What We Are Made Of!
Irewolede is Made up of six independent Towns
Historically the six communities have the same traditional and cultural background. They speak the same dialect and have similarities in all things. Let’s share a little historical background of these noble towns with you…
Oke-Oro
Oke-Oro, previously known as Idao, is an ancient town that has been in existence for a significant period of time. It is one of the 22 towns and villages in the old Ijero Kingdom and presently one of the 6 towns in Irewolede LCDA, just a 15-minute drive from Iloro Ekiti, the headquarters of Irewolede LCDA.
The town's history and founding are complex and span several stages. Oke-Oro was formed by the fusion of two different towns, Idao and Ioro. The Oke-oro people were initially located about five kilometers away from where they are currently situated. However, they later joined together to become one town under the name Idao, and subsequently changed the name to Oke-Oro.
During the early years of the town's existence, Idao and Ioro were one. However, they eventually separated and became two different towns before reuniting again. Eesa was the first king of Idao, followed by Aro and Odofin. Eesa was from the Asosanyin family of Ijero Ekiti and settled in the old Idao town with his family. Aoro Oluha was the King of Ioro while Eesa was the king of Idao then.
After many years, the two towns settled very close to each other and discovered that they shared many cultural and traditional practices. They saw no reason to remain separated and agreed to become one town, under the condition that the king would be a neutral person who was not from Idao or Ioro.
Apetu, a prince of Ajero and a powerful man, emerged as the ideal candidate for the position of king. The leaders of the two towns agreed and made Apetu their king. They reached this mutual agreement under a tree called Porogun, beside the Aure river which separated the two towns.
The people who founded Oke-Oro are known as the Original owners of the land and also the Iwarefa mefa. They worship various deities, such as Osanyin, Ore, Olokore Mota (orun idao), Esin, among others. Oluha, the King of Ioro, went back to revenge the splitting of the town and cursed a particular place in Odo-Ose street where no son or daughter of Idao is allowed to live or build a house, under penalty.
The Aure river that separated Idao and Ioro is a significant aspect of the town's history and is why they are praised as "omo alaure la idao para seji, omo alaure san lele gunta."
Oke Oro is currently being led by Oba Alex Aina Adebukola.
Ijurin
Ijurin Ekiti is one of the 22 towns in the ancient Ijero Kingdom, and among the six towns presently located in the Irewolede Local Council Development Area. They originated from Ile-Ife and settled in various locations, such as Okeleji, Igbo-Agbaagala, Igbo-Ogbe, and Odo Oko, due to frequent wars and insufficient water supply.
Fortunately, a hunter from Aro stumbled upon a vast brook named Arioyun during a hunting expedition. He informed the Head Chief, who then requested the building of a palace. Since Aro people discovered the permanent location, the hunter's daughter was honored with the title of Eyegun, the head of all females in the town.
The first Baale to lead Ijurin was Olowolamu-Ude, succeeded by Oba Ayeni, Oba Awani-mora-bi Ekikun, Oba Agungesoye, Oba Adunbi (Arojojoye), Oba Emmanuel Afolabi Ajobola (Aniyeloye II), and currently,
Oba Joachim Adeyemi Afolabi, Agungesoye 11, Odundunasodedero
Iroko
A farmer named Arokola, living in Osi Ekiti, stumbled upon a mysterious bell while cultivating his farm. Despite his efforts to uproot the bell and take it home, he couldn't move it. So, he built his home near the bell and named the area Oke Iroko. He even changed his name to Arokogbagogo. He had a wife named Eyemofoore and a brother named Oregba. Later, a soldier named Ogbe came from Erijiyan and settled near Oke Iroko. He went to battle, and before leaving, he asked his son to sharpen his cutlass, but upon returning, he found his son playing with it. In anger, he beheaded his son. Later, while sitting under a tree called Igi Iroko, he met Akuko, a leader of Aramoko's warriors. They drank palm wine together, but when the servant who delivered the wine to them reported to Kabiesi, the king was angry and went to confront them. Seeing them together, Kabiesi decided to kill Akuko, causing Ogbe to wage war against the people of Aramoko. After killing about two hundred people, Ogbe's cutlass got stuck on a tree called Igi Akoko, giving rise to the proverb, "Oju Ogbe to mona lona ba lara Iigi Agogo ona anoye oju ogbe ni".
Oba Subday Ekundayo is the current Oluroye of Iroko-Ekiti
Ayegunle
Ayegunle has a rich historical background dating back to ancient times, when different settlers were forced to come together due to inter-tribal wars and marauders. These settlers were usually led by powerful war leaders or herbalists, and each group became a house or community. The origin of Ayegunle, which is one of the six communities that made up Irewolede LCDA, can be broadly classified into two stages.
