CHAPTER TWO

HISTORICAL ORIGIN OF THE YORUBA

2.1 The origin of the Yoruba

The documented history begins when Oranyan came to rule the Oyo Empire, which

became dominant in the early 17th century. The older traditions of the formerly dominant

Ile-Ife kingdom are largely oral in nature. The Yoruba people are an ethnic group of over

40 million people in total, inhabiting the southwestern and north-central region

of Nigeria, as well as southern and central Benin. Dating back to as far as the transatlantic

slave trade, which existed between the 15th to the 19th century, the Yoruba people were

said to have migrated to other countries as well, including Cuba, Dominican Republic,

Brazil, Jamaica, Grenada, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Lucia, among

others.1

2.1.0 Before Oyo Empire

The history of the Yoruba people begins in Ile-Ife. This kingdom was founded by the

deity Oduduwa, who is believed to have created the world. Oduduwa was the first divine

king of the Yoruba people. It is said the Yoruba people believe that their civilization

began at Ile-Ife where the gods descended to earth. The Ethnic group became popular

internationally due to their trading with the Portuguese which gave them guns for their

trade. The Yoruba were invaded by the Fulani in the early 1800s, which pushed the

people to the South. In the late 1800s, they formed a treaty with the British people and

were colonized by the British in 1901.2

The people, who lived in Yoruba land, at least by the seventh century BC, were not

initially known as the Yoruba, although they shared a common ethnicity and language

1
 group. The historical Yoruba develop in situ, out of earlier (Mesolithic) Volta-Niger

populations, by the 1st millennium BC.3

Archaeologically, the settlement at Ile-Ife can be dated to the 4th century BC, with urban

structures appearing in the 8th-10th Centuries. "Between 700 and 900 A.D. the city began

to develop as a major artistic center," And "by the 12th Century Ife artists were creating

bronze, stone, and terracotta sculptures." The phase of Ile-Ife before the rise of Oyo, ca.

1100–1600, is sometimes described as a "golden age" of Ile-Ife.4

2.1.2 Oyo Empire

Ife was surpassed by the Oyo Empire as the dominant Yoruba military and political

power between 1600 and 1800 AD. The nearby Benin Empire was also a powerful force

between 1300 and 1850.

Oyo developed in the 17th century and become one of the largest Yoruba kingdoms,

while Ile-Ife remained as a religiously significant rival to its power at the site of the

divine creation of the earth in Yoruba mythology. After Oduduwa's ascension in Ile-Ife,

he had a son. This son later became the first ruler of the Oyo Empire.5

The Oyo kingdom subjugated the kingdom of Dahomey. It traded with European

merchants on the coast through Ajase. The wealth of the empire increased, and its

political leader’s wealth increased as well. This state of affairs continued until Oba

Abiodun, Oyo's last great ruler, engaged his opponents in a bitter civil war that had a

ruinous effect on economic development and the trade with the European merchants. The

downfall of the kingdom came soon after, as Abiodun became concerned with little other

than the display of royal wealth. Oyo's empire had collapsed by the 1830s.6

2
 Like Oyo itself, most of the surrounding city states were controlled by Obas, elected

priestly monarchs, and councils made up of Oloyes, recognized leaders of royal, noble,

and often even common descent, who joined them in ruling over the kingdoms through a

series of guilds and cults. Different states saw differing ratios of power between the

kingship and the chiefs' council. Some, such as Oyo, had powerful, autocratic monarchs

with almost total control, while in others such as the Ijebu city-states, the senatorial

councils were supreme and the Ọba served as something of a figure head.

In all cases, however, Yoruba monarchs were subject to the continuing approval of their

constituents as a matter of policy, and could be easily compelled to abdicate for

demonstrating dictatorial tendencies or incompetence. The order to vacate the throne was

usually communicated through an aroko or symbolic message, which usually took the

form of parrots' eggs delivered in a covered calabash bowl by the Oloyes.

