THE OMO OLOORE STORIES STORY 6: YOUR DREAM IS VALID - GO FOR IT!

​THE OMO OLOORE STORIES

 

STORY 6:YOUR DREAM IS VALID – GO FOR IT!

 

I was privileged to have joined politics very early – 1998 while I was studying Electrical/Electronics Engineering at the Polytechnic of Ibadan, Eruwa Campus; but I didn’t make any attempt to run for office until 2009, four years after I had graduated from the University of Ibadan with a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Engineering. When I chose to run, I ran for a seat at the House of Representatives. 

 

At that time, loads of people criticized me for my decision. Some opined that a position like that was for the elders and not for young people. 

Others felt I was over-ambitious for a young person – they recommended that I should start from a small position like councillorship or Local Government Chairman.

 

Unfortunately, a large chunk of the people discouraging me at that time were members of my generation.

 

I was convinced that I had something to offer if I got into the office and so I never listened to them. Besides, the people who were in the office were only humans too; they didn’t have two heads. 

 

The elections were conducted in 2011 and I lost. Losing that election became an eye-opener for me; I learnt from that electoral exercise that I lost from within my own party (ACN). Once word got out that I had lost, the people who had warned me came out of the woodwork to remind me that they’d told me I couldn’t win.

 

I was announced as Commissioner and these people came back again. They felt that I was too young to be a commissioner and knowing that they got their eyes on me, expecting me to underperform, kept me on my toes. I knew I had to perform - it was the only option I had. I held two offices as commissioner and then I resigned to run for the same office I lost in 2011. 

 

Once again, I began to receive messages/calls telling me to drop the ambition because I wouldn’t win but unfortunately for them In 2015, I won and every one of them fell silent.

 

I am telling this story for as many young people reading this to know that their goals are valid and that they should never give up. No matter what anybody says about your dreams, you will surely achieve them so long as you don’t give up. 

 

The first time I ran for the office - when I thought the odds were in my favour - I lost. The second time I tried, it was a stiff contest. The person I contested against in 2015 was stronger politically than the person who defeated me in 2011 and so it looked largely impossible that I would defeat the person that was stronger than the person who defeated me. I came out nonetheless and won.

 

Years after my experience,I see a lot of young people who have been inspired by the bold steps I made and have run for offices that many once thought were beyond the reach of young people. 

 

I have seen people in my generation vie for office(s) and delivering fantastically well. 

 

Dear young person, you don’t have to come from a special household before you can get involved in politics. Stories abound of people whom no one knew what home they came from and they navigated their way around and rose to prominence. I want to encourage everyone to get involved.

 

Some would tell you that politics is very dangerous and you’d need to get fetish to succeed in politics. My reality tells me that this is not true.

 

There has not been anytime when I dabbled into anything fetish and I have been thriving in the little way that God wants me to thrive. You don’t have to do any of the unpalatable things that people make you believe you have to do to run for office or to succeed in politics.

 

To the young person whose goal is to run for office, be a person of substance, build the capacity to make an impact and to move our society forward because a man can only give what he has. No matter how hard he tries, if he doesn’t have it, he cannot give it. 

 

The old people who gatekeep our political system can try their best but their best can only be as far as what they’ve got to offer. This is why the educated and well-groomed young people must get involved.

 

The only challenge I have now is: looking at the calibre of young people coming out to run for office, are they genuinely running to make positive impacts or just going there to fill their pockets because they believe there is so much money in politics? 

 

As much as it is important for young people to contest and get involved in the decision-making process, it is much more important that they get involved to make a difference when they get the opportunity.

 

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THE OMO OLOORE STORIES STORY 5: IS THAT MY PHONE RINGING AGAIN

​THE OMO OLOORE STORIES

 

STORY 5: IS THAT MY PHONE RINGING AGAIN

On the 25th of July 2015 – barely two months after the erstwhile President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, handed over power, his spokesman – Reuben Abati – wrote a touching piece titled “The Phones No Longer Ring”. I read the piece and even though I was still in office at the time, I could relate with every bit of the piece. My sojourn in politics so far has been marked with moments when the phones stopped ringing.

 

I got my current number way back in 2002 when my father was still the Governor of Oyo State. All through the time he was in office, my phone was always buzzing with calls and texts. My father left office in 2003 and my number which was once a hotline grew so cold. Though few people continued to be in touch, the phone stopped ringing.

 

When I decided to contest for the House of Reps about 11 years ago my phone started ringing again. People who hadn’t reached out since my father left office began to call. I lost the election and boom! the phone stopped ringing. Shortly after losing the election, I was nominated to be Commissioner for Youth and Sport and suddenly, the number that had grown cold when I lost the election became a hotline once again. This was in 2011.

