The Ibadan empire With Ijaiye disposed of, Ibadan was free to consolidate its empire in the east. Between 1847 and 1870, large areas of Ijesha, Igbomina, Ekiti and Akoko came under Ibadan control (Akintoye, 1971: 33-75). Initially, this was in response to the threat from Ilorin. Some of the Osun towns like Osogbo had willingly come under Ibadan protection. More force was used in the subjugation of the towns further to the east. The Ijesha proved difficult to control. While Ibadan was occupied with the Ijaiye war, the Ijesha attacked them from the east. They were beaten off, and the Ibadan capture of Ilesha in 1870 marked the high point of Ibadan power (Akintoye, 1971: 56-60). The subordinate towns controlled by Ibadan came to be administered through officials called Ajele, a system similar to that of the former Oyo empire (Awe, 1964). Each of the towns was the responsibility of a “babakekere” in Ibadan, who administered through an Ajele in the town it...
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