Regency in Yoruba land

Regency, a practice, whereby a princess is allowed to occupy the throne until a substantive king is installed, is presently practiced in some states in yorubaland. In yoruba tradition, regency is designed to honor the first daughter of every Oba/king/High chief who died on the throne. 

However, such honor is not extended to any Oba who was banished. There have been instances in Akure history when two Regents have refused to quit and they went ahead to be confirmed as the Deji for many years.

in yorubaland. In yoruba tradition, regency is designed to honor the first daughter of every Oba/king/High chief who died on the throne. However, such honor is not extended to any Oba who was banished. 

There have been instances in Akure history when two Regents have refused to quit and they went ahead to be confirmed as the Deji for many years.

The Regent is supposed to be an interim Oba in the real sense of it. She enjoys all the honor and privileges attached to the office of the Oba and she has to dress as a man for the period she is Regent.

 Because she has worn a crown, she is is never again required to expose her head or get careless with any strands of her hair if she ever goes to a Beauty Salon after leaving the throne. She must never again carry anything on her head for the rest of her life.

Tradition has it that a married woman or a single lady should be made a Regent instead of a male, for it is assumed that a male might not want to leave as he may transform himself to be king .It had happened in one of the towns before. But if a married woman or spinster is enthroned she will be yearning to go back to her husband and family while a spinster will be yearning to get married and start a new life with her own family.

The Regent is to all intent and purposes the Oba-in-Council in and she automatically takes precedence over the all the chiefs and they are subservient to the Regent and must swear traditional allegiance and loyalty to the Regent as an Institution. From Igbona-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area to Erio-Ekiti in Ekiti west and Awo-Ekiti, in Irepodun-Ifelodun Local Government Area, regents currently hold the fort, even if temporarily, as kings on the thrones of their fathers, occasionally giving orders, settling disputes, attending community and state functions and filling other spaces within the communities as needs often compel.

While some communities are said to choose males as regents, the more common and familiar are the females who are the direct daughters of recently deceased monarchs. Findings showed that males are seldom made regents because of the possibilities of a refusal to vacate the throne when a substantive monarch is installed, causing a situation in which two monarchs lay claim to one royal stool.

Further findings reveal that the regents, who are sometimes known even before the demise of a sitting monarch, are there mainly for titular purposes and for a short time till another monarch is selected and installed. It was also found out that in actual fact, the administrative running of the towns still solely rests with the chiefs as a regent might have one personal reason or the other to be away.

According to Yoruba tradition, the moment a princess ascends the throne and as long as she remains the regent, she is no longer regarded as a woman and she is expected to appear always like a man, but she is only allowed to wear the round beaded crowns, unlike the male kings who have various crowns designed and decorated with beads which may fall over their faces.

The faces of the regents must not be covered and the beads on the neck, falling on their chest must not be more than three and graduated in three layers, although this varies in some communities. But, the beads of the Obas, though of the same length could be more than three.

Regents cannot undertake during the regency any installation of chieftaincy titles, removal of erring chiefs on any excuse and registration of chieftaincy declarations.

The Regency concept is not universal in Yorubaland. There was no Regent in Ijebu Land before the current Awujale, Ogbagba the second was coronated. Same in Lagos after Oba Adeniji Adele or Oba Oyekan joined their ancestors. So also in Ile Ife after Oonirisa Atobatele Sir Adesoji Aderemi left, and Kabiyesi Sijuwade took over.

There was no Regent in Oyo Alaafin where the Oyo Mesi reign supreme. Same for the Owa Obokun of Ilesha after the demise of Owa Obokun Agunlejika and before Oba Aromolaran took over. There was no Regent in Owo after Ekunwolu, Oluaiye Olateru Olagbegi answered the call.

There was no Regent in Idanre following the transition of Kabiyesi Owa Arubiefin.

However, there are few towns in Ekitiland and other places where they had Regents in their traditional system. Certainly in Ado Ewi and Iropora and Oba Ile near Akure, the tradition is fully observed. In the case of Akure, we have had two Regents who have refused to quit after serving out their term as Regents. The were both powerful women of substance with a lot of medicinal and spuritual power.

One of them became the 13th Deji of Akure. Her name was “Eyearo” She reigned for 26 years from 1393 to 1419. The second one became the 25th Deji. Her name is “Eyemoin.” She reigned for 30 years from 1705 to 1735. We are able to talk about them today because their reigns were properly documented.

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