Ilesa
Ilesa is a city located in the Osun State, south west Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom centered on that city. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland. The state of Ilesa consisted of Ilesa itself and a number of smaller surrounding cities.
The Ijesa, a term also denoting the people of the state of Ilesa, are part of the present Osun State of Nigeria. Some of the popular towns of the Ijesa are Ibokun, Erin Ijesa, Ijeda-Ijesa, Ipetu Jesa, Ijebu-Jesa, Esa-Oke, Ipole Ijesa, Ifewara Ijesa,Iloko Ijesa, Iwara Ijesa, Iperindo Ijesa, Erinmo Ijesa, Iwaraja Ijesa, Erin Ijesa, Idominasi, Ilase Ijesa, Igangan ijesa, Imo Ijesa, Alakowe Ijesa, Osu Ijesa, Eti Oni, Itaore, Itagunmodi, Itaapa, Epe Ijesa, Omo Ijesa, Eti-oni, Ibokun, Inila, Ijinla, Iloba Ijesa, Odo Ijesa, Imogbara Ijesa, Eseun Ijesa, Iloo, Owena Ijesa, Ido Ijesa, Ido Oko Ibala Ijesa, Idominasi, Ilowa, and Ibodi.
The state of Ijeshaland was founded c.1300 by Ajibogun Ajaka Owa Obokun Onida Raharaha, a warlike grandson of Emperor Oduduwa.
A Series Of Excerpts From The Oral Records Of The Ijesa
According to the historian Samuel Johnson:Colonial assessment
The city was described by the Rev. William Howard Clark in 1854 in the following manner:The Ijesa Monarchs
There are four royal houses amongst which accession to the throne is supposed to be rotated: Biladu, Bilagbayo, Bilaro and Bilayirere.Rulers, under the title of Owa Obokun Adimula, have been as follows:
| Owa Ajibogun | - |
| Owa Owaka Okile | |
| Owa Obarabara Olokun Eshin | |
| Owa Owari | 1466 - 1522 |
| Owa Owaluse | 1522 - 1526 |
| Owa Atakumosa | 1526-c. 1560 |
| Yeyelagagba | 1588 - 1590 |
| Yeyegunrogbo | 1590 - 1591 |
| Owa Biladu I | 1652 - 1653 |
| Owa Biladu II | 1653 - 1681 |
| Yeyewaji | 1681 - |
| Owa Bilaro | 1681 - 1690 |
| Owa Bilayiarere | 1691 - 1692 |
| Owa Bilagbayo | 1713 - 1733 |
| Yeyeori | 1734 - 1749 |
| Ori Abejoye | 17.. -... |
| Owa Bilajagodo "Arijelesin" | ... -... |
| Owa Bilatutu "Otutu bi Osin" | 1772 - 1776 |
| Owa Bilasa "Asa abodofunfun" | 1776 - 1788 |
| Owa Akesan | 1788 - 1795 |
| Owa Bilajara | 1... - 1807 |
| Ogbagba | 1807–1813 |
| Obara "Bilajila" | 1813–1828 |
| Owa Odundun | 1828–1833 |
| Gbegbaaje | 1833–1839 |
| Ariyasunle -Regent | 1839 |
| Owa Ofokutu | 1839–1853 |
| Ariyasunle -Regent | 1853 |
| Owa Aponlose | 1858 –1867 |
| Owa Alobe | 1867–1868 |
| Owa Agunlejika I | 1868 - 1869 |
| 1871 Vacant | 4 Jun 1870 - |
| Owa Oweweniye | 1871–1873 |
| Vacant | 1873 |
| Oweweniye | 1873–1875 |
| Owa Adimula Agunloye-bi-Oyinbo "Bepolonun | 1875 - 1893 |
| Owa Alowolodu | Mar 1893 - Nov 1894 |
| Vacant | Nov 1894 - Apr 1896 |
| Owa Ajimoko I | Apr 1896 - Sep 1901 |
| Owa Ataiyero | 1901–1920 |
| Owa Aromolaran | 1920–1942 |
| Ajimoko "Haastrup" -Regent | 1942 - 10 Sep 1942 |
| Ajimoko II "Fidipote" | 10 Sep 1942 - 18 Oct 1956 |
| J. E. Awodiya -Regent | 18 Oct 1956 - 1957 |
| Owa Biladu III "Fiwajoye" Ogunmokun | 1957 - Jul 1963 |
| ... -Regent | Jul 1963 - 1966 |
| Owa Agunlejika II | 1966–1981 |
| Owa Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II | 1982 - ? |
Notable people
- Israel Olatunde Adedeji-Orolugbagbe, JP, BA London
- T. M. Aluko OBE OON
- Akinloye Akinyemi, Nigerian major
- Chief Lawrence Omole, Business mogul and industrialist
- Tosho Obembe, Business mogul and industrialist
- L.O Ayeni Rational, Business mogul and industrialist
- Dr. Fajemisin, Medical Doctor
- Prof Wale Omole, University Lecturer and Former VC OAU Ile Ife
- Majekodunmi Fesheke, Renowned musician
- Michael Adeniran, Business mogul and industrialist
- Olu Abiola, Business mogul and industrialist
- Prof Ibidapo-Obe, University Lecturer and Former VC University of Lagos
- Chief Ayotunde Durojaiye, Renowned Educationist.
- Bishop John I.A Falope, The First Bishop of Ilesa Diocese
- Samuel Olatunde Fadahunsi, Commander of the Order of Niger, CON and President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria
- Hon. Justice Kayode Eso. Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
- Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, a Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Professor of Political Science
- Moses Olaiya, a famous comedian
- Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, a Governor of Osun State
- Isaac Folorunsho Adewole, a Nigerian Minister of Health and a former Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan
- Pastor Enoch Adeboye, general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God
- Pastor Timothy Oluwole Obadare, of CAC WOSEM
- Pastor William Kumuyi, General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministries
- Ayo Mary Laurent, British film director and actress, star of television's Asylum and the great-granddaughter of the Ilesa monarch Ajimoko II “Fidipote”
- Yinka Jegede-Ekpe