Shango ruled Oyo at a time when there was war among the Yoruba. His strength kept Oyo great, and spread its influence, until eventually the obas of all other cities acknowledged the greatness of Shango, and there was peace. But still, Shango kept tight control over his people.

The wars had produced many heroes, as wars are wont to do, and the greatest among them were Timi and Gbonka. Their names were spoken everywhere with honor, and over time Shango grew jealous of the people's love for them. Shango decided that he had to rid himself of these two heroes, and began to think of ways in which he could do so without shaming himself.

So one day, he sent for Timi, who came to Shango's house followed by a crowd of admirers. "You are a valiant man, Timi, and I value the services you performed for me and my city," Shango said. "And so I ask you to go to Ede, and rule there in my name. Ede does not respect me or Oyo, and there are many troublemakers in that city. Bring order, and then stay and be the father of Ede."

"I promise that the people of Ede shall sing the praises of Oyo and of Shango more loudly than any other men," Timi promised. He returned home, and gathered up his medicine and talismans, and his flaming arrows, and set off for Ede.

Shango rejoiced, certain that Timi would die attempting to take Ede. But alas! Word soon came that Timi and his few warriors had defeated the champions of Ede. Timi's name was even greater than before.

Shango brooded, and finally sent for Gbonka. "Timi has broken his promise to me," Shango said. "He promised that Ede would sing the praises of Oyo, but the people of Ede have grown even more vain and disrespectful. Challenge Timi in my name, and bring him back to me."

Gbonka despaired. "Father, please do not ask this of me. I hold Timi closer than my brothers. We fought together, bled together, drank together. If I challenge him, one of us must die, and the other must live as his killer."

"Your medicine is more powerful," Shango assured Gbonka, though he secretly agreed with Gbonka's prediction. And this pleased Shango, because then he would only have one troublesome hero to deal with. "You will surely be able to defeat Timi without having to kill him."

"Very well," Gbonka said. "I shall do as you ask." And so he returned to his house, and gathered up his own medicine and talismans, and an antelope horn, and his spear. He left Oyo preceded by a drummer, who sang his praises.

The people of Ede heard the drummer and came outside to see who approached. They were awed by the sight of Gbonka, whose deeds were no less famous than those of their oba Timi.

Gbonka went to Timi's house and greeted him. "I have been sent here by Shango," Gbonka said. "He wishes you to return to Oyo with me."

Timi shook his head. "I am the Oba of Ede; I cannot simply abandon my people. Shango sent me here to rule, not to visit."

The two friends argued, but a compromise was impossible. "Then I am sorry," Gbonka said. "But we must fight with weapons now."

No less grieved, Timi entered his house and picked up his bow and medicine. "Do not interfere in this matter," Timi said to his people. "This fight is between my friend and myself."

Drummers played the praise names of both Gbonka and Timi. Gbonka stood, shield and spear low, and held his horn, which contained his most powerful juju. And as he stood there, he sang a song which ended thus:

"When a child sleeps he drops whatever he holds in his hands.

Sleep now, Timi, and let go your bow and flaming arrows."

Timi fell into a deep sleep, and as he looked down at his friend, Gbonka could not bring himself to use his spear. Instead, he rejoiced that Shango had been right, and the contest had been decided without bloodshed. He returned to Oyo and went to see Shango. "I have brought Timi with me, just as you asked."

This did not please Shango, for once more it meant that there were two heroes in Oyo. He did take some comfort when he heard the people ridicule Timi, and called him to the palace.

"Things did not proceed as I had anticipated," Shango told Timi. "I thought that you would defeat Gbonka; and that would have been just, since your medicine is more powerful than his. But now the people of Oyo and Ede ridicule you. If you wish to face Gbonka again, I will make certain that the entire city witnesses your triumph."

"Yes, I will fight him once more," said Timi, for shame had overcome his love for Gbonka. "And one of us shall die."

And so Shango sent out criers, and the next morning the two warriors faced each other once more. Taunts and praise names filled the air. This time, Timi aimed quickly and truly, sending a flaming arrow at Gbonka's heart. But Gbonka pointed his medicine horn to the east, and the arrow veered off in that direction. Timi loosed another arrow, and Gbonka pointed to the west, and the second arrow flew off in that direction. Time and again, Gbonka turned aside Timi's arrows, and then once more he sang his song, and Timi dropped his weapons as sleep overcame him.

Shango remained dissatisfied, and called Gbonka to him once more. "The contest has not been decided, since both of you still live."

And then Gbonka raged at Shango, who had forced him to shame his friend. "I have fought Timi twice, at your whim, and defeated him twice, yet still you are not satisfied! If you wish that one of us dies, then so be it: I will fight him again, and kill him. And then either you or I will be driven from Oyo."

The heroes met a third time, and Gbonka used his medicine to put Timi to sleep once more. But this time, he drew his sword and cut off the head of his friend.

"Are you satisfied now?" he cried in contempt, and threw Timi's head into Shango's lap.

Shango could not bear this insult, and ordered his men to seize Gbonka and bind his arms. "For your disrespect, you shall be executed," Shango said, and had a fire built. His guards threw Gbonka in, but the fire did not touch his flesh. It only burned away the cords which bound Gbonka, and when he was free he emerged unharmed from the flames. The people fled in terror, all save Shango and his wife Oya.

Gbonka advanced upon Shango, and struck him with the medicine horn. "I banish you. Leave Oyo within the next five days, and never return."

Shango opened his mouth and breathed fire upon Gbonka, to no avail. He knew then that he could not defeat Gbonka. The people turned their backs upon Shango, and for the next five days he listened as they sang in praise of Gbonka. That night, Shango took Oya and set off for Nupe.

The farther they traveled, the more they despaired. Shango could not bear the shame of his banishment, and went off into the woods. When Oya came to look for him, she found his double-bladed axe lying on the ground, and Shango hanging by his neck.

Oya ran back to Oyo, crying that Shango had hanged himself. A group of men went into the forest, for although he had been banished, Shango had been the city's Oba and warranted a proper burial. But, though they found Shango's axe and the rope hanging from an ayan tree, Shango's body was nowhere to be found.

The leaders of Oyo discussed the mystery. Though they had seen no physical evidence, they decided that Oya probably spoke the truth. "Oba so," the people said, which means "the Oba hangs".

But that night, a great thunderstorm struck Oyo. "I do not hang!" a voice proclaimed in the darkness. "I have returned to the sky!"

"Oba koso!" the people cried in terror, hoping to be spared. "The Oba does not hang!" And, as they prostrated themselves before the violence of the storm, the skies began to clear.

Shango still watched over the city, and threw his thunderstones to punish men who displeased him. If a man was struck by lightning, his body was buried away from others, for he must have been an enemy of Shango. People made sacrifices at the ayan tree in Shango's honor.

Oya departed once more for Nupe. This time, she reached the river that separated the country of the Yoruba from the Nupe. "How shall I live as an exile, who was once the wife of the great Shango? I am the most miserable of women."

Oya entered the river, but she did not come out. Her spirit remains in the water, and the river is called by her name.

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