Oyo is an ancient town in Oyo State, South-Western Nigeria. It was founded as the capital of the Oyo Kingdom in the 1830s and known to its people as ‘New Oyo’ (Ọyọ Atiba) to distinguish it from the former capital to the north, ‘Old Oyo’ (Ọyọ-Ile) which was deserted as a result of rumours of war. Its inhabitants are mostly of the Yoruba people, and its ruler is the imperial majesty Alaafin of Oyo.
The major market in the city is Akesan or Àkèsán market, also called Oja Oba (King’s market) or Akesan Baale Oja (Chief of market), it’s very close to the Alaafin’s Palace, which is opened on a daily basis unlike the other marketplaces, such as Ajegunle market, Irepodun market, Omo-Oba market, Iware which is opened for a five-day interval, and Sabo market (five days).
Oriki Oyo (Eulogy of Oyo)
A ki rọ’ ba fin la lẹ de Ọyo
O ya ẹ jẹ a lo ree ki Alaafin
Ọmọ a jowu yọ kọ lẹnu
A bi Ila tọ-tọ lẹhin
Pan-du-ku bi soo ro
Ibi ti wọn ti ni ki Olowo gbowo
Ki Iwọfa sọ tọ wọ rẹ nu,
Ṣe ko le ba di’ ja, ko le ba di apọn
Ki Ọba Alade le ri n jẹ,
Ọyọ mọ l’ afin Ojo pa Ṣẹkẹrẹ, ọmọ Atiba
Babalawo lo d’ fa, pe ibiti ilẹ gbe yọ ni aye wọn,
Ọyọ ode oni,ni Agọ-Oja, Ọba lo tun tẹ, laye Atiba Ọba,
Adebinpe O Sakẹkẹ, Adebinpe, eji ọgbọrọ, Alade lẹyẹ Akande,
Ọba, aji bo ‘yinbo se le ri,
Ọba taa ri, taa ka po la po, taa kọ fa, lọ fa,
Taa ka pata,lo ri Apata, Bẹmbẹ n ro, imulẹ lẹhin agbara,
Ọdọfin ijaye,o jẹ du ro de la kanlu, ọmọ a ja ni lẹ ran gan-gan,
Eji ọgbọrọ,Alaafin Atiba, Ọba lo ko wo jẹ, Ko to do ri Ọba to wa lo ye,
A ji se bi Ọyọlaa ri, Ọyọ O jẹ se bi baba eni kan-kan
Pin ni si lọ ‘mọ Erin t’ n fọ la ya ‘gi,
Ọyọ lo ni ka rin, ka san pa, ka gbẹsẹ, ko yẹ yan,
Oko ala kẹ, ọmọa fo ko ra lu, t’ wọn o ba mọ Erin,
Se wọn o gbọ‘hun Erin ni,
A ji sọ la, ọmọa jo wu yọ kọ lẹ nu.
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