The first stage was when different settlers came from different parts of Yoruba land to settle in various locations. The second stage was when the settlers came together as a larger and more formidable settlement with Olojas.
The settlers of Ayegunle included the House of Eisinkin, led by Olosiri who came from the Adara house in Ijero; the Easa's house, led by a powerful hunter and blacksmith from Ila Orangun; the Asalu house from Isanlu in Kwara State; the Iwoka people from Isaoye, who were Asaoni sons and daughters; the worshippers of the deity Oo, known as the Iparao-Oo house, who came from Ilawe in Ekiti South West; the Eesaba house from Ifon off Owo in Ondo State; the Odofin house from Ado-Ekiti; the Eesaya house from Akoko in Ondo State, and the Sajuku house whose leader was from Iporo in the present Ilejemeje Local Government of Ekiti State. The Mola people were the precursor to the entire settlement that made up the new town called Inu, but they were ravaged, enslaved, and destroyed almost to the last family, with only a few survivors in Ayegunle today.
It was Olosiri, a war leader who led his warriors to Ido-Ekiti in an attempt to expand the Ijero Kingdom, but he was fatally shot and pierced with arrows by hired tappers employed by Ido people to fight Ijero warriors. Olosiri settled at Igbo-ogun to treat his wounds, and when the then Ajero sent several emissaries to find him and his followers, they reported back, "We have found the lost one" - from which the settlement got its first name, Inu. Eventually, Olosiri died, and the settlers from Ila and Olosiri's followers from Eesinkin house migrated to the present site, which was fertile and plain. Other settlers among those mentioned above joined the two houses of Eesinkin and Eesa later.
The Royal House was one of the last houses to settle in Ayegunle or Inu. Akalodimaro, a prince and son of Oba Arojojoye, the Ajero of Ijero Kingdom, left Ijero in annoyance because he was denied the throne after his father's death. When he got to Inu, he was persuaded to become the Oba because they were yet to have one. That was how Akalodimaro became the first Oba of Inu, now Ayegunle.
The current Kabiesi of Ayegunle Ekiti is Oba Johnson Folorunso Aderiye, The Oluwafemiloye I
Temidire
Temidire Ekiti, previously known as Isia-Ekiti, is located in the Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, situated between Ayegunle and Ijurin Ekiti. The Temidire people have a historical connection to the sixth Ajero of Ijero Kingdom, who had difficulty raising his children. As a result, a male child was sent to Isia for spiritual care and protection. The individuals who accompanied the prince and those who visited him regularly were referred to as "Usia," leading to the name Isia. However, as the population of the area grew, the term "ONIKUN-Sibe" was coined to describe the place, and it became the basis for the title of Temidire's ruler. The first king settled permanently in the area and became the ruler of Temidire. In 1972, the name of Isia-Ekiti was changed to Temidire-Ekiti due to the negative connotations associated with the term Isia, which means "follower."
Temidire Ekiti is currently blessed to have Oba Moses Olunlade Fabusuyi as the Onikun of Temidire - Ekiti
Iloro
The history of Iloro-Ekiti dates back to a man named Asalu, who held the title of Asagidigbi while he lived in Ile-Ife. Asalu married a daughter of Oduduwa Olofin, and they had twin children. In those days, giving birth to twins was considered an abomination, and the mother and children would be killed, along with the husband. Oodua did not want his daughter and grandchildren to suffer, so he gave them some properties and asked them to leave Ile-Ife for the town of their husband, Ife-Wara.
After leaving Ile-Ife, Asalu and his family stayed in various places, including Ila-Orangun, Otan Ayegbaju, and Ipole, before finally settling at Oke-Ore, which was near the present site of Iloro-Ekiti. The town's former name was Oro, which means "a mysterious thing." Asalu was a palm wine tapper and used to dig the ground to get water to wash his materials. The river that he found at this place is called Omi Asagidigbi and is worshipped by the female chiefs and Ioro group of Chiefs in Iloro-Ekiti. The fish in this river cannot be killed, and even if they are killed, they cannot be cooked.
Asalu was joined in Iloro by other families, including Omoloro, Aisha, Abamoji, Oja, Omojurin, Omolesi, Oshopin, Omosolu, Igbo, Imola, and Imosi. Many years later, an Ajero prince named Onaowuro passed by and saw Asalu working on his farm. Asalu convinced Onaowuro to join him in Iloro, promising to make him the king. Onaowuro became the king and had three male children, who are now the three royal families in Iloro Ekiti - Arowolo, Arojo, and Orubuloye.
The current Oluloro is Oba James Oluwafemi Olugbesoye