Tab Article

Aláàfin Àjàká by Bukola R. Adeleke is an historical drama written in Yorùbá. It centers on the two recognised sons of Oranyan/Oranmiyan "Ajaka and Sango". Ajaka, the calm Prince, was the main protagonist of the story. He started ruling as a regent when his father relocated to Ife before he was crowned after the death of Oranyan/Oranmiyan. Olowu(the recognized first child of Odùduwà and the king of Owu) took advantage of Alaafin Ajaka's cool and peaceful nature to ask him to pay homage to him which the high chiefs, known as Oyomesi, kicked against. The Oyomesi insisted that the request of Olowu was against the tradition as Oranyan, who inherited the land, was the only king with the right to invite others to pay him homage and not the other way round. Ajaka wanted to grant the request of Olowu for the fear of war which was likely to be the outcome of his refusal. The Oyomesi invited his younger brother Sango (who at that time resided in Tapa land with his mother's relatives) to lead war against the humiliation of Olowu. Sango succeeded and the chiefs crowned him as a compensation for his brave act against Olowu; but he only reigned for seven years. Ajaka was invited to take over the throne after the death of Sango. While in exile, he had totally changed from the calm king to a stout hearted one; as a result of which the record of his second reign was purely an opposite to the first time. He returned with five special traditional medicine men, who were working strictly for him. The Oyomesi were confused by his new nature and tried every possible means to change him. Ajaka emphatically told them that it was never possible for him to be calm again; as he had learnt from the insult and humiliation attached to being calm and realized that the only way out of such was to be brave and strict. Every effort to changed him to a calm king was futile and the chiefs learnt to honour every king irrespective of their nature in a hard way.