INTRODUCTORY.

One of these quarters, Ake, still preserves the name of the old Egba capital. Although these events occurred quite recently, they have already become wrapped in myth; Lishabe, the chief who led them to Abeokuta, is believed by the Egba to have been a giant and a demigod.

About the same time, Ibadan, a town of the old province of Egba situated about thirty-five miles south of Oyo, declared itself independent of Egba. The original Egba inhabitants had been driven out by the Jebu, and the latter, in turn, were driven out by Yoruba refugees. Other secessions occurred, and by 1840 the Yoruba kingdom had split into the following independent states:

(1) Yoruba, south of Old Yoruba, capital Oyo.
(2) Egba, south and west of Old Egba, capital Abeokuta.
(3) Ketu.
(4) Jebu.
(5) Ibadan, a small state south of Oyo. It held nominal allegiance to the Alafin because its inhabitants were Yoruba refugees, but it was essentially independent.
(6) Ijesa, a small state south of Ilorin. The ruler was styled the Owa.
(7) Ife, a small state south-west of Ijesa. The ruler was styled the Oni.

The former Yoruba province of Ilorin was now inhabited by Fulas, Bornus, and Hausas, and was said to have a population of 300,000, 80,000 of whom were in the town of Ilorin itself. The Fulas were the dominant race, and the government was in their hands.