Okandani

Okandani, officially the Republic of Okandani, is a country located in the southern part of eastern Kasare, bordered by the Chiembulu Strait to the south, the Banube Sea to the west and the Osamian Ocean to the southeast. The country covers almost the entirety of the Gagalalo Peninsula and has an area of 430,318.42 km2 (166,146.87 sq mi).

Prehistory
Oldest human remains found in Okandani date to 110 000 BCE. Inhabitants of these paleolithic settlements were dubbed Vahoaka people. Based on DNA studies, they came originally from eastern Kasare. Around 50 000 BCE, Mokwongo people from southeastern Kasare started crossing the Chiembulu Strait. They eventually assimilated with Vahoaka people, forming Vahoaka-Mokwongo culture.

Around 9000 BCE, pastoral Watu tribes started migrating from the north across the Diyore Landbridge. Their raids pushed people of the Vahoaka-Mokwongo culture to the coasts of Gagalalo Peninsula. Between 500 and 400 BCE H’Ejrad religion spread from Dahar Desert and took foothold within Watu tribes.

Yokojanja Dynasty
In the early seventh century CE, maritime Jiwa started settling on the coast of Gagalalo Peninsula. They established several major trading ports and over the years mostly peacefully assimilated local populace. In the late eighth century CE, Namdala trading port gained prominence among the city states on Okandani coast. The Yokojanja dynasty of merchants and rulers emerged from this city. They carried out a series of short military campaigns and diplomatic dealings with the nearby city states. By 814 CE King Yuoro unified most of Okandani coast under his rule.

The Okandani Kingdom, led by the Yokojanja dynasty, often clashed with pastoral Watu to the north. Their conflicts escalated over the years and in 872 CE, King Jatelo defeated a Watu coalition army in a pitched battle near mountain Locho. Soon after, Watu tribes folded to Jatelo’s demands. This was the first time the whole area of current day Okandani was united into a single nation.