Oyo Empire culture in Oyo where victory was obligatory and defeat carried the duty of committing suicide. This do-or-die policy no doubt contributed to the military aggressiveness of Oyo's generals. The Oyo Empire was the only Yoruba state to adopt cavalry; it did so because most of its territory was in the northern savannah. The origin of the cavalry is disputed; however, the Nupe, Borgu and Hausa in neighboring territories also used cavalry and may have had the same historical source. Oyo was able to purchase horses from the north and maintain them in metropolitan Oyo because of partial freedom from the
Ojigi (Oyo) Oyo. Ojigi (Oyo) Ojigi (also Ojiji) was Alaafin of the Yoruba Oyo Empire in what is now Nigeria from 1724-1735. Alaafin Ojigi's rule began Oyo's "great age of conquest". His reign is also considered the peak of imperial success, and Ojigi enjoyed the strong support of several important chiefs. Ojigi launched four military incursions against the Kingdom of Dahomey after the receiving requests for assistance from other kingdoms who were threatened by Agaja, the Dahomean king. In 1730 the Dahomeans agreed to begin paying an annual tribute of forty men, women, guns, and four hundred loads of cowries and corals