"Universally, Yoruba people thought of the title of the king as a title exclusively for men. In reality, however, many Yoruba kingdoms had women rulers in their history. An immigrant princess from Ife, Adetinrin, was the founder of the Ila kingdom in the Igbomina country, and another woman founded the Ode-Ondo kingdom. The warlike kingdom of Ilesa had at least two women rulers - Yeye Waye in about the late fifteen century; and Owa Ori (or Yeye Wari) probably in the second half of the seventeenth century. It is significant that each of these women rulers led the Ilesa kingdom successfully during times of intense military challenges. A woman Ewi, Yeye Loreowu (so named because she lived at Orere-Owu just outside the palace) also led the Ado kingdom through serious internal strife, probably in the seventeenth century. Every kingdom also had a high female chieftaincy, the holder of which was the most senior woman in the realm and a member of the high councils of chiefs. And usually, there were special chieftaincies and priesthoods for women who performed certain functions, such as in the marketplace and in certain palace rituals. Finally, in every kingdom, one of the wives of the king was a titled wife, a position that entitled her in some kingdoms to sit by the king in some public appearances and to speak in some councils of chiefs. It is most probably this titled wife that we see in some bronze figures of early Oonis, figures made in Ife between the twelfth century and the fifteenth. Typically, these bronze figures show the Ooni and a female companion standing side by side, each wearing a crown, arms locked, with the king's left leg locked over his companion's right leg. These figures seem to symbolize the statement that the king's titled wife was very important in the affairs of state."