 

In 2013, the cabinet was dissolved by the Governor and at that point, once again, the phone stopped ringing. I remember that on the day that the cabinet was dissolved, I did not receive a single call. Few people checked on me at home and at the office; some friends even took me out that day but my phone which was always buzzing had grown dead silent.

 

Few weeks after, my name was announced as commissioner-nominee and, the people who had stopped calling began to call again. “Congrats o, baba” “we know say dem go call you back – you were one of the top performing commissioners in that cabinet,” they said when they called. 

In 2014, I resigned to contest for the House of Reps and the phone stopped ringing again. Once I scaled primaries and became the candidate of the party, the phone started to ring again.

 

Once you indicate an interest to run for office, the phone will begin to ring; when you win the election and are sworn-in, then the frequency of the calls will be massive! Once I won the election and was sworn in as a member of the House of Reps, my phone began to ring like never before. 

Apparently, a lot of people had my number but they never reached out until I had won the elections. For the next four years, my phone was continuously ringing.

 

The day I lost my re-election bid in 2019, the phone, yet again, stopped ringing. However, things were fairly different when I lost the elections in 2019 – a good number of people still called to check on me unlike when I first lost elections in 2011 but then, the number of calls reduced very drastically. For four years the phone had rung non-stop and suddenly, upon losing elections, the calls had reduced to trickles.

 

Recently, the Speaker of the House of Representatives announced my appointment as a Special Assistant and – as you may have suspected; on that day my phone was on fire. Every day since then, my phone has been on fire – calls coming from everywhere.

 

The lesson here is – power is transient, no one holds on to power forever. Definitely, there are still people who would stay true to you no matter what – I have people who have been with me from the very beginning and all through the phases of my life till now, they have remained steadfast. Many people will throng you when you have the power; once you lose it, they retreat.

 

It is a good thing that I witnessed the “abandonment” early in my political life. It made me to understand that everything in life is by opportunity and so whenever you have the opportunity to be up there, make the most of it. 

Truth is, you cannot help everyone that come to you but make sure to help the few that you can help – especially the ones that are real and sincere. And when you help, don’t expect anything in return – do it as unto God. When you do this, you will never be disappointed when the phone stops ringing.

 

It doesn’t move me anymore when the phone stops ringing. Whenever it happens, I just toss my phone somewhere and focus on life. When there’s a success and the phone begins to ring again, I carry on from where we left things off. 

The phone will stop ringing, not because your network is down but because people have tuned off from your network. 

 

What many do not know is that politicians/public office holders are not fools too – they monitor who relates with them and how they relate with them. Whomever gets the listening ear of a politician is most likely one who has stayed with him/her through thick and thin.

 

To the young people in office today, do good while in office, it is the good that will continue to speak for you when the phone stops ringing. It is interesting that these days when I go out, I have never been booed or rough-handled. 

Even when I go out privately, people would walk up to me and tell me how a project or a scheme has been beneficial to them, their families or their communities.

 

If you must associate with people, learn to stay true to them, no matter the season of their lives. 

Be consistent and steadfast. 

The ultimate question is – what fuels your decision to associate with someone: is it what you will get or what you will give?

 

(join me every Wednesday at 6pm, as I share with you personal stories from my journey so far and the lessons I have learned from them)

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THE OMO OLOORE STORIES STORY 4: SAVED BY THE COPS

​THE OMO OLOORE STORIES

 

STORY 4: SAVED BY THE COPS 

After I graduated from the University of Ibadan in 2005, I used to go back to campus mostly to see some of my lecturers. There was a particular lecturer, Dr. Ademola Aremu (now Professor); he had a keen interest in my development and that got us close. He had opened his house to me and he really just liked me.

One day in 2007, I was leaving campus after seeing my lecturer – it was about 7:30pm. I was using a blue Peugot 406 with plate number DL 01 BDJ (That plate number was one in town back then😂😂)

As I approached Mokola, on my way home, I realized that I was almost running out of fuel so I decided to branch at the next filling station which was at Mokola Roundabout.

As I drove in, a green Rover car also drove into the filling station – there were four guys in the car. I was about to get down to open my tank for the attendant to insert the nozzle, when a police van sped into the filling station – they were known as SARS at the time.

As the police van sped in, the green Rover took off instantly through the exit! The way they drove was reckless to put it mildly – it was obvious they were running from the law officers that had driven into the filling station. 

I had no idea what was going on with the green Rover and the policemen as I was wondering like everyone else.

The leader of the police team walked up to me and asked if I was tagging along with the Rover car that just recklessly sped off into the night, I responded with a ‘No’ and also that I didn’t know who the occupants of the car were. Then, he told me to identify myself, which I did. That was when he said: “ah, omo baba! Didn’t you see the green Rover that has been tailing you all the way from University of Ibadan?” I told him I didn’t. It was then he explained that they were trailing the guys in the car and then they discovered the guys were on my tail; they assumed that whomever was in the blue Peugeot 406 must be in cahoots with the guys in the Rover.

