What is the function of ogboni?
The traditional Ogboni society was part of the checks and balances system of the Yoruba kingdoms. They were kingmakers, and disposed of both a religious as well as a judicial function. They had also the power to dethrone the Oba (the king) and could order him to kill himself (or would give him poison).
What is the meaning of ogboni?
Ogboni (also known as Osugbo in Ijèbú) is a fraternal institution indigenous to the Yoruba-speaking polities of Nigeria, Republic of Bénin and Togo, as well as among the Edo people.
Who is Iwarefa?
Each Ogboni lodge is led by a group of six principal officers that are collectively known as the Iwarefa ( lit. “The Six Wise Men”). These individuals are the most powerful figures in the polity that the lodge serves and are the inner council of advisors to its king or viceroyal chieftain.
Who are the Iwarefa?
How old is Yoruba kingdom?
The historical Yoruba develop in situ, out of earlier (Mesolithic) Volta-Niger populations, by the 1st millennium BC. Archaeologically, the settlement at Ile-Ife can be dated to the 4th century BC, with urban structures appearing in the 8th-10th Centuries.
How many Yorubas are there?
Yoruba, one of the three largest ethnic groups of Nigeria, concentrated in the southwestern part of that country. Much smaller, scattered groups live in Benin and northern Togo. The Yoruba numbered more than 20 million at the turn of the 21st century.
Who is the founder of ogboni society?
Archdeacon T.A.J. Ogunbiyi
The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (Inc.) was instituted on 18 December 1914 by a Clergyman, the late Hon. Archdeacon T.A.J. Ogunbiyi, CBE, L.
Who are the members of the Ogboni Fraternity?
OGBONI FRATERNITY TAKES LIVES OF FAMILIES WHO REFUSE TO GET INITIATED; AS NIGERIA POLICE STAND HELPL… […] Member Worldwide/Nationwide. In Aborigine their subjects. Aborigine Ogboni Fraternity still Worldwide.
What is the history of the Ogboni Society?
According to him, the oldest text referencing the Ogboni society is from 1884, where it was described as a secret society (ibid., 23). He indicates that it was an [translation] “assembly of elders” that created a cult based on the cosmology of Yorubas (ibid., 20).
Who is being hunted by the Ogboni in Nigeria?
A Nigerian Observer article reports the case of a young man who is reportedly being “hunted” by Ogboni chieftains after he refused to take his late father’s position in the society given his Christian beliefs ( The Nigerian Observer 19 Feb. 2009).
How is Ogboni religion different from other religions?
Ogboni Religion helps to serve Almighty in truth and in spirit! Ogboni Religion is like none other, for the love that exists between members cannot be compared to other Religions.
