The crucial check on an autocratic Oba in the pre-Colonial Yoruba political system was

In the pre-colonial Yoruba political system, the crucial check on an autocratic Oba was the ability of the people to refuse to carry out his orders. This was because the Yoruba system of governance was highly decentralized and the Oba's power was limited by the Council of Chiefs and other local rulers. The people also had the power to hold the Oba accountable by refusing to obey his orders and presenting him with a symbol of suicide, known as the "sekere," if they felt he had overstepped his bounds. This system of checks and balances ensured that the power of the Oba was not absolute and that he had to work with other leaders and the people to maintain his authority.