To be honest, I had no clue at all that I was being tailed from UI; I was just driving home, unmindful of the danger coming behind me. The leader of the team said: “It is too dangerous to stay here, you need to move.” I had to abort the mission of buying fuel and the police van escorted me back home. That was my close shave with death – it was the policemen that saved me.

(join me every Wednesday at 6pm, as I share with you personal stories from my journey so far and the lessons I have learned from them)

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THE OMO OLOORE STORIES STORY 3: THE PHONE IS TRULY MINE

​THE OMO OLOORE STORIES

 

STORY 3:THE PHONE IS TRULY MINE

While I was serving as the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, every time Shooting Stars of Ibadan also known as 3SC had a football match at home, I was always at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamasingba to watch the boys and cheer them on and I will sit in the general stand with our supporters. We’d sing and dance and cheer together. I never sat in the VIP section. 

Also, I never moved around with security all through my time as Commissioner – that way, it was always me and the supporters. Usually, too, whenever a game was over, the supporters would escort me to the car and then I’d leave.

 

On one of those match days in 2012, we went to the stadium as usual and we had a good time. The game ended and the supporters surrounded me as it was the usual manner. As we moved out of the stadium; I touched my pocket and I realized that my phone (A blackberry priv) was gone! I stopped in my tracks and whispered to someone near to me: “my phone has been stolen”.

 

Quickly, information circulated around – ‘won ti ji phone Commissioner’. I was rooted to that spot; I was utterly confused about how my phone had got stolen. In my mind, as I stood on that spot, I had no hope of recovering that phone. My mind had begun to mourn all the invaluable material and data on the phone that I’d never be able to get back.

 

Then suddenly a few meters away, we started hearing a small commotion – a group of guys were beating a young guy and they were dragging him towards where we were. They got close enough and one of them said, “Honourable Commissioner, e gba phone yin – Commissioner, here is your phone”. 

The guy they were beating was the one who stole my phone and he was obviously one of the supporters. They said the guy had gotten to the gate and was about to step out when they caught him. How those guys knew the boy was the one who stole the phone despite the massive crowd of supporters still baffles me till today.

 

That was how I miraculously got my phone back. I instructed that they let the guy go, after all he had been dealt with before they got to where we were.

 

That became a major encouragement for me and I learned a profound lesson from it – when people truly like you, they would move mountains for you.That was a massive show of love!

I still have that phone carefully kept in my office till date😂😂😂😂

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THE OMO OLOORE STORIES STORY 2: THE BOY'S THAT DISAPPEARED

​THE OMO OLOORE STORIES

 

STORY 2: THE BOYS THAT DISAPPEARED

During my time as the Commissioner for Youth and Sport in Oyo State between 2011-2013, there was a National Academical Sports Committee (NASCOM) competition for U17 football players. 

Oyo State had an U-17 team at the time and so, the various U-17 teams all over Nigeria came over to the State and participated in the competition. 

The Oyo State team won the competition and as a result were invited to a Football Clinic in South Carolina,U.S.A.

Once we got the invitation, I began to work towards getting approval and necessary funds to make going to South Carolina happen. Then, we applied for visas for everyone scheduled to travel and we got a positive response from the embassy; some members of the Oyo State Sport Council were billed to go with the team and so was I. 

So,sometimes in August 2012,the team and the other officials went ahead while I joined them days later.

After their first training at the camp, the boys retired to the hotel where they were to spend the night.I couldn’t see them immediately after their first training as I had arrived South Carolina that day,jet lagged; and so I went to the hotel I was lodged at straight from the airport.

The next morning, I went to their hotel to motivate them and that day they had a good outing during the first friendly match.

Then came the third day and I was greeted with an unexpected news. I was informed that they woke up and discovered that two members of the team could not be accounted for.

We were worried about what may have happened to the boys and we reached out to every relevant authority that we needed to lodge a complaint with. It was during the process of investigation that it was discovered through the CCTV footage of the hotel how the boys sneaked out in the middle of the night.

The first thing that got me worried was, these are boys that were teenagers, where do they know in the US that they are going to? These boys did not have their international passports with them, as the Ministry officials that had accompanied them were in possession of the passports and so I was really troubled at the kind of desperation that would have made these boys make such a daring move without any means of identification on them or any means to return to Nigeria if they wanted to.

As investigation progressed, we found out that, before they left Nigeria, they’d been in contact with certain people who had assured them that they would help them run away and also provide  all they’d need to start a new life in the US.

To cut the long story short, till we returned to Nigeria, we never found the boys. It was a big embarrassment to us. After we’d reported the incident to all relevant authorities and we couldn’t be staying on just like that, we had to return home with the rest of the contingent. 

