The history of any community in Yorubaland and in most of the ancient world is mixed with facts and myth. While it is not always easy to separate them, the truths that they convey are also sacrosanct. Whatever the size or position of any town in our land every community should matter and also receive attention from government, as in attending to them, government also cares for its citizenry.


Oba-Ile’s history is shrouded in mystery and is also intricately linked to that of Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yorubas. Many Yoruba books dealing with the history of the origins or myths of creation of the Yoruba race appropriately refer to the importance of Oba-Ile or Oba-Akure (to distinguish it from other Obas) as one of the earliest of Yoruba settlements. In some cases it is recognised as having a tradition independent of Ile-Ife, especially because of the link of Oloba with the creation of the earth. In fact, as Professor Bolaji Idowu has rightly explained in his ‘Olodumare, God in Yoruba Belief’, Oba-Ile claims to be the place from where the earth began to spread as has been directed by Olodumare. After Orisa nla had been asked to confirm the solidity of the earth, Oba-Ile was the place where he landed. Now this remains mysterious given that Yorubas believe this to be Ile-Ife. But what is often so clear is that either the first Oloba predates Oduduwa or was closely involved in the foundation of the earth in Ile-Ife. Subsequently his connection with the spread of the earth earns his Oloba Oodaye-the one who had landed at the very beginning while the name Oba depicts the place of landing on the earth. Professor Bolaji idowu described him as a priest-king from Ife who later settled at Oba-Ile. He was mysterious and had descended to the earth by chain from heaven which is why he is called okiribiti omo atorun ro saye; omo iye bi, omo iba bi. That is the one who landed on the earth and was not born either by a father or a mother.



On leaving Ile-Ife, he went along to see others who left with him settle before he chose to settle at Alegunranyin, in about 1100AD, which is why he was called A-kaiye-do, that is, the one who helped or brought the world to settle. There he planted a palm tree to mark his settlement. The mysterious palm tree grew and has 16 branches although bringing forth no fruit. This is what the Oba-Ile people sing about during Agbon festival when they talk of ope kekere ode-ile, mo ya soro (that is the small palm tree, it is time of festival). So Alegunranyin was the first place where Oba-Ile settled before moving to the present site. The others whom Akaiyedo helped to settle were the Oore of Otun Ekiti, the Oludanre (Owa) of Idanre, Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Elekole of Ikole, Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti, Onitaji of Itaji-Ekiti, Owa-Akero of Ijero, Arinjale of Ise, among others. It was here that he went with Oranmiyan on expedition to Ado (Benin) and Oranmiyan was said to have stayed at Oba for about 2 years whilst returning from Benin.

As at the time Oloba Akaiyedo settled, there was no other town around except Idanre; it was Oba and Idanre who had common boundaries. Thus Oba-Ile is not only of the oldest Yoruba settlements but in fact the oldest of all the towns in present day Akure North and Akure South Local Governments, including Akure the state capital. That is, Oba-Ile is older than Akure, the capital city of Ondo State. The Oloba came with his beaded crowns out of which some of his children later took and went from Oba to found other settlements, nearly 100 years after Akaiyedo had settled at Alegunranyin.
It was one of Oloba’s children who went to found Uso in present day Owo Local Government. This is why the title of Uso’s monarch remains to this day the Oloba of Uso. He went to replicate to a large extent some of the traditions in Oba-Ile with some quarters bearing the same name as in Oba-Ile. Among them is Umogun Quarters. It is also evident today that most of those who live in Odo Uso speak the same dialect with those of Oba-Ile or Akure people. The chieftaincies in Uso manifest a lot of similarities with that of the Oloba of Oba’s chiefs, such as Elemo, Aro, Edemo, among others. In fact, the Elemo of Uso, like the Elemo of Oba-Ile is praised as ogbo eketa iare-the third in rank among the Iares. The Iares are the senior Oloba’s chiefs who help him in administering the town. This is true in Uso as it is at Oba-Ile. Interestingly too, most of those who live in Uso today, especially in Odo Uso are of Oba-Ile origins and some may have come from Akure too. There is also great intermarriage between Uso and Oba-Ile people. A lot of Uso traditions and cultures are very similar to that of Oba-Ile.
Among others who left Oba-Ile was Akinsanmi who later founded Awo-Ekiti, and Emure-Ekiti. Also out of Oba-Ile left other Oloba’s sons who went to found Oba-Akoko, Oba in Anambra State, another one went to settle near Abeokuta while the last to leave went to settle in present Osun State, near Osogbo.

It is believed that various disagreements between Oloba and his children were partly responsible for their leaving home and this has had negative impact on the growth of Oba-Ile, as each time they left, the population reduced drastically. Little wonder that until recent years, Oba-Ile’s growth has been relatively slow whilst it has lost out in many strategic decisions and planning that could have helped its growth.
Oba-Ile indigenes are fond of moving out to settle elsewhere and making it the places of their abode, and this trend has not entirely ceased in this modern era.

A prominent Oba-Ile son, Chief Makinde Oguntona captures this very well when he describes Oba-Ile as an ancient town that refused to grow along with its contemporaries. So Oba-Ile is one of the oldest Yoruba towns. Even though this is not often acknowledged but Yoruba historians acknowledge it. It has been an independent town from the very beginning.

To be continued



www.focusnigeria.com/yoruba-town.htm

will love if more people can contribute to this.....
dgr8est....

That is not Oba Ile.

YourNemesis:
That is not Oba Ile.

random pics,
will have to post self taken photographs since oba ile is so less represented online.....

pls do not hesitate to contribute any info/source u know sir.

I am a bona fide son of oba-ile

doctuw:
I am a bona fide son of oba-ile

really?
household?

[quote author=IAmOged post=55407074] really?
household?[/quote
Alo

Nice narrative

IAmOged:

enh enh
hin alagbara re
I am from Akinola Oleyo,Sao Faloye family

can we exchange phone numbers?

IAmOged:

enh enh
hin alagbara re
I am from Akinola Oleyo,Sao Faloye family

my great grand mother is a daughter of Sao Faloye

doctuw:
my great grand mother is a daughter of Sao Faloye

waoh
eje mi

Any Oba-Ile youth here should pls pm me

Interesting. Anyone from Oba-Ile should chime in joor

Emilokoiyawon:
Interesting. Anyone from Oba-Ile should chime in joor

I am from Oba-Ile

doctuw:
I am from Oba-Ile

Interesting. So what dialect of Yoruba is spoken there? Is it the Ife dialect?

Emilokoiyawon:


Interesting. So what dialect of Yoruba is spoken there? Is it the Ife dialect?

Akure dialect