2.1.3 Modern history (Map of Yoruba people, West Africa (Nigeria), 1898)

The Yoruba eventually established a federation of city-states under the political

ascendancy of the city state of Oyo, located on the Northern fringes of Yoruba land in the

savanna plains between the forests of present Southwest Nigeria and the Niger River.

3
Following a Jihad led by Uthman Dan Fodio and a rapid consolidation of the Hausa city

states of contemporary northern Nigeria; the Fulani Sokoto Caliphate invaded and

annexed the buffer Nupe Kingdom. It then began to advance southwards into Oyo lands.

Shortly afterwards, its armies overran the Yoruba military capital of Ilorin, and then

sacked and destroyed Oyo-Ile, the royal seat of the Oyo Empire.

Following this, Oyo-Ile was abandoned, and the Oyo retreated south to the present city of

Oyo (formerly known as "Ago d' Oyo", or "Oyo Atiba") in a forested region where the

cavalry of the Sokoto Caliphate was less effective. Further attempts by the Sokoto

Caliphate to expand southwards were checked by the Yoruba who had rallied in defence

under the military leadership of the ascendant Ibadan clan, which rose from the old Oyo

Empire, and of the Ijebu city-states.

However, the Oyo hegemony had been dealt a mortal blow. The other Yoruba city-

states broke free of Oyo dominance, and subsequently became embroiled in a series of

internecine conflicts that soon metamorphosed into a full scale civil war. These events

weakened the southern Yoruba’s in their resistance to British colonial and military

invasions. In 1960, greater Yoruba land was subsumed into the Federal Republic of

Nigeria.7 The historical records of the Yoruba, which became more accessible in the

nineteenth century with the more permanent arrival of the Europeans, tell of heavy Jihad

raids by the mounted Fulani warriors of the north as well as of endemic intercity warfare

amongst the Yoruba themselves. Archaeological evidence of the greatness of their

4
 ancient civilization in the form of, amongst other things, impressive architectural

achievements like Sungbo's Eredo that are centuries old, nevertheless abound.8

2.1.4 Major towns, cities, and the diaspora

Many Yoruba peoples organize themselves into villages, towns and cities in the form of

kingdoms. Major cities include Ile-Ife, Oyo, Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ijebu-Ode, Iwo

and Akure. Some towns and cities of the Yoruba people are collectively considered to be

clans due to similarities in their origins and cultures. A number of other cities, though

non-Yoruba, have histories of being influenced by the Yoruba. These cities are Warri,

Benin city, Okene, and Auchi.9

The Yoruba diaspora has two main groupings. The first one is composed of the recent

immigrants that moved to the United States and the United Kingdom after the political

and economic changes in the 1960s and 1980s. The second group is much older, and is

composed of descendants of kidnapped Yoruba who arrived as slaves to countries such as

the United States, Cuba, Trinidad, Brazil, Grenada, and other countries in the Caribbean

and South America in the 19th century.

Much like in the case of Yoruba land itself, many people who belong to the Yoruba

diaspora are Muslims or Christians.10 Yoruba traditional worship remains influential in

diaspora communities, however.11

2.2 Social-economic Live of the Yoruba

There is much diversity in social and political organization among the Yoruba, but they

share many basic features. Inheritance and succession are based on patrilineal descent;

members of the patrilineage live together under the authority of a headman, share certain

5
names and taboos, worship their own deity, and have rights in lineage lands. The Yoruba

also have several kinds of voluntary associations, including the egbe, a male recreational

association; the aro, a mutual-aid association of farmers; and the esusu, whose members

contribute a fixed amount of money and from which they can receive loans. Political

authority is vested in the oba and a council of chiefs; constituent towns each have their

own ruler, who is subordinate to the oba. The oba is also a ritual leader and is considered

sacred.12

Many Yoruba are now Christians or Muslims, but aspects of their traditional religion

survive. The traditional Yoruba religion has an elaborate hierarchy of deities, including a

supreme creator and some 400 lesser gods and spirits, most of whom are associated with

their own cults and priests. The Yoruba language has an extensive literature of poetry,

short stories, myths, and proverbs.13

The Yoruba peoples inhabit a large part of southwestern Nigeria. Their art traditions are

of considerable antiquity.