Their passports remained with the ministry officials throughout.

 

Guess what – after we returned to Nigeria, some people that I know began to reach out to me pleading that the passports of the boys be released.

By running away, these boys had committed an offence, embarrassed the State and the country in the process so I was shocked that anyone would come and plead that I should release their passports, to begin with.They said that I shouldn’t blame the boys, after all they were Oyo State indigenes who had only gone in search of greener pastures.

 

The people who came to make the request then began to add subtle blackmail to their requests by saying that not releasing their passport may stand against me if I ever ran for any office in the State; that I might need the families of these boys in the future during elections and so for those reasons I should let the passport be given back to them.I DIDNT SUCCUMB TO THE BLACKMAIL.

Being in public office is challenging, the same people criticizing you in office are the ones who would also mislead you if care is not taken.

YOU WILL FACE TEMPTATIONS,YOU WILL BE BLACKMAILED AND CRITICIZED UNJUSTLY, while the unfortunate thing is that the people you are striving to serve diligently will join the crowd to criticize you.At some point you will be helpless and if care is not taken,you will cave in and join the bandwagon to do what is not right.

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THE OMO OLOORE STORIES STORY 1: ( LOYALTY )

​THE OMO OLOORE STORIES

 

STORY 1: LOYALTY

Don’t be in a haste to get your reward.

 

When I was elected into the 8th Assembly of the House of Representatives in 2015, the run for the seat of the Speaker was between Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The APC both at the National and Oyo State had subtly passed a message at the time that APC members in the house should support the bid of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. 

The process ran its course and, in the end, My candidate Hon Femi Gbajabiamila lost while Hon. Yakubu Dogara emerged as Speaker of the 8th Assembly.

 

As usual,people whom we had stood in solidarity for Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila soon began to court the Newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Yakubu Dogara’s camp for favours and juicy appointments. 

For me, I chose to stick with Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. I knew very much what I had signed up for and I was willing to stay the course till the end,especially because our society is one where people tend to abandon those who seem to have had a setback somehow.

Beyond just accepting party decision and obeying the instruction, I believed in the person of Hon Femi Gbajabiamila to deliver as the Speaker.

It must also be pointed out that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker elected at that time Hon Yakubu Dogara and Hon Lasun Yussuf respectively did a fantastic job.

 

Throughout my time in the House, I steered off the Speaker’s camp. When I needed to get my bills/motion signed, I chose to go through the proper channel of communication which was longer - even though going straight to the Speaker could get it done faster. 

I spent four years in the House and in that time I never stepped into the office of the Speaker. I did my time and, when the tenure was over, I left  and returned to Ibadan.

 

Then Hon Femi Gbajabiamila got elected to lead the 9th Assembly.

The first time I communicated with the Speaker after I left was when I sent him an SMS to congratulate him upon his emergence as Speaker.

After that, there was no communication again until a friend of mine got in from London and I had to pick him up at the Muritala Muhammad International airport in Lagos.

Somewhere inside Lagos,I sighted the convoy of the Speaker and so I called him. We got the greetings done and I mentioned that I’d seen his convoy.He said he had just got into Lagos and he wished me well. That was it.

On another occasion, I was in Abuja yo renew my American Visa and I decided to visit a Honourable member friend whom we were in the House together. 

He asked if I’d spoken with the Speaker recently and I said No. “You should speak with Mr. Speaker,” he opined. He dialled his number, spoke with the Speaker and handed the phone to me. We exchanged pleasantries, the Speaker and I, and we wished each other the very best.

 

In November 2021, Stakeholders of the APC were summoned to Abuja after the state congress. I called a friend in Abuja who also works with the Speaker to ask if he could arrange a car to pick me at the airport. Few minutes after,he called me back: “Mr. Speaker says he will like to see you once you land in Abuja,” he said.

 

I touched down in Abuja, went to my accommodation, freshened up and then went to see the speaker in his office. We talked about things generally. He jokingly told others in the room that that was my first time in the office of the Speaker even though I had been a member of the House for four years. We all laughed. 

Thereafter he requested that I joined them to a member’s office who was celebrating his birthday which I did and I left for my hotel afterwards.

 

On November 17, 2021 I received a call from one of the media people covering the National Assembly who said “Congratulations you have just been announced as the Special Assistant - Political Matters (South West) to the speaker”.The rest is history as they say.

I remember vividly during our conversation while I was with the speaker he said “You’ve been with me since 2015, you never bothered us with anything, you remained loyal till the end.

As much as I am enjoying myself and having a good time out of office as anyone who knows me closely will know that I work extra hard when I am in any office either appointed or elected.But I see this as another call to serve and so will I take it.

