Igbajo
My hometown, Igbajo was a turning point for the war between Ibadan and Ekitiparapo in the 1800s. Ibadan lorded over the Yoruba kingdoms, until Ijesa and Ekiti came together to fight back.
In 1884, both sides waged it out in the Battle of Igbajo. The Ekitiparapo army had the upper hand through their trade connections in Lagos. They got access to cannons, which made a distinct sound when fired. This sound became the name of the war: “Kiriji”.
A year later, Ibadan’s supreme general, Aare Latoosa, realized his impending defeat and committed suicide. This significantly cooled the conflict. In 1893, a peace treaty was signed in Igbajo, which marked the end of inter-tribal Yoruba wars.
In 1952, eight years before independence, a secondary school was founded in Igbajo to commemorate the war. This school - Kiriji Memorial College - is where my parents first met. My mum grew up in Oyo but moved back to study. Later they both moved to Lagos, where I was born.