Although spiritualism and African voodooism are key to this liberation of the Yoruba people, they do not in any way deprive Moremi’s heroics of intellectual significance, especially as there are a few correlations between her exploits and the classical liberal idea of self‐​determinism. We see this first in how central the marketplace is to the Moremi story. Ile‐​Ife was a prosperous trading city and the Ife market was a critical part of the cultural structure of the Yoruba people. It was a melting pot for innovators, medicine men, hunters, farmers, traders, beauticians, soldiers, artists, and every other social stratum that makes up Yoruba culture. Any attack on this structure would affect all expect of everyday life. Thus Moremi’s liberation of the Ife market can be considered a struggle for the preservation of the Yoruba way of life itself, the struggle for self‐​determinism. Additionally, although a form of servantry was in existence among the early Yorubas, Moremi still risked her life to free her people. Her non‐​tolerance for the enslavement of the people of Ife underscores her contribution to Africa’s foundation of individual freedom. More significantly, Moremi’s remarkable exploits also put to bed the general preconceived notion that women are inherently silent in African history. Women played critical roles in the construction and richness of the history of ancient and medieval Africa.

There are not many individuals in African history with the freedom and fearlessness of Queen Moremi. Centuries before the Statue of Liberty was built in New York City Harbor, Queen Moremi lifted a blazing torch of liberty and courage. As such, Moremi is almost always portrayed today as a beautiful black woman dressed in the finest Aso Oke (Yoruba robes) and adorned in Ileke (beads) with a mighty torch of Oguso held high in her right hand. The city of modern Ile‐​Ife in Osun State, southwest Nigeria honors her sacrifice and heroics with the Edi festival where people dress in raffias and are chased around by those bearing the torch of Oguso.

[1] Duncan E. Miller and N.J. Van Der Merwe, ‘Early Metal Working in Sub Saharan Africa’ Journal of African History 35 (1994) 1–36; Minze Stuiver and N.J. Van Der Merwe, ‘Radiocarbon Chronology of the Iron Age in Sub‐​Saharan Africa’ Current Anthropology Vol. 9, No. 1 (February, 1968), pg. 54–58

[2] Ile‐​Ife is the cradle of the Yorubas. It is the spiritual and most significant Yoruba city as it is home to the Ooni of Ife, the paramount ruler of the Yoruba ethnic group and the most senior of all Yoruba kings. Moremi made her way into African history in Ife just as most Yoruba heroes. It was an independent city‐​state until the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914. Ife was part of the old Oyo state until the creation of Osun State 1991 and has since retained the status of the most significant city in Osun besides the state capital, Osogbo.

[3] Offa is an old Yoruba town in Kwara state, west‐​central Nigeria. It was founded by Olalomi Olofa‐​gangan who was a crown prince from the ancient city of Oyo around 1395. It is among the oldest Yoruba settlements known for its commercial significance, especially in Agriculture and cloth weaving.

[4] See “The Ìkálẹ̀ (Yorùbá, Nigeria) Migration Theories and Insignia” in History in Africa Vol. 34 (2007), pg. 461–468 and Suzanne Preston Blier’s Art, and Suzanne Preston Blie’s Art and Risk in Ancient Yoruba: Ife History, Power, and Identity, c. 1300 (Massachusetts: Cambridge University Press, 2015) pg. 140. Both authors claim Moremi was among the wives of Obalufon Alayemoye II, not Oranmiyan.

[5] Oduduwa was the progenitor of the Yoruba tribe. He was the first Ooni of Ile‐​Ife. After Oduduwa’s death, his sons and grandsons left Ife to establish new kingdoms while they held onto the values of Ife. These kingdoms are some of the most respected Yoruba cities today. For a detailed analysis of the status and role of Oduduwa in Yoruba history, see R. C. C. Law’s “The Heritage of Oduduwa: Traditional History and Political Propaganda among the Yoruba” in The Journal of African History Vol. 14, No. 2 (1973), pg. 207–222, and A.G.A. Ladigbolu’s The origin of Oduduwa and position of Ile‐​Ife and other Yoruba cities and towns in history (Lagos: Lichfield Communications, 2004)

[6] For claims of Moremi’s marriage to Oranmiyan or her marriage to both Oonis, see Suzanne Preston Blier’s other account in “Kings, Crowns, and the Rights of Succession: Obalufon Arts at Ife and Other Yoruba Centers” in The Art Bulletin Vol. 67, No. 3 (September 1985)pg. 383–401

[7] Ifa is the original religion of the Yoruba people and according to history, its practice dates back over eight thousand years ago. It is a system of divination that revolves around spirits and energies by communicating with Olodumare (supreme being) through the Orishas (humans turned immortal gods) and the Irumoles (deities). Some Yorubas in the Carribean and the Americas have inculcated Ifa beliefs with some tenets of Roman Catholicism, which forms the foundation of religious practices such as Santeria, Candomble, and Palo Mayombe. For a broader understanding of the Ifa divination system, see Baba Ifa Karade’s Finding Soul on the Path of Orisa: A West African Spiritual Tradition (Massachusetts: Weiser Books, 1994).

[8] Irunmole and Orisha are central to the Ifa religion. Although their definition and role are often combined as one, they are different entities. According to renowned Ifa priest, Chief Olayinka Adewuyi, “Irunmole are entities created directly from Olodumare who represent eternity. They cannot taste the bitterness of death nor suffer any consequence of their acts or actions because they always operate on the level of the divine laws of life. Both their names and natures are divine or holy from the moment of their creation.” On his definition of the Orishas, Adewuyi believes “they are were once human beings but through their extraordinary works and activities in the physical plane…they turned into great messengers of God and they were later revered and adored by the people.” Some well followed Irunmole in Ifa religion includes Ogun, Orunmila, Obatala while some Orishas include Osossi, Oya, Osun, and Ewa.

[9] The Ugbo raiders are most likely from the Ilaje town of Okitipupa in modern‐​day Ondo State in Nigeria. The Ugbos are also often mistaken for the Igbo tribe of eastern Nigeria. J. Ọmọṣade Awolalu made the case for a clear distinction in his book Yorùbá Beliefs and Sacrificial Rites (Athelia Henrietta Press, 1996) pg. 26; for more reason for this distinction, see Ebenezer Aiku Sheba’s “Ìkálè̥ Masquerade Traditions and Artifacts” published in 2002 by the Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society in 2002.

[10] Masquerades in Yorubaland have usually dressed in heavy Aso Oke clothing—a local woven cloth—but the raffia used in the clothing of the Ugbo masquerades are used to barricade shrines and sacred forest of the Orishas in Yorubaland. For a moving entity to appear in such clothing in broad daylight would be unusual and scary hence the belief that they must indeed be spirits.

[11] In most accounts, this specific market in Ife where this invasions mostly happened is called the Oroorun Market (market observed in five days intervals).

[12] Offerings to the gods in the ifa religion is often determined by the enormity of the problem a human asks the orisha to solve. In the early centuries of the religion, offerings usually range from the sacrifice of staple foods or domesticated animals like goats, dogs, and fowl. Although there are stories that some orisha have demanded human sacrifice. Generally today, offerings are usually in money or animals.

[13] Some accounts believe that Oluorogbo did not die or did die but was resurrected by Olodumare (the supreme being in the Ifa religion).