There are over 200 million citizens of this great nation and when you are recognized and called to serve,you must take up the challenge humbly,roll up your sleeves and get on the job without wasting time.

 

The motive behind this story is to show that LOYALTY PAYS.

Don’t be in a haste to get your reward. The Speaker does/did not owe me a dime, we never signed any agreement in 2015 that he’d give me anything in return for my support. He only recognized loyalty and the reward for that loyalty took six years to come - 2015 till now. We must learn that not all rewards are immediate but they will surely come in due time.

 

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Signs To Know When You're In The Right Relationship...

1.  You can read one another extremely well.

In a healthy and strong relationship, you reach a point where the two of you know each other wholeheartedly. You can figure out if something is really bothering him or not and vice versa. He might not even need to say it, but for example, you can just tell by the way he talks.

2. You are very comfortable with one another.

You know you're in the right relationship when you don't shy out around him and you're completely yourself. Both of you act comfortable around each other and seeking perfection is just not your thing.

3. Your Lives are not dependent on one another.

 Another sign you're in the right relationship, is when both of you have your separate lives and appreciate some privacy. It's so healthy for a couple not to interfere in each other's lives and still spend time separately. 

4. You bring out the best in each others!

When both of you encourage one another to be better persons in general, then you know you're in the right relationship. Both of you understand work commitments and totally push one another to a better future without being selfish.

5. You show each other complete respect.

Because all couples fight, it's very important that both of you respect each other during any kind of argument. If you don't cross that borderline of decency and appreciate each others opinions, then it's the right kind of relationship.

6. You always remember the little things.

You and your partner should always remember the little things that come across your paths. You should also know that in this fast-paced life, we can be overwhelmed and unintentionally forget about things. If you're in the right relationship, you will make the sweet insignificant moments count.

7. You trust each others completely.

The best relationships are always built on mutual trust. Both of you should never keep secrets from one another, because trust is simply the backbone of any relationship. If you do trust your partner, then this relationship is worth keeping.

8. Sorry is not the hardest word in the relationship.

 One important sign you're in the right relationship, is that both of you know how to say sorry and apologize. If you have done something that pissed off your loved one, you know creative ways to say sorry and make them smile.

9. Your support for one another is unconditional.

Being there for each other is one of the things that can tell you you're in the right relationship! Standing by each other in rough times will just bring you closer to each other, increasing the bond you have more and more. 

10. Acknowledging and accepting each other's differences.  

Accepting each other's differences is what a healthy relationship is all about. People have different interests, opinions and hobbies. If the two of you understand this clearly, then you can guarantee you're in the right relationship.

11. You forgive and forget.

Nobody is perfect and we all have a past. If you can let go of the past and still enjoy being together, then this shows you're in the right relationship.

YORUBA HISTORY Brief History "Ayede Ekiti"

​AYEDE EKITI

   

Ayede Ekiti is a town in Oye LGA of Ekiti state, South West Nigeria. The town was said to have been founded by a warrior, General Izimo from Iye-Ekiti and a mercenary (hired fighter), Atta Esubiyi (Echubiyi- This darkness or invisible person) from Ibadan Kingdom, a statement on Ekiti govt website revealed. 

History has it that some Igalas migrated to Ibadan many years ago, and many of such people have 3 tribal marks like Kogi Igalas. Esubiyi (Echubiyi) in Igala means darkness or invisible as hired fighters can demonstrate different powers, thus the name. Further more, Attah Esubiyi was said to have derived the name Atta from his war friend and colleague, Atta Igala (probably of Attah Royal house) from Bida Nupe (recall Prince Echude, son of Attah Ayegba who formed Nupe kingdom as in my previous post). 

This Bida Igala warrior who fought along with Attah Esubiyi came with his Igala followers were part of the Ayede Ekiti community first settlers. But whether Attah Esubiyi was of Igala origin or not, his fighting colleague whom he adopted his name as well as his followers are Igalas, and their descendants are still members of Ayede Ekiti town.

 The title of the traditional ruler of Ayede Ekiti till date is Attah of Ayede.

And so, our Ayede Ekiti Igala brothers and sisters, blood is different from water, and we are the same Igala blood no matter how long we were separated. 

We will reconnect soon and separate never again. Abomi Igala chaka, welcome to South West Nigeria.

Credit to Moses Imisioluwa Olaoke 

Thank you for the brief history

YORUBA HISTORY BRIEF History Of"Iwo Land In Osun State"

​BRIEF HISTORY OF IWO LAND IN OSUN STATE

Iwo is one of the ancient towns in Yorubaland. Its early history like the history of most Yoruba kingdoms, started at Ile-Ife early in the 11th century. Tradition relate that Adekola Telu, son of the sixteenth Ooni of Ife, Queen Luwo Gbagida, who migrated from Obalooran’s compound in Ile-Ife after the death of his mother. 

