Oyo-Ile
/ò.jó ì.lé/noun
Oyo-Ile, also called Old Oyo, was the historic capital of the Oyo Empire in present-day southwestern Nigeria.
Did you know?Oyo-Ile was the political center of the Oyo Empire, whose cavalry and imperial administration made it one of the most influential states in precolonial West Africa.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Yoruba
Proto-Yoruba
*ilé
“House, dwelling, or home; the historical source of Yoruba ilé.”
Medieval Yoruba
Yoruba
Ọ̀yọ́
“The name of the Yoruba kingdom and its ruling political center.”
Precolonial period
Yoruba
ilé
“Home, house, or settlement.”
17th–18th Century
Yoruba
Ọ̀yọ́-Ilé
“Oyo’s home or Oyo settlement; the capital known in English as Old Oyo.”
Modern English
English
Oyo-Ile / Old Oyo
“The archaeological and historical site associated with the former capital of the Oyo Empire.”