[4] Thousands of provincial officials (called Ajeles) were appointed to administer all the conquered kingdoms and report to the Alafin who glory in his majesty and power.
[4] But Gaha coveted all the powers and responsibilities of Oyo state to himself; all the tributes were paid to him, and he appointed his kindreds as Ajeles to administer the provinces.
[4] He was in the seventeenth day to his installation ceremony, that Gaha became the Basorun and immediately usurped the powers and responsibilities of the King.
[6] During the festival, everyone, rich or poor, high and low had the freedom of speech and expression without fear of accusation of sedition or treason.
[6] According to the Samuel Johnson, “The Bebe is sometimes termed Iku or funeral rites, as it intended to mark the close of a long reign, from the fact that the few Kings who celebrated it died a short time after,”[6] Agboluaje was installed as Alafin of Oyo after the death of King Awonbioju.
[4] His kingdom was around the coastal area which gave him access to expensive European manufactured clothing and articles of which he shared with Alafin.
[4] Unaware of his friend's narrow escape King Agboluaje poisoned himself and died before his emissaries arrived back.
[4] But Gaha's grip on the empire affairs was awesome because he appointed his sons, friends, family members and cronies to administer all important major towns; and all the tributes of those countries and surroundings were paid directly to them and not to the King.
[3] Gaha and his children arrogated all powers of governance to themselves with the king in constant fear knowing that his fate was in the hands of Basorun.
[4] King Abiodun continued this for many years that, according the Reverend Samuel Johnson,‘…even the Basorun himself was becoming tired of this abject submission, and wanted but a decent pretext for which he might kill him, just for a change!
These daily presents are getting to be too heavy a charge on my exchequer now.”[4] All the powers and responsibilities were coveted by Gaha but his children overbearing deprived him of wealth from the subject kingdoms.
[4] Given the fact that he had power, influence, and the fear of him many from Alafin down to commoners brought resources to repair and rebuild his losses.
You know very well, that in all the 6600 towns and villages of the Yoruba kingdom, Gaha and his sons have the dominant rule.”[4] Both went to inform the Kakanfo, Oyabi at Ajase.
[4] The invaders led by Kakanfo Oyabi and King Abiodun by his side came to Oyo ile with the warriors who met ferocious fight from Basurun Gaha and his army.
[3] At last, after several deaths on both sides, the invaders won and captured Gaha, who was thoroughly humiliated and all entreaties by him to have his life preserved fell out.
[4][3] This marked the clear beginning of the loss of the military powers and glory of Oyo Empire, but it would take another sixty years for a complete collapse.
[3] Two years after the death of Gaha, Abiodun invited Oyabi, the Kakanfo, to Oyo to honor him; but he was so stricken in health that he died on his way.