THE OWU WAR

The kingdom being now in a disorganized condition each tribal unit constituted itself an independent state. The Ifes in the east, and the Ijebus in the south formed an alliance against the Owus to the south-west of the former and north west of the latter.

The Owus (although now domiciled with the Egbas) are a family quite distinct from Egbas or Oyos. Hardihood, stubbornness, immorality, and haughtiness are marked traits in their character, so much so that it has passed into a proverb “A bi omo l'Owu, o ni ako tabi abo ni, ewo ni yio seomo nibe?” (a child is born at Owu, and you ask male or female: which will be a proper child?) Either sex when roused by passion would sooner die than not take dire revenge. Their manners were totally different from those of the Oyos, but from the days of Sango they have been very loyal to the Alâfin of Oyo.

As warriors, the Owus were hardy, brave, and courageous, they had no guns, their weapons consisting of the Agedengbe (a long heavy cutlass) with bows and arrows. Coming to close quarters with cutlass in hand was the mode of fighting characteristic of these brave people.