Kanran

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Kanran, or Karan, was an Alaafin of the Oyo Empire. He succeeded Oba Odarawu.

Alaafin

Alaafin, or Man of the Palace in the Yoruba language, was the title of the emperor of the medieval Oyo empire of West Africa. It was retained through the fall of that state as the official title of the ceremonial ruler of the contemporary natives of Oyo, Nigeria.

Oyo Empire Former empire in present-day Benin and Nigeria

The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today Benin and North central Nigeria. Established in the 12th century, the Oyo Empire grew to become one of the largest West African states. It rose through the outstanding organizational and administrative skills of the Yoruba people, wealth gained from trade and its powerful cavalry. The Oyo Empire was the most politically important state in the region from the mid-15th to the late 18th century, holding sway not only over most of the other kingdoms in Yorubaland, but also over nearby African states, notably the Fon Kingdom of Dahomey in the modern Republic of Benin to the west.

Odarawu was an Alaafin of the Oyo Empire, who ruled briefly during the late seventeenth century. He was reportedly the first Alaafin to be rejected by the Oyo Mesi.

He was considered a fierce and tempestuous leader, and is said to have subjected his subjects to severe punishments. He inspired the Oyo proverb, 'O nika ninu ju Karan lo' ('He is as cruel as Karan'). [1]

As a result of his propensity to harm his own people, a plot to terminate him or get him to abdicate the throne was entered into by his nobles. He was rejected by the Oyo Mesi (the principal counselors of the state) but defied the subsequent pressure to commit suicide. [2] When the army entered his city, Kanran reportedly climbed onto the roof of his palace and shot arrows at them until the building was set on fire. [3]

Harm is a moral and legal concept.

He was succeeded by his son Jayin.

Excerpts from the Oral Records of Oyo

Kanran sent an army against the town of Aga Oibo, but before it could be taken, the conspirators sent a messenger to the king asking for his fan-bearer to be offered as a sacrifice .

Sacrifice offering to gods

Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or humans to a higher purpose, in particular divine beings, as an act of propitiation or worship. While sacrifice often implies the ritual killing of an animal, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of food or artifacts. For offerings of liquids (beverages) by pouring, the term libation is used.

Kanran complied with the request and a sacrificial meal was in return offered to the king for consumption. However, as Kanran ate the meat, the conspirators announced that Kanran had eaten his own fan-bearer.

They followed this by stating that due to this, the king's words no longer had any value with anyone - most especially the Oyo army. The conspirators then demanded that Kanran commit suicide, signalling his exit from the throne. By this point, his army had indeed turned against him as he had committed an abomination before the gods.

An army or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or state. It may also include aviation assets by possessing an army aviation component. In certain states, the term army refers to the entire armed forces. Within a national military force, the word army may also mean a field army.

Throne seat of state of a potentate or dignitary

A throne is the seat of state of a potentate or dignitary, especially the seat occupied by a sovereign on state occasions; or the seat occupied by a pope or bishop on ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the throne". The expression "ascend (mount) the throne" takes its meaning from the steps leading up to the dais or platform, on which the throne is placed, being formerly comprised in the word's significance.

The trap succeeded and Kanran was subsequently killed battling his enemies.

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References

  1. ↑ Law, R. C. C. (1971). "The constitutional troubles of Ọyọ in the eighteenth century". The Journal of African History. 12 (1): 25–44. doi:10.1017/s0021853700000050. ISSN   0021-8537.
  2. ↑ Ajayi, J. F. A.; Crowder, Michael (1987). History of West Africa. Longman. ISBN   0582016045. OCLC   476413782.
  3. ↑ Johnson, Samuel (August 2011). The history of the Yorubas : from the earliest times to the beginning of the British Protectorate. ISBN   0948390891. OCLC   989713421.

he was killed in 1905


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