Ijesha


The Ijesha are a 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 kingdom of the same name, ruled by an Oba locally styled as the Owa Obokun Adimula. The current reigning Owa Obokun is Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaranfall|

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 of Nigeria.
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-Ijesha Waterfalls is located in Ijeshaland.

History

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

The city state of Ilesa 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. 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 Ijesha royal family

The Ijesha royals all claim descent from Oba Oduduwa by way of Ajibogun. In addition to serving as rulers of Ijeshaland, 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:
Owa Ajibogun-
Owa Owaka Okile
Owa Obarabara Olokun Eshin
Owa Owari1466 - 1522
Owa Owaluse1522 - 1526
Owa Atakunmosa1526 - 1546
Yeyelagagba1588 - 1590
Yeyegunrogbo1588 - 1590
Owa Biladu I1652 - 1653
Owa Biladu II1653 - 1681
Yeyewaji1681 -
Owa Bilaro1681 - 1690
Owa Bilayiarere1691 - 1692
Owa Bilagbayo1713 - 1733
Yeyeori1734 - 1749
Ori Abejoye17.. -...
Owa Bilajagodo "Arijelesin"... -...
Owa Bilatutu "Otutu bi Osin"1772 - 1776
Owa Bilasa "Asa abodofunfun"1776 - 1788
Owa Akesan1788 - 1795
Owa Bilajara1... - 1807
Ogbagba1807–1813
Obara "Bilajila"1813–1828
Owa Odundun1828–1833
Gbegbaaje1833–1839
Ariyasunle -Regent1839
Owa Ofokutu1839–1853
Ariyasunle -Regent1853
Owa Aponlose1858 –1867
Owa Alobe1867–1868
Owa Agunlejika I1868 - 1869
Vacant4 Jun 1870 - 1871
Owa Oweweniye 1871–1873
Vacant1873
Oweweniye 1873–1875
Owa Adimula Agunloye-bi-Oyinbo "Bepolonun"1875 - 1893
Owa AlowoloduMar 1893 - Nov 1894
VacantNov 1894 - Apr 1896
Owa Ajimoko IApr 1896 - Sep 1901
Owa Ataiyero 1901–1920
Owa Aromolaran1920–1942
Ajimoko "Haastrup" - Regent1942 - 10 Sep 1942
Ajimoko II "Fidipote"10 Sep 1942 - 18 Oct 1956
J. E. Awodiya - Regent18 Oct 1956 - 1957
Owa Biladu III "Fiwajoye"1957 - Jul 1963
.Ogunmokun... - RegentJul 1963 - 1966
Owa Agunlejika II1966–1981
Owa Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II1982 - present