war, Fabunmi war boys became restless and began to raid several farms, properties, and kidnappings. In 1895, he was arrested, taken before the British officer at Odo-Otin and severely warned. He later moved back to Okemesi where he attempted to seize the throne for himself but failed and was driven out of town.{{Cite book, last=Adekanla, first=Olabisi, url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/49823357, title=Imesi-Ile : the ancient Kiriji camp, date=1999, publisher=Peetee Nigeria Ltd, isbn=978-35009-0-2, location=Ibadan, pages=99, oclc=49823357 In 1902, Imesi-ile sought after him and installed him as their thirty-eighth king. He reigned for six months and died in 1903. His son, ‘loja Oke Ladokun Adefenwa Fabunmi II succeeded him.

References

1849 births 1903 deaths Yoruba warriors 19th-century Nigerian people Yoruba princes People from Ekiti State 20th-century monarchs in Africa Yoruba kings