HISTORY OF YORUBA TRIBE

History of the Yoruba people
The documented history of the Yoruba peoplebegins with the Oyo Empire,
which became dominant in the early 17th century. Older traditions of
the formerly dominant Ifekingdom are sparse and unreliable.
Prehistory

The African peoples who lived in Yorubaland, at least by the seventh
century B.C.E, were not initially known as the Yoruba, although they
shared a common ethnicity and language group. The historical Yoruba
developin situ, out of earlier (Mesolithic) Volta-Nigerpopulations, by
the 1st millennium B.C.E.
Oral history recorded under the Oyo Empirederives the Yoruba as an
ethnic group from the population of the older kingdom of Ile-Ife(see
also Yoruba mythology). Archaeologically, the settlement at Ife can be
dated to the 4th century B.C.E, with urban structures appearing in the
12th century (the urban phase of Ife before the rise of Oyo, ca.
1100-1600, is sometimes described as a "golden age" of Ife).
Oyo Empire
Ife was surpassed by the Oyo Empireas the dominant Yoruba military and
political power between 1600 CEand 1800 CE. The nearby kingdom of
Beninwas also a powerful force between 1300 and 1850 CE.
Most of the city states were controlled by Obas, elected priestly
monarchs, and councils made up of Oloyes, recognised leaders of royal,
noble and, often, even common descent, who joined them in ruling over
the kingdoms through a series of guilds and cults. Different states
saw differing ratios of power between the kingship and the chiefs'
council. Some, such as Oyo, had powerful, autocratic monarchs with
almost total control, while in others such as the Ijebucity-states,
the senatorial councils were supreme and the Ọba served as something
of a figurehead.
In all cases, however, Yoruba monarchs were subject to the continuing
approval of their constituents as a matter of policy, and could be
easily compelled to abdicate for demonstrating dictatorial tendencies
or incompetence. The order to vacate the throne was usually
communicated through anarokoor symbolic message, which usually took
the form of parrots' eggs delivered in a covered calabash bowl by the
senators.
Modern history
Map of Yoruba people, West Africa (Nigeria), 1898
The Yoruba eventually established a federation of city-states under
the political ascendancy of the city state of Oyo, located on the
Northern fringes of Yorubalandin the savannaplains between the forests
of present Southwest Nigeria and the NigerRiver.
Following a Jihadled by Uthman Dan Fodioand a rapid consolidation of
the Hausacity states of contemporary northern Nigeria, the Fulani
Sokoto Caliphateinvaded and annexed the buffer Nupe Kingdom. It then
began to advance southwards into Ọyọ lands. Shortly afterwards, its
armies overran the Yoruba military capital of Ilorin, and then sacked
and destroyed Ọyọ-Ile, the royal seat of the Ọyọ Empire.
Following this, Ọyọ-Ile was abandoned, and the Ọyọ retreated south to
the present city of Oyo(formerly known as "Ago d'Oyo", or "Oyo Atiba")
in a forested region where the cavalry of the Sokoto Caliphatewas less
effective. Further attempts by the Sokoto Caliphateto expand
southwards were checked by the Yoruba who had rallied in defence under
the military leadership of the ascendant Ibadanclan, which rose from
the old Oyo Empire, and of the Ijebu city-states. However, the Oyo
hegemony had been dealt a mortal blow. The other Yoruba city-states
broke free of Oyo dominance, and subsequently became embroiled in a
series of internecine conflicts that soon metamorphosed into a full
scale civil war. These events weakened the southern Yorubas in their
resistance to British colonial and military invasions. In 1960,
greater Yorubaland was subsumed into the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
[ 1 ]The historical records of the Yoruba, which became more
accessible in the nineteenth century with the more permanent arrival
of the Europeans, tell of heavy Jihad raids by the mounted Fulani
warriors of the north as well as of endemic intercity warfare amongst
the Yoruba themselves. Archaeological evidence of the greatness of
their ancient civilization in the form of, amongst other things,
impressive architectural achievements like Sungbo's Eredothat are
centuries old, nevertheless abound.

Source: en.wikipedia.org