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The Ijesha (written as Ìjẹ̀ṣà in Yoruba orthography) are one of the major sub-ethnicity of the Yorubas of West Africa. Ilesha is the largest town and historic cultural capital of the Ijesha people, and is home to a large kingdom of the same name, ruled by a King titled as his Imperial Majesty, the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland . The present ruling royal family of Ijesha is the Aromolaran family with the current reigning Owa Obokun being H.I.M Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran. All Kings of Ijesaland are among the few paramount rulers and most prominent kings of the Yoruba Race extending to Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and the South Americas (Lucumí) . This prominence is due to the founder of the Ijesas being Owa Ajibogun who is the direct son of Oduduwa who is the Royal Yoruba Progenitor and God-King of the Yoruba People .

Geography

Ijeshaland is located at latitude 8.92°N and Longitude 3.42°E. It lies in a forested region at the heart of the Yoruba country, west of the Effon ridge which separate the Ijeshas from the Ekitis to their east, and at the intersection of roads from Ile-Ife, Oshogbo, Ado Ekiti and Akure. The Ijesa cultural area presently covers six local government councils within Osun state and Okemesi currently the headquarter of Okemesi/Ido-ile LCDA in Ekiti State of Nigeria. The Ijesa however have lost a lot of land due to wars and separation in the 19th century . Many people in Ekiti State have very similar origins to the Ijesa and are thought to have close familial relations to the Ijesa people .

The Ijesha territory is adjoined by the Ekiti on the east, the Igbomina to the north, the Ife to the south, and the Oyo and Ibolo to the west.

The nationally famous Olumirin waterfalls, more popularly known as Erin-Odo Ijesha Waterfalls is located in Ijeshaland.

Ijeshaland is rich in Gold and has the largest deposit in Nigeria. It is currently estimated to have 5 billion US dollars worth of Gold in the Ilesa Gold Belt.

History

The word Ìjèsà comes from eating with the god (Orisha). The people were devoted Orisha worshippers and are always celebrating one festival or another eating and celebrating hence those who eat Orisha's food . The Ijesha may have lost some territory to their neighbours during various conflicts and wars of the nineteenth and preceding centuries. The people of Oke-Ako, Irele, Omuo-Oke are said to speak a dialect similar to Ijesha.

Ilesa

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The city state of Ilesa (Ile ti a sa, which means "a homeland we chose") is the traditional headquarters of Ijesaland. It was founded in c.1250 by Owaluse, a grandson of Ajibogun Ajaka Owa Obokun Onida Arara, one of the most accomplished great-grandsons of Oduduwa, the royal progenitor of the Yoruba race of South-Western Nigeria, Benin Republic and Togo. His father became mysteriously blind and Ifa concluded that he has to wash his eyes with sea water to be able to see again. Owa volunteered and got the water from the sea hence the name Owa-Obokun . The city was described by Rev. William Howard Clark in 1854 as:

For its cleanliness, regularity in breadth and width, and the straightness of its streets, the ancient city of Ilesa far surpasses any native town I have seen in black Africa.

The Ilesa royal families

The Ilesa royal claim descent from Oba Oduduwa by way of Ajibogun. The dynasty has also contributed to the development of other powerful kingdoms in Yorubaland. The ruling houses of the Akure Kingdom, for example, claim descent from the Owas by way of Princess Owawejokun, a daughter of Owa Atakunmosa.

The rulers of the Kingdom have been:

References

1. "Owa Obokun of Ijesha, Oba Gabriel Aromolaran, Dies at 87 – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
2. Simwa, Adrianna (2021-07-24). "Top 10 Obas in Yorubaland: Interesting facts about the rulers". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
3. "Ekiti State History, Tourist Attractions, Hotels & Travel Information | Nigeria travel info, tourism and attractions". Guide to Nigeria tourism, local culture & investments. 2011-03-25. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
4. Smith, Robert Sydney (1988). Kingdoms of the Yoruba. Univ of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-11604-0.
5. Services, KakakiOodua Media. "THE HISTORY OF IJESALAND AND PHOTOS FROM IWUDE-IJESA 2018". KakakiOodua Online News. Retrieved 2022-07-08.

• Yoruba subgroups
• Ijesha people