The Owu-Ife War, as the name suggests, was a bloody conflict that broke out between the people of Ile-Ife and the natives of the nearby town of Owu between 1821 and 1828. It opened doors of tragedy to other wars in Yoruba land. Causes of the Owu-Ife War The Owu-Ife War broke out barely four years after the fall of the old Oyo Empire. It appears that the outbreak of war was the result of a disagreement between two sellers over five cowrie shells. However, the main reason was the hatred that the people of Ife had developed over the years towards the people of Owu for using Oyo refugees for forced labor and even selling them into slavery.
The Owu-Ife War broke out after 1821 when Owu Ife declared total war. The people of Ife hailed Owu’s actions as a brazen violation of the country’s traditions and constitution and quickly called on the rest of the Yoruba people to condemn Owu for his willful action. Many cities have answered this call; these included Ijebu and the nearby town of Ikoyi. The original story of Ibadan – the city of brown roofs The appearance of Ife’s allies on the battlefield unfortunately prolonged the war. When it finally ended in 1828, Owu lay in complete ruins, a simply devastated village where it remained for many years before finally disappearing from the Nigerian political scene.
Although the war ended in 1828, its effects and the devastating fire it caused continued to spread to all parts of Yorubaland. Its demise also brought with it the arrival of the Fulani from the north with the intention of fishing in the turbulent waters. The first encounter between the Fulani and a united Yoruba force was in Osogbo in 1840 and they were defeated. It was this defeat that transformed them from the formidable enemies they wanted to be into mere supporters of the restive camp. The Osogbo War united the Yoruba, but soon after the victory they returned to inter-tribal warfare.One such war was the Egba-Dahomey War.
