^{page 221 note 1} R. E. Dennett, Nigerian Studies, 1910; J. O. Lucas, Religion of the Yorubas, 1948; G. Parrinder has outlined the sacred attributes of Yoruba kingship in West African Religion, 1949, pp. 211 ff., African Traditional Religion, 1954, ch. vi, and in ‘Divine Kingship in West Africa ’, Numen, vol. iii, 1956, pp. 111–21.

^{page 222 note 1} For a more detailed description of the variations in Yoruba social structure see my article ‘Some Notes on Yoruba Rules of Succession and on Family Property ’, Journal of African Law, vol. iii, 1959, pp. 7–32.Google Scholar

^{page 222 note 2} These differences are elaborated in my article ‘The Traditional Political System of the Yoruba ’, Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, vol. x, 1954, pp. 366–84.Google Scholar

^{page 222 note 3} The Fulani political system is described by Smith, M. G., ‘The Hausa System of Social Status ’, Africa, xxix, 1959, pp. 239–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

^{page 223 note 1} Ekiti, for instance, still on occasion use the term Yoruba to designate the Oyo people. In this paper I shall use the term to embrace all Yoruba-speaking peoples.

^{page 223 note 2} A fuller account of the conquest myth is given by Johnson, S., History of the Yorubas, 1921, pp. 3Google Scholar ff., 15.

^{page 223 note 3} The Yoruba cultural association is known as εgbε ϽmϽ Oduduwa —the society of the children of Oduduwa.

^{page 223 note 4} Similar outlines of the early history of Western Nigeria are given by S. O. Biobaku, The Lugard Lectures, 1955, Federal Information Service, Lagos.

^{page 224 note 1} The Idoani myths state that their own founder-oba, the Alaini, was a Benin prince sent to rule a border town of the empire, and that the first Ewi was an Idoani prince who fought for the throne, and, losing, emigrated. Other myths told in Ado suggest that the first Ewi gained secular power in the town by intervening in the title disputes of the indigenous people, so overcoming first one faction and then another.

^{page 224 note 2} In most Yoruba towns the first ruler of the dynasty is said to have ‘founded ’ the town—a small group of indigenes accepting his rule. In other cases, Ijebu Ode for instance, the ruler arrived in a sizeable town, and here the myths ascribe the acceptance of his rule primarily to his royal birth and descent from Oduduwa.

^{page 224 note 3} The most senior ranking Iharε chiefs—the Odofin of Odo Ado and the Alarierin of Oke Ila— are rather more important than their opposite number—the Odogun of Oke Ewi; meetings of the chiefs of their respective settlements are regularly held in their houses.

^{page 225 note 1} I have described the structure of the patrilineage at greater length in ‘The Yoruba Lineage ’, Africa, 3, xxv, 1955. pp. 235–51.Google Scholar

^{page 226 note 1} In some recent instances, where an oba has granted the ruler of a subordinate town the right to wear a beaded crown, local historians have disagreed on the ‘official ’ myth—some holding that the founder of the subordinate town came direct from Ile Ife while others argue that he was a son of a past oba of the metropolitan town.

^{page 228 note 1} It was widely believed that the late Awujale of Ijebu was not duly consecrated at his installation because the last consecrated oba was still alive in exile; in addition his eligibility for the throne was dubious. His reign was marked by a succession of political crises disturbing the peace of the town and his people were apt to murmur ‘But what can we expect when we do not have a proper oba? ’

^{page 229 note 1} Cf. Evans-Pritchard, E. E. in The Divine Kingship of the Shilluk of the Nilotic Sudan, 1948.Google Scholar

^{page 229 note 2} The Odemo of Ishara, oba of a town of Ijebu Remo, speaking in the Western Region House of Chiefs on the occasion of the death of King George VI.

^{page 231 note 1} For the concept of segmentary power-hierarchical administration I am indebted to Smith, M. G., ‘Segmentary Lineage Systems’, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, vol. lxxxvi, part ii, 1956, pp. 39–80.Google Scholar

^{page 233 note 1} In Shaki, a town in the north of Oyo Province, ten out of the eighteen rulers of the nineteenth century were deposed. The oba of this town, the Okere, traces his descent from an influential warrior from Bussa, who settled in Shaki. So good, say the myths, was he at settling disputes that the Onishaki (at that time oba) suggested that he, the Okere, should deal with such secular matters, leaving the Onishaki to look after the ritual. Thus the Okere became oba and the Onishaki is now a priest. A similar myth is related in Ikere, ten miles south of Ado, where the Ogoga (descended from an elephant hunter from Benin) similarly displaced the Onikere. The Ogogas have suffered from much unpopularity.

^{page 234 note 1} By the same process a large non-royal lineage may absorb members of smaller ones. Royal wives who are not members of Ado lineages are often lodged with chiefs.

^{page 235 note 1} In some Yoruba towns titles, usually termed chieftaincy titles, are conferred by the oba on leading members of the royal lineage; such titles confer on their holders no rights to sit with the chiefs governing the town.