The Yoruba have shared a common language and culture for centuries but were probably

never a single political unit. They seem to have migrated from the east to their present

lands west of the lower Niger River more than a millennium ago. They eventually

became the most urbanized Africans of pre-colonial times. They formed numerous

kingdoms of various sizes, each of which was centred on a capital city or town and ruled

by a hereditary king, or oba. Their towns became densely populated and eventually grew

into the present-day cities of Oyo, Ile-Ife, Ilesha, Ibadan, Ilorin, Ijebu-Ode, Ikere-Ekiti,

and others. Oyo developed in the 17th century into the largest of the Yoruba kingdoms

(see Oyo empire), while Ile-Ife remained a town of potent religious significance as the

6
 site of the earth’s creation according to Yoruba mythology. Oyo and the other kingdoms

declined in the late 18th and 19th centuries owing to disputes among minor Yoruba rulers

and invasions by the Fon of Dahomey (now Benin) and the Muslim Fulani. The

traditional Yoruba kingships still survive, but with only a hint of their former political

power.14

In a traditional Yoruba town the large and elaborate palace of the oba lies at the centre,

and grouped around it are the compounds of the patrilineages. The palace and the

compounds are now often modern structures.

2.3 Historical View of the Yoruba in Kwara (Afonja (Yoruba’s) lost the Ilorin throne)

The rivalry between the Fulani and Afonja descendants over the throne of Ilorin is rooted

in history. While the Fulani rest the case of their claim to the kingship of the ancient town

on the fact that the monarch had from the time immemorial been produced by them, the

Afonja descendants, who like majority of the people of the town are Yoruba, say since

their ancestor founded Ilorin, their claim to the throne ought not to be disputed.

History appears in support of the former's position although the progenitor of the Fulani

indigenes of Ilorin, Alimi, was actually a tenant to Afonja.15

The death of Afonja and Alimi, however, saw the eldest son of the latter emerging as the

first monarch of what was then known as Ilorin.

Historical sources, tracing the story to the 19th Century, said Ilorin of today was founded

by Afonja, the then Aare Ona Kakanfo (Generalisimo) to Alaafin of old Oyo (Oyo Ile),

who used the town as his military outpost. It was this outpost that he carried out his war

expeditions for the Alaafin. In the usual nomadic wandering, Alimi arrived Ilorin and was

hosted by Afonja. Soon after Alimi took Ilorin as his place of abode, a rift broke out

7
between Alaafin and Afonja. When the disagreement reached the climax and the two had

to take up arms, Afonja, out of regard for Alimi's spiritual and military prowess, sought

his support. Alimi helped in mobilising an army in support of Afonja leading to victory

over Alaafin. The defeat led the then Alaafin migrating from old Oyo to the site now

called Oyo.16

After the war, Alimi became a teacher to Afonja's children as the latter wanted his

offspring’s to learn the secret of power. When both died, Alimi's son, Abdulsalami,

inherited his father's duty of teaching Afonja's children.

When the idea of appointing somebody to head the village came, the eldest child of

Afonja wanted to have the position but met opposition from Abdulsalami who had

military support from his fellow Fulani kinsmen. Abdulsalami ultimately became the

ruler of what is now called Ilorin around 1831.The issue now is that Afonja's descendants

believe that their forefathers were cheated and want a redress. But the Alimi people are

claiming that the Afonja people never ruled Ilorin and, as such, no precedent exists to

back their position.

Penultimate week's incident was not the first time the Afonja and the Yoruba would

attempt to assert their right to Ilorin kingship.

Historical sources said in 1895, the Yoruba rose against the then emir, burnt his palace

and killed him. But the revolt did not result in enthronement of a Yoruba king. In 1913,

when Lord Lugard administered the northern and southern Nigeria, Yoruba were said to

have spearheaded a riot over