Names of Ìlàrí Messengers of the Oyo Empire in Diplomacy

[Olùkọ́ Ọbádélé]

Ærúkæ àwæn Ìlàrí Aláàfin ni Aláàfin lò láti fi han àwæn ènìyàn pàtàkì tí Ìlàrí ñ jí«ê fún èrò òun nípa örö tí ó fê sæ.

The names of the Ìlàrí messengers of the Aláàfin (Sovereign of the Empire) of the Oyo empire is what the Aláàfin used in order to convey to the important people who were to be addressed by these messengers his thoughts on a particular matter.

Àwæn àp÷÷r÷ nìyí:
Some examples are as follows

Æba-kò-«e-tán: (The Æba (king) is not ready)
Æbá gborí: (The Æba triumphs)
Mádàáríkàn: (Do not oppose him)
Kòsíjà: (There is no quarrel)
Káfilégbæin: (Let's be uncompromising)
Má-ni-Æba-lára: (Do not make the Æba uncomfortable)
Æbájùwôn: (The Æba is superior to them)
Æbalolú: (The Æba is the lord)

Àwæn ènìyàn pàtàkì mìíràn ni àwæn ajêlë tí wôn jê a«ojú Æba láàrin àwæn ìlú tí ñ sìn Aláàfin Öyô.
Other important personages included the Ajêlë ambassadors who acted in the Æba's behalf in towns that were subjects of the Aláàfin of Öyô.

Obadele Kwame
(from Yorùbá Oral Tradition,
ed. Wándé Abímbôlá)