Oba (ruler)

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Oba, (pronounced Or-ba, King in Yoruba), is the supreme traditional head of a Yoruba town.

Yoruba towns are of three generations:-

• The first generation is made up of founding towns and cities of the origin or capitals of Yoruba states/kingdoms.
• The second generation is those created by conquest, diaspora or/and resettlement.
• The third generation is those that emerged after the Yoruba wars.

The first and most of the second generation towns are those with Obas, who generally wear beaded crowns; the third generation towns only have Baálě, or chiefs, who do not wear crowns. All Yoruba kings bear titles related to the cities or ethnic groups. There are two categories of Yoruba kings and titles:

• the kings of Yoruba ethnic groups (there are about 10). For example, the king of the Egba bears the title of Alake of Egbaland, whose capital is Abeokuta.
• the kings of Yoruba towns. Example: the king of Iwo, a town in Osun State, bears the title Olu'wo (Olu of Iwo).

[edit] See also

• Oba of Benin
• Oba of Lagos