One hundred and thirty years after the British imperial invasion of the Alaafin’s palace in Oyo, the ancient city is set to commemorate the 1895 “Ogun Pepe” (Pepe War), a historic resistance that symbolised Yoruba defiance against colonial domination.
The week-long global commemoration, scheduled for November 2025, will celebrate the resilience, cultural heritage, and bravery of the Oyo people, particularly the defiant leadership of Alaafin Adeyemi Alowolodu I, whose stand against British interference on November 12, 1895, triggered the conflict.
Announcing the event, the current Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, said the memorial would honour the courage of Oyo’s forebears while giving global recognition to one of the most defining anti-colonial struggles in Yoruba history.
“The Pepe War was not just a local conflict; it was a statement of defiance against imperial aggression and an affirmation of our right to self-determination,” the Alaafin said. “We must continue to draw lessons from that moment of courage and resilience.”
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Historical records show that the crisis began after Bakare, a royal messenger (Ilari) in the court of the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Adeyeri I, was accused of adultery with one of the king’s wives. The matter was referred to the Alaafin, who ordered Bakare’s castration in line with royal custom.
Captain Robert Lister Bower, the British Resident Commissioner in Ibadan, considered the punishment an affront to British authority and demanded that Alaafin Adeyemi hand over Bakare and the executioner, Kudeefu.
The Alaafin refused, ordering Bakare’s execution and protecting Kudeefu — a decision that led Bower to invade Oyo with a 60-man armed force.
The people of Oyo resisted fiercely. The sharp crackling sound of British gunfire — “pepe! pepe! pepe!” — gave the war its enduring name, “Ogun Pepe.”
Despite being injured, the Alaafin escaped to Oke-Owinni, where he sought mediation from the Catholic Bishop of Oyo. After six days of fighting, a truce was brokered, allowing the Alaafin to return triumphantly to his palace.
According to palace officials, the forthcoming “Ogun Pepe Memorial” will feature a dramatic re-enactment of the war, cultural performances, academic symposia, exhibitions, and a heritage initiative aimed at repatriating royal artifacts taken by British forces during the 1895 invasion.
The artifacts — including crowns, gold, beads, and other royal regalia — are part of the cultural treasures the Alaafin seeks to recover through heritage diplomacy.
“The commemoration is not only about the past,” Oba Owoade said, “but about preserving our dignity, heritage, and the right to tell our own story — the Oyo story — with pride and truth.”