Prince Adekola Telu left Ile-Ife with a host of attendants headed to the unknown when they left Ile-Ife. However, his first settlement was at a place called Ogundigbaro which was a place located at the confluence of River Oba and River Osun. After a number of years at this settlement, they were forced to leave the place due to constant flooding.

After consultation with Ifa Oracle they moved to Erunmu District where they could not remain for a long time because of the depredation of wild animals around the area (Alademomi Kenyan). The sojourners then moved to Igbo-Orita from where, after a long time they proceeded to settle finally at Ile-Iwo.  It's claimed that Adekola Telu died at Igbo Orita. The site was a distance of about six (6) kilometres from the centre of the preset Iwo (Ibadan Iwo Garage).

Three descendants of Telu reigned here. They were Rounmu (who probably led the group there), ganfenumodi and Jikanmu (who had the most eventful reign). A separate account stated that while it was epidemic that sent them packing, they consulted Ifa oracle before leaving. Ifa therefore ordered them to leave Igbo Orita for a place where Eye Odidere (Parrot) abounded. It was on their way that Jikanmu fell sick and was being carried along by a man named Aimaku. Gossip House

As fate would have it, Jikanmu eventually gave up the ghost very near a river, which has today being named Adeke River (River where the King died – Obadeke) today. The man who was credited for founding the present Iwo was Olumade Parin. Parin had taken over from Jikanmu after his death, and had led the people to where Parrot is abounded. It was on their way that Jikanmu fell sick and was being carried along by a man named Aimaku.

The man who was credited for founding the present Iwo was Olumade Parin. Parin had taken over from Jikanmu after his death, and had led the people to where Parrot is abounded. That was how Parin became the first Oluwo in around 17th century.

Their kings are great by the successes achieved in war time. Their nobles show their nobility by their achievements at the war front. However, while Iwo shared similar sentiment of having a strong connection with Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race, the reason for their migration is far from wars but that of direct and willing migration from Ile-Ife. Iwo is located round towns and major settlements which includes Asa, Oluponna, Ile-Ogbo, Ogbaagba, Kuta, Telemu, Ikire-Ile, Bode-Osi, Ajagba, Ajagunlase and Ikonifin just to mention a few. 

The rulers of these aforementioned settlements pay traditional homage to the Oluwo of Iwoland, the paramount ruler in the area. It must therefore be noted with satisfaction that people of Iwo and its environs co-exist peacefully together while believers of Christian, Islamic and Traditional religions intermingle among one another without problem.

May God Bless Iwo Land 🙏

YORUBA HISTORY History Of Ile-Ogbo Town

​History Of Ile-Ogbo Town

Ileogbo is the headquarters of Aiyedire Local Government in Osun State, Nigeria. It is situated midway between Ibadan and Osogbo, the capitals of Oyo and Osun State. Ibadan is about 44 km to the south of Ileogbo while Osogbo is about 42 km to its north, Oyo 40 km to its west, while Gbongan and Ife are located to the east of the town.

The name Ileogbo comes from an old Yoruba folk tale that the people in this town had a very long life span. Ileogbo means the land of the old. The settlers in this town used to have a saying "Ile Ogbo mi ni mo de yi" (meaning the place where I will live till I am very old), and the name was later shortened to Ileogbo.

Ileogbo is one of the famous Yoruba land with its famous cultural activities and tradition,

Ore (ileogbo Ilu ore, omo arepo panda) said to be the protector of ileogbo citizen both home and abroad. Ore festival comes once a year and it attracts people far and wide. Ore tree is as strange as finding a lion in a hole dug in the ground that harbors a rat. When you account for the mother of whom her child's biography is shoddy, its sound unbelievable. But such is the feature of the cradle of a sacred Oore Tree located in Ileogbo.

Ileogbo, inarguably is a product of Ore Tree. The tree, because of its peculiarity, is a pointer to the seating of Ileogbo, the headquarters of Ayedire Local Government in Osun State. The tree life span is uncertain as the first settlers are younger than Ore tree.

The tree was located circa 1840 subsequent to a spiritual consultation with oracle by Kuseela, the only surviving Prince of the war between Fulani and Ileogbo in 1822. Ileogbo was checkmated by Fulanis in 1822, thus, the former site became desolated. After the clash between the troops of Alaafin and the Fulanis in Osogbo in 1840, tranquility returned to the affected Yoruba towns, Ileogbo inclusive. The development triggered Kuseela, consulted an oracle and was divined that he stops, with his entourage where ever he finds a tree tied with white cloth. It was divined that he, with his people shall organize a prosperous kingdom.

