At the start of the 19th century, Ilorin had substantial Fulani, Hausa and Yoruba populations. Afonja, an Oyo warlord, who fled to avoid a suicidal war commissioned by the then Alaafin of Oyo found his way to Ilorin. An Islamic scholar, Salih Janta, popularly called Shehu Alimi because of his Islamic knowledge, also found his way to Ilorin from Oyo because of persecution by the Ogboni cult. He moved to Ilorin from Oyo with some Yoruba Muslims.