# Ijesha

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The **Ijesha** ([Yoruba alphabet](/source/Yoruba_alphabet): *Ìjẹ̀ṣà* ìd͡ʒɛ̀ʃà or *Ùjẹ̀ṣà* ùd͡ʒɛ̀ʃà) are one of the major sub-groups of the [Yoruba people](/source/Yoruba_people) of [West Africa](/source/West_Africa). [Ilesha](/source/Ilesa) 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 Prince Clement Adesuyi Haastrup from the Bilaro Oluodo Ruling House succeeds the now late Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, as the 49th Owa Obokun of Ijesaland. However there is much contention as the Osun State Government and Prince Clement Adesuyi Haastrup violated a court injunction that said no king is to be chosen until the court case has been settled which was made a week before his controversial and likely illegal selection.The Haastrup family is an ancient prominent family of Yoruba Extraction who have bore millionaires, a deputy governor and a Supreme Court Judge.[1][2][3] 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 (where they are known as **Lucumí**).[4] This prominence is due to the founder of the Ijesas being Owa Ajibogun who is the direct son of Oduduwa, 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](/source/Intersection_(road)) of roads from [Ile-Ife](/source/Ile-Ife), [Oshogbo](/source/Oshogbo), [Ado Ekiti](/source/Ado_Ekiti) and [Akure](/source/Akure). The Ijesa cultural area presently covers six local government councils within [Osun state](/source/Osun_State) and [Okemesi](/source/Okemesi) currently the headquarter of Okemesi/Ido-ile LCDA in Ekiti State of [Nigeria](/source/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](/source/Ekiti_people) on the east, the [Igbomina](/source/Igbomina_tribe) to the north, the [Ife](/source/Ile-Ife) to the south, and the [Oyo](/source/Oyo,_Oyo_State) and Ibolo to the west.

The nationally famous Olumirin waterfalls, more popularly known as [Erin-Odo Ijesha Waterfalls](/source/Erin-Ijesha_Waterfalls) is located in Ijeshaland.

Ijeshaland is rich in [Gold](/source/Gold) and has the largest deposit in [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria). It is currently estimated to have 5 billion US dollars' worth of Gold in the Ilesa Gold Belt.

## History

The word Ìjèsà is said to originate from the idea of "eating with the Gods (Orisha)." The people were devoted Orisha worshippers and were known for frequently celebrating festivals, feasting, and honouring their deities — hence the description "those who eat the 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](/source/Irele), Omuo-Oke are said to speak a dialect similar to Ijesha.[5]

## Ilesa

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](/source/Oduduwa), the royal progenitor of the Yoruba race of South-Western Nigeria, [Benin Republic](/source/Benin_Republic) and [Togo](/source/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 .[6] 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*.[7]

## 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](/source/Akure_Kingdom), for example, claim descent from the Owas by way of Princess Owawejokun, a daughter of Owa Atakunmosa.[citation needed]

The rulers of the Kingdom have been:

The ruler's title: Owa Obokun Adimula Owa Ajibogun 1100 A.D Owa Owaka Okile 1260 - 1358 A.D Owa Obarabara Olokun Eshin 1360 - 1459 A.D Owa Owari 1466 - 1522 Owa Owaluse 1522 - 1526 Owa Atakunmosa 1526 - 1546 Owa Bilayiarere 1588 - 1590 Yeyeladegba 1646 - 1652 Yeyegunrogbo 1652 - 1653 Owa Biladu I 1653 - 1681 Owa Bilaro I 1681 - 1690 Yeyewaji 1691 - 1692 Owa Waiye 1692 - 1693 Owa Wayero 1698 - 1712 Owa Bilagbayo 1713 - 1733 Yeyeori 1734 - 1749 Owa Bilajagodo 1749 - 1771 Owa Bilatutu "Otutu bi Osin" 1772 - 1776 Owa Bilasa "Asa abodofunfun" 1776 - 1788 Owa Akesan 1789 - 1795 Owa Bilajara 1796 - 1803 Owa Odundun 1804 – 1814 Owa Obara "Bilajila" 1814–1832 Owa Gbegbaaje 1832–1846 Owa Ofokutu 1846 – 1858 Ariyasunle (1st time) -Regent 1839 Owa Ofokutu 1839–1853 Ariyasunle (2nd time) -Regent 1853 Owa Aponlese 1858 –1867 Owa Alobe 1867 – 1868 Owa Agunlejika I 1868 - 1869 Vacant 4 Jun 1870 - 1871 Owa Oweweniye (1st time) 1871–1873 Vacant 1873 Oweweniye (2nd time) 1873–1874 Owa Adimula Agunloye-bi-Oyinbo "Bepolonun" 1875 - 1893 Owa Alowolodu Mar 1894 - Nov 1895 Vacant Nov 1894 - Apr 1896 Owa Ajimoko I Apr 1896 - Sep 1901 Owa Ataiyero 1902–1920 Owa Oduyomade Aromolaran I June 1920– July 31, 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" 1957 - Jul 1963 .Ogunmokun... - Regent Jul 1963 - 1966 Owa Peter Adeniran Olatunji Agunlejika II 1966–1981 Owa Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II February 20, 1982 – September 11, 2024 Owa Adesuyi Haastrup "Ajimoko III" December 27, 2024 -

## References

1. ["Owa Obokun of Ijesha, Oba Gabriel Aromolaran, Dies at 87"](https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/09/13/owa-obokun-of-ijesha-oba-gabriel-aromolaran-dies-at-87/). *[This Day](/source/This_Day)*. Retrieved 2024-11-23.

1. ["Osun ex-deputy gov, Clement Haastrup emerges new Owa Obokun of Ijesaland – THENIGERIANTRIBUNE"](https://tribuneonlineng.com/osun-ex-deputy-gov-clement-haastrup-emerges-new-owa-obokun-of-ijesaland/). *[Nigerian Tribune](/source/Nigerian_Tribune)*. Retrieved 2024-12-28.

1. Osogbo, Toba Adedeji (2024-12-17). ["JUST IN: Court stops Adeleke from appointing new Owa-Obokun"](https://thenationonlineng.net/just-in-court-stops-adeleke-from-appointing-new-owa-obokun/). *[The Nation](/source/The_Nation_(Nigeria))*. Retrieved 2024-12-28.

1. Simwa, Adrianna (2021-07-24). ["Top 10 Obas in Yorubaland: Interesting facts about the rulers"](https://www.legit.ng/1177002-top-10-obas-yorubaland.html). *[Legit.ng](/source/Legit.ng)*. Retrieved 2024-11-23.

1. ["Ekiti State History, Tourist Attractions, Hotels & Travel Information | Nigeria travel info, tourism and attractions"](https://www.cometonigeria.com/region/south-west-nigeria/ekiti-state-fountain-of-knowledge/). *Guide to Nigeria tourism, local culture & investments*. 2011-03-25. Retrieved 2022-07-07.

1. Smith, Robert Sydney (1988). [*Kingdoms of the Yoruba*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ric6OhxbCS0C&dq=who+was+owa+obokun+onida+arara&pg=PA43). Univ of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-11604-0.

1. Services, KakakiOodua Media. ["THE HISTORY OF IJESALAND AND PHOTOS FROM IWUDE-IJESA 2018"](https://www.kakakioodua.com/2018/12/the-history-of-ijesaland-and-photos.html). *KakakiOodua Online News*. Retrieved 2022-07-08.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ijesha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ijesha) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ijesha?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.