Tradition had it that the tree is manned by a male (Baba Abore) and a female (Iya Abore) appointed on the advice of the king. One of the past Iya Abore from Olukoun's compound nicknamed the tree Alhaja Jabaru. This name is not unconnected with the female spirit the tree is said to shelter. Some traditionalists considered Ore as a strong protection against any havoc in Ileogbo. The tree does not shed its leaves under its shade.

Eegun festival (masquerade) it is festivity that draws people from other towns and cities to Ileogbo.

Igbo festival is a must see tradition where young and old, men and women, boys and girls loyal to Igbo festival will be flogging themselves publicly in the city center.

Ileogbo has some private and public secondary schools like Luther King’s college ileogbo, Community High School, Ileogbo, African church grammar school, kuta/ileogbo others are Royal ambassador international college, ileogbo, Omoloye group of schools, ileogbo, Daarul-Hikmah Islamic School, Glorious group of schools, ileogbo and lots more

Aiyedire is a Local Government Area, one of the thirty Local Government Areas in Osun State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is located at 1, Col Ogunkanmi Road in the town of Ileogbo at 7°47′00″N 4°12′00″E. Hon. Adeboye Mukaila Oladejo had been its Chairman since 2017.

Aiyedire Local Government Area is divided into four districts namely Ile Ogbo, Kuta, Oke Osun (Alabata), and Olupona. For efficient administration purposes, Aiyedire South, a Local Council Development Area (LCDA) was created out of Aiyedire and headed by Hon. Olufemi Idowu.

This Local Government Area is located in the western axis of Osun state. It is bounded by Ejigbo, Ola Oluwa, Irewole, Ayedaade and Iwo Local Government Areas. It has an area of 262 km² and a population of 75,846 at the 2006 national census. It features two distinct seasons, the dry and rainy seasons. The average temperature of Aiyedire is put at 28.5° centigrade while the humidity of the area is estimated at 60 percent. Wind speed across Aiyedire is put at 10 km/h.

Farming is the predominant economic activity. Cocoa is a major cash crop cultivated in the area solely or in combination with other agricultural crops such as coffee, cassava, palm oil, kola nut, maize, pineapple and yam.

Trade is an important feature of the economic lives of the people with markets such as the Alaya main market and the Mosun market providing access for the exchange of a wide range of goods and services. Hunting and crop cultivation are other important economic enterprises engaged by the locals.

Sacred Idi-Oore Tree

The tree is famed a pointer to the seating of Ileogbo, the headquarters of Ayedire Local Government in Osun State. The tree life span is uncertain as the first settlers are younger than it. The tree was located circa 1840 subsequent to a spiritual consultation with oracle by Prince Kuseela, the only surviving monarch from the war between Fulani and Ileogbo in 1822 where they were defeated. In 1840, as tranquility returned, it triggered Kuseela, to consult an oracle for a new abode as the former settlement was desolate. The oracle divined that he stops, with his entourage where ever he finds a tree tied with white cloth. It was divined that he, with his people shall organize a prosperous kingdom. Prince Kuseela contacted the tree, weeded its surrounding, settled near at Akinmoyero`s compound and invited people from far and near and subsequently multiplied to about eighty two compounds with numerous suburb.

Tradition had it that the tree is manned by a male (Baba Abore) and a female (Iya Abore) appointed on the advice of the king. One of the past Iya Abore from Olukoun`s compound nicknamed the tree Alhaja Jabaru. This name is not unconnected with the female spirit the tree is said to shelter. Some traditionalists considered Oore as a strong protection against any havoc in Ileogbo. The tree does not shed its leaves under its shade.

Cultural activities

Anlugbua is celebrated annually. Anlugbua Akindele, a famous hunter and warrior was a progenitor that led his people from Orile-Owu to Owu-Kuta, where they are presently settled. He left Orile-Owu because he was not given the chance to reign after his father’s passage. His younger brother was made to ascend the throne, which angered him. So, he left and later settled in a place called Ikutamiti (I evaded death). It is Ikutamiti that was shortened to Kuta. After a reign of 300 years, he decided to sink to the ground, instead of dying physically. The spot where he entered into the ground is where is annually converged to celebrate. The place is now a local historical site.

The shrine is a sacred groove about three kilometres away from the town and inaccessible by vehicle and tucked inside the Anlugbua forest. Some of the rites are the sacrifices of live ram and dog in addition to pounded yam and okro/ogbono soup at the shrine. Persons who wear certain tribal marks called keke are forbidden from entering Anlugbua’s.

