00:00Imagine being a king with all the power that comes with the crown
00:05only to have your reign ended by a calabash.
00:09It sounds unbelievable right? But in the old Oyo Empire, this simple object carried a powerful
00:14message. The Alephi of Oyo wielded considerable authority, but it wasn't entirely above those
00:19who helped him rule. The Oyo Messi, a council of seven kingmakers, could challenge his authority.
00:24If a king became tyrannical or abused his power, tradition held that the Basharun,
00:28their leader, would send him an empty, covered calabash. No long speech, no public announcements,
00:33no nothing, just a calabash. The message was clear. The king had lost the kingmaker's support
00:39and his reign was over. According to accounts of the tradition, the Alephi was expected to take
00:43his own life rather than face the dishonor of removal from the throne. The calabash was more
00:47than a vessel. It carried a message even a king could not ignore. Power had limits
00:51and no crown guaranteed you could keep it.
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