JUSTICE IN ANCIENT YORUBALAND: The Rape in Ìsẹ́yìn
In the 19th Century, a man who was caught in the act of forcefully defiling a lady was brought before the Baálẹ̀ of Ìséyìn, after verifying the claims of his accusers, the case had to be passed on to the highest jury in the land as the penalty for capital punishments has to be pronounced in Ọ̀yọ́ to make sure the innocent is not being punished.
The man was found to be guilty by the Aláàfin and the Ọyọ́mesi after investigations and interrogations, the final verdict was pronounced by the Aláàfin; The accused is to be castrated! This verdict didn't go well in the books of Britain's representative in Yorubaland, he ordered the Aláàfin to overturn the verdict and give a lighter sentence like imprisonment or selling the guilty to slavery in the new World. The Aláàfin replied that "In Yorubaland, heavy crimes don't carry such sentences, we're talking about a man who stole an helpless girl's integrity, infringed on her rights to personal autonomy, brought sorrow to her parents, inflicting a scar that will make her potential suitors think twice".
The accused was castrated by Ọ̀yọ́ and Britain took that very seriously. Like they did in Benin, an emasculating expedition was commissioned to sack Ọ̀yọ́, the Aláàfin was given an option of averting the impending carnage by prostrating flat to the British Resident Officer and promising that such will never recur, to which the Ọ̀yọ́ people replied that they will rather die as Ọ̀yọ́ people than have their Ọba do such a debasing thing, he's second only to the Orishas, and to no White Queen!
Britain would have none of that, Ọ̀yọ́ town was invaded with the intention of humiliating the Aláàfin and having him prostrate to the British official, the people of Ọ̀yọ́ rushed out of their homes to protect their Ọba, the punitive force kept shooting sporadically to disperse the human shield of Ọ̀yọ́ citizens and chiefs formed around the Aláàfin, but death was sweeter to them than for Ọ̀yọ́ to go down in history as a land of cowards, despite many casualties, the Aláàfin was escorted out of Ọ̀yọ́ by his people with a wound to the leg from a ricochet!
The Aláàfin spent a while ruling from exile, then took back his throne in a triumphant reentry to the applause and jubilation of his people.
Pictures:
- The reentry of the Aláàfin after the exile
- The Aláàfin on the throne with his women and officials.

I ll love to know the name of that Alaafin & his year of reign.



credits: African Archives