In the mid-1700s, around 1750 and onwards, a powerful Oyo warrior was growing in stature; a man called Afonja. His father was Laderin. Laderin himself was the son of Alugbin, who himself was the son of Pasin. Alaafin Majeogbe ruled Oyo from 1754 to 1770, and was succeeded by Alaafin Abiodun same year. Abiodun was on the throne for about 19 years, until 1789 when he was murdered by his own son, Aole.

Aole became Alaafin, and ruled from 1789 to 1796.  It was during these years that Afonja was Kakanfo, and was domiciled in Ilorin, a small town that nestled on the banks of a tributary of the River Niger, the River Awun. Afonja was the sixth Kakanfo, coming after Oku of Jabata, and was succeeded by Toyeje of Ogbomoso. His tenure as Kakanfo signposted the loss of the Ilorin area to the Sokoto Caliphate, after a dispute between him and Alaafin Aole degenerated into insurgency. This development has remained of great impact on the history of the Yoruba peoples north of Oyo till date.

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