YORUBA HISTORY THE STORE OF OYOTUNJI: A YORUBA (West Africa) KINGDOM IN UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

​THE STORY OF OYOTUNJI: A YORUBA (West Africa)  KINGDOM IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

Oyotunji African Village is a village located near Sheldon, Beaufort County, South Carolina that was founded by Oba Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I in 1970. Oyotunji village is named after the Oyo empire, a pre-colonial Yoruba kingdom lasting from the 1300s until the early 1800s in what is now southwestern Nigeria. The name literally means “O̩yo̩ returns” or “O̩yo̩ rises again” or “O̩yo̩ resurrects” referring to the African Yoruba kingdom of Oyo, now rising in a new form near the South Carolina seashore.

Oyotunji village covers 27 acres (11 ha) and has a Yoruba temple which was moved from Harlem, New York to its present location in 1960. It was originally intended to be located in Savannah, Georgia, but was eventually settled into its current position after disputes with neighbors in Sheldon proper, over drumming and tourists.

HOW OBA EFUNTOLA ADEFUNMI I FOUNDED OYOTUNJI

During the slave trade era, many Africans were taken as slaves abroad. While going, some left with their culture and tradition which they continued within the foreign land where they found themselves. They continued with the culture and tradition of their fathers so as to maintain their identity.

The Yorubas in slavery are among the Africans that maintained their culture in the strange land and it was handed down to their children from generation to generation.

Many of their children, after the abolition of the slave trade, have married children of their former masters thus having children of mixed blood, that notwithstanding, they still carry on with their African culture in the foreign land since most of them cannot trace their root back to Africa.

The Yoruba culture has been one of the prominent and most celebrated one throughout the world till date. In the faraway United States of America, there is a Yoruba community named O̩yo̩tunji African Village. It is located near Sheldon, Beaufort County, South Carolina.

O̩yo̩tunji is regarded as North America’s oldest authentic African village. It was founded in 1970 and is the first intentional community in North America, based on the culture of the Yoruba and Benin tribes of West Africa.

It has survived 51years of sustaining the Yoruba traditional sociology and values in the diaspora. The village is named after the O̩yo̩ Empire, and the name literally means “O̩yo̩ returns” or “O̩yo̩ rises again” or “O̩yo̩ resurrects”. The village occupies 27 acres of land.

O̩yo̩tunji was founded by His Royal Highness O̩ba (King) Waja, O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I.

Born Walter Eugene King on October 5, 1928, Oba O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, a Detroit native, began studying Afro-Haitian and ancient Egyptian traditions as a teenager. He was further influenced by his contact with the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe in New York City at the age of 20, an African American modern dance troupe that drew from many cultures within the African Diaspora.

August 26, 1959, O̩ba Waja became the first African born in America to become fully initiated into the Oris̩a-Vodoo African priesthood by African Cubans in Matanzas, Cuba, and became known as Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi. After his return to the United States, he formed the Yoruba Temple in Harlem in 1960. The temple, committed to preserving African traditions within an American context, was the cultural and religious forerunner of Oyotunji Village.

He later traveled to Haiti where he discovered more about the Yoruba culture. Armed with a new understanding of the African culture, he found the order of Damballah Hwedo, Ancestor Priests in Harlem New York.

This marked the beginning of the spread of the Yoruba religion and culture among African-Americans. He later founded the Sàngó Temple in New York and incorporated the African Theological Arch Ministry in 1960. The Sàngó Temple was relocated and renamed the Yoruba Temple.

With the rise of black nationalism in the 1960s, King began to envision the construction of a separate African American nation that would institutionalize and commemorate ancestral traditions. In June of 1970, he fulfilled this vision with the creation of Oyotunji African Village.

It was during this time that he also established a new lineage of the priesthood, Orisha Vodoo, to emphasize the tradition’s African roots. Today, over 300 priests have been initiated into this lineage and the African Theological Archministry, founded by Oba O̩funto̩la Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I in 1966, now serves as the umbrella organization for the Village.

To further his knowledge of Yoruba culture, he traveled to Abeokuta in Nigeria in 1972 where he was initiated into the Ifa priesthood by the Oluwo of Ije̩un at Abeokuta, Ogun state, in August of 1972. He was later proclaimed Alase̩ (Oba-King) of the Yoruba of North America at O̩yo̩tunji Village in 1972.

In its early years, Oyotunji Village was home to as many as two hundred people. Today, its residential community consists of few African American families, governed by an oba (king) and the community’s appointed council.

Each family is committed to the teachings of the Yoruba tradition, which include a religious understanding of the world as comprised primarily of the “energies” of the Supreme Being Olodumare, the orisha deities, and the ancestral spirits. This religious world is maintained spiritually through rituals, chants, music, sacrifice, and annual ceremonies.

Oba Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi passed away on Thursday, February 10th, 2005 at O̩yo̩tunji African Village in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Since Adefunmi’s death in 2005, the village has been led by his son, the fourteenth of twenty-two children of Oba Efuntola Osejiman Adefunmi, till date.

The O̩ba title is referred to as “O̩lo̩yotunji” of O̩yo̩tunji.