Warfare was the most dominant theme of nineteenth century Yoruba history. During the period, Yorubaland was engulfed by bloody conflicts ranging from small and short wars to complex and protracted civil wars. Eastern Yorubaland was one of the major theaters of this “season of Anomie”. Aside the large scale destruction of lives and property, which is common in such situations, the wars bore significant social, economic and political consequences for the land and people. The disaster only terminated towards the end of the century as a result of the intervention by British colonial officials via a combination of diplomacy and military force. This paper is a historical documentation of the background, trajectory and aftermath of warfare and diplomacy between Efon Alaaye and her neighbours during the 19th century. The study seeks to interrogate the significant factors of causation, course and consequences of conflict in the area during the period under consideration. Data for the work comprise of primary sources such as oral evidence, archival materials etc, and secondary sources like books, journal articles, and so on.
Keywords: Eastern Yorubaland., Efon Alaaye, Ekitiparapo, Ibadan, Ijesa, Peace, War
