Traditional Checks and Sacred Balance.
Traditional Yorubaland had checks and balances, but they were cultural and spiritual, not political. In places like Oyo, Ife, Ijebu, and Egba, kingship was sacred and guided by ancestral laws.
In Oyo, the Alaafin was powerful, but not absolute. He was checked by the Oyo Mesi, the senior chiefs and kingmakers. If a king ruled tyrannically or violated sacred laws, the Oyo Mesi could send a symbolic message such as the calabash or parrot’s eggs. This was a signal that the king must leave the world through ritual means.
This was not called dethronement.
It was a ritual exit meant to restore balance, protect the land, and preserve the dignity of the throne.
