Queen Moremi Ajasoro of
Ile- Ife
Legend has it that Queen Moremi Ajasoro lived in the 12th century and was queen of the mediaeval Kingdom of Ile‐Ife, was married to Oranmiyan, Ile-Ife’s king.
Ile-Ife was the aboriginal settlement of a people known as the Igbos (believed by scholars to be distinct from the Igbos of modern day Southeastern Nigeria), where the Yoruba, arrived in their search for a homeland. After settling, the Yoruba subjugated the Igbos and imposed their own polity on them, as well as raided their town, looted their market and captured their people as slaves.
The Igbos later regrouped and successfully wreaked vengeance on the Yoruba settlers. They often invaded Ile-Ife, disguised in costumes of raffia which were likely the cult vestments of their deities. The people of Ile-Ife were perplexed about their attackers, thinking them to be spirits owing to the garb they wore. The market matron, leader of the women's guild, and queen, Moremi Ajasoro resolved to take action to defend her people.
Seeking a solution, Moremi ventured to a sacred stream to consult with the local river spirit, Esimirin. The river spirit suggested that Moremi allow herself to be captured by the Igbo in order to infiltrate their society and discover their weaknesses. Esmirin offered to protect Moremi, but demanded eventual payment in the form of a sacrificial offering, which Moremi agreed to.
As planned, during the next raid Moremi allowed herself to be captured by the Igbos. When the captives were shown to the Igbo King, Moremi’s beauty captivated him and he ordered she be brought to his court as a wife. Over time, as Moremi integrated herself into the Igbo society, she discovered that the Igbo warriors, thought to be spirits by the people of Ile-Ife, were actually just humans disguised in raffia to intimidate the people of Ile‐Ife into submission during raids.
Learning the weakness of the Igbos, Moremi returned to her people in Ile-Ife with her insights and a plan to finally end the raids. Knowing that raffia was highly flammable, on the next market day, the torch‐bearing people of Ile-Ife, many of whom were market women, cast their burning torches at the Igbo raiders. The raffia‐dressed Igbo masquerades were sent into retreat, terrified at the prospect of being burned alive. The raids ended & Ile-fe was victorious, liberated by both the torch & Moremi’s heroic plan!
After the Igbo raids had stopped, Moremi returned to Esimirin to pay her offering as promised. The river spirit demanded that she sacrifice her only son, Oluorogbo and although the demand was inconceivable for Moremi, she kept her promise and paid the price.
Today, the legend of Moremi and her sacrifice are remembered in Ile-Ife’s Edi festival, which spans seven days. In 2016, the festival included an unveiling of a statue of Moremi, depicted holding a flaming torch. The statue is the tallest in Nigeria.
Cited
Adebisi, A. A. (n.d.). Moremi Ajasoro. African Poems. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://africanpoems.net/modern-poetry-in-oral-manner/moremi-ajasoro/
Layiwola, D. (1991). Ufahamu: A journal of african studies - escholarship. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://escholarship.org/content/qt4x1824zj/qt4x1824zj.pdf?t=mnipzt
Olajubu, O. (2003). Women in the Yoruba religious sphere. State University of New York Press.
Onyeakagbu, A. (2022, November 14). Among the 7 tallest statues in Africa, Nigeria shows up twice. Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/among-the-7-tallest-statues-in-africa-nigeria-shows-up-twice/dl8418t