Kiriji war: Yoruba commemorate 136 years’ peace treaty

Tamarauemi Ebimini

The ancient town of Imesi-ile in Osun State went agog at the weekend as the Yoruba marked the end of the protracted Kiriji war, which lasted for 16 years.

The event was in commemoration of the 136th year after the signing of a peace treaty on September 23, 1886. The war was fought between 1870 and 1886.

At the Kiriji war site, loud sounds of gunfire rented the air as traditional warriors and warlords exhibited their firing power to bring back the memory of the war that ended 136 years ago.

Yoruba people from various towns thronged the Kiriji war site to catch a glimpse of the relics of war and the peace treaty.

Speaking on the significance of the event, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Culture and Tourism in the state, Olalekan Badmus, urged all Yoruba to unite and speak with one voice.

A member of the Imesi-Ile cultural committee, Bisi Olaniyan, urged the Yoruba to unite and love themselves so as to achieve the essence of the treaty.

The traditional ruler of the town, Oba Enoch Ademola Akinyemi, said the event signified the enthronement of peace in Yorubaland.

At the palace, a masquerade came out and rites were performed to ensure peace in Yorubaland.