Second to the Orisa

The king is the highest manifestation of divine power, thereby representing the people´s divine covenant with the Creator, hence his appellation, aláse igbá kejì òrìsà (possessor of power second to that of the gods). In 1555, Englishman, Richard Eden noted of the Yorùbá reverence for their kings; “Speaking of the great reverence that they show their king, it is such that, if we paid as much reverence to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we would remove from our heads many of the plagues that we deserve daily for our depreciation and impiety.”
The lofty position of rulers and authorities is similar throughout Yorubaland. They are both political figures and religious functionaries. They derive their authority from the Supreme Being, and so any disobedience or conspiracy against them is seen as a crime against society and against God. In the past execution was the punishment for recalcitrance against the rulers. Anyone who seduced the wives of the rulers would be executed. The kings were fathers, judges, counselors and custodians of the community´s spiritual balance.  

On absolute loyalty and implicit obedience to rulers the Holy Odù Oturupon Meji says: 

The crown judges the head that wears the crown. 
The lips of the philosopher challenge the philosopher. 
The overly wise refused to respect the king. 
Thus declares the Ifá oracle to the disobedient: 
Sacrifice they were asked to offer 
in order that the sword of the king might not suck their blood 
They refused; they offered not the sacrifice. 
Orúnmìlà exclaimed, "It is forbidden." 
I exclaimed, "It is forbidden." 
O exclaimed, "It is a taboo. 
I exclaimed, "It is a taboo." 
Orúnmìlà said that the earthly king 
is the representative of the heavenly King. 
Orúnmìlà exclaimed, "Left with me.." 
I exclaimed, 'left with me, 
the sword sucks the blood 
of those who defy the king." 
To the king belongs authority. 
To the king belongs the sword. 
Then, take it easy, I say, take it easy, 
lest one's self-centered wisdom 
push one against the king's sword. 
Then take it easy, I say, take it easy. 
I have sacrificed, I have propitiated. 
I have kept the law of the king. 
The king could not but view me with favor, 
The king could not but view me with favor. 
- Holy Odù Oturupon Meji

The source of the king´s power is rooted in Odù Ifá. Odù Ifá is the definitive body of creation myths, detailing the origins of each kingdom. This category of odù Ifá is commonly referred to as creation myths. They fall into two basic patterns: creation myths and migration myths.  Creation myths describe the Yorùbá genesis in Ilé Ifè. On the other hand, the migration myths of most Yorùbá towns relate that the first oba of the presently ruling dynasty founded the town – e dá ilú sílè. The myths also tell that the present oba is a direct descendent of the kingdom’s founder, who was, in turn, a direct descendant of Oduduwa and they trace the founder’s migration from Ilé Ifè to the present location (e.g., Ijebu,  Ondo, Ekiti, etc.).