Ketu, in the savanna-forest edge between the Ouémé and the Ogun, is the seat of one of the oldest Yoruba dynasties in tradition and a stage in the migration traditions of the Aja and Ewe.
Its later walls and the Idena gate are credited to the king Ede, founder of the present town; no date attaches to him.
Who holds it
- Title
- Seat of the Alaketu
- Since
- not pinned
- Confidence
- low
Lord in 1200
The Alaketu (name not known).
Council
The Alaketu and his chiefs (later constitution).
Communities
Ketu Yoruba (Anago).
Fairs and markets
Not attested for 1200.
Militia
Not attested.
Walls and castle
Town wall and ditch with the Idena gate in the later town; not dated.
Trade and crafts
Farming; local markets.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1200No dated event.Depends on: Not applicable Stopped by: Not applicable
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Tradition only.
On the map: Approximate.
Primary sources for Yoruba towns
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Ife, Benin, Nri, the Yoruba towns and the Akan: archaeology and recorded tradition (no contemporary text; traditions written down from the 1890s). No text of any kind exists for the forest belt in 1200.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.