tribal confederation · West Africa

Ekiti Parapo

1878 CE – 1893 CE (approx.)

An alliance of Ekiti, Ijesha and other Yoruba states that fought Ibadan to a standstill in the Kiriji war, one of the longest wars of 19th-century Africa.

Origins

From the 1850s Ibadan dominated the Ekiti and Ijesha towns of eastern Yorubaland, collecting tribute through resident agents. In 1877-1878 these towns rose in revolt and formed the Ekiti Parapo, meaning Ekiti together, joining forces with the Ijesha general Ogedengbe and allies from Igbomina and Ilorin.

Rule and society

The alliance had no single ruler; it was a military coalition of kings and war chiefs, led in the field by men such as Ogedengbe and Fabunmi of Oke-Mesi. Its soldiers, including Ekiti who had returned from Lagos, used breech-loading rifles bought through the coast. The main armies faced Ibadan for years in fortified camps at Kiriji, near Igbajo.

Decline and legacy

Missionaries and Lagos officials brokered a peace in 1886, but full settlement came only in 1893, when the Governor of the Lagos Colony, Gilbert Carter, imposed terms. Soon afterwards the area came under British rule.

Connections (2)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Ekiti Parapo. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/ekiti-parapo
MLA
“Ekiti Parapo.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/ekiti-parapo. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Ekiti Parapo.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/ekiti-parapo.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Ekiti Parapo’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/ekiti-parapo (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