ILORIN INTRIGUES AND THE FALL OF OFA

We have seen above how anxious Ogedemgbe was about the war going on at Ofa, how he wished the Commissioners to include this in their efforts, being as it were a part of the same war. He tried to induce them to send a messenger with his own, and one from the Balogun of Ibadan to prevail upon Kàràrà the Ilorin Generalissimo to accept terms of peace; but the Commissioners declined to do so. They however approved of their sending their own messengers if they so wished. Seriki Ogedemgbe and the Balogun of Ibadan agreed to ask Lasebikan the head of the Ilorin contingent with the Ekitis to send also with them, but he backed out of this obligation. It appeared that Seriki Ogedemgbe had some communications with Kàràrà, urging him to the acceptance of peace, and had not succeeded. He was also very anxious about the Ijesa contingent in the Ilorin camp. He sent to tell Kàràrà that matters had been settled at Kiriji, and that if he would let the Ekitis with him leave his camp, he would let the Ilorins with him leave Oke Mesin. The following was the reply returned by the wily Kàràrà: “Let my men perish with you, and let your men perish with me.” Showing that the astute Gambari knew what he was about when he made the arrangement.