Oduduwa was a Yoruba divine king. According to tradition, he was the holder of the title of the Olofin of Ile-Ife, the Yoruba holy city. He ruled briefly in Ife, and also served as the progenitor of a number of independent royal dynasties in Yorubaland. His name, phonetically written by Yoruba language speakers as Odùduwà and sometimes contracted as Ooduwa, Odudua or Oòdua, is today venerated as that of "the hero, the warrior, the leader and father of the Yoruba race".Through conflict and mostly, through diplomacy lasting many years, Oduduwa was able to temporarily usurp the throne of Ife to become King.