CIVIL WAR AT ABEMÒ

Before the Eleduwe, war broke out, a marked disaffection and rivalry was rife between the two leading chiefs of Abemò, Ayo the Bale and Okoyan alias Lahan the next man to him.

The latter claimed relationship to Oyabi the late Kakanfo at Ajase and hence to Kurũmi of Ijaye also. This rivalry became apparent during the expedition, for Lahan out of spite to his chief Ayo, went over to Kurũmi, encamped with him and fought under his standard as if he was an Ijaye man. The disaffection now became an open rupture and it was evident to all that Lahan was secretly abetted by chief Kurũmi of Ijaye. It subsequently became known that Lahan and Kurũmi were plotting to fall upon Ayo suddenly and despatch him after their retreat, before reaching home. Ayo apprised of this, suddenly broke up his encampment, and by forced marches reached home a considerable time before Lahan who followed hard after him.

But Ayo instead of entering his house remained squatting on a mat in the square in front of his compound, close by the spot where his women folk were dyeing cloths, his horse standing by his side, and his spear stuck in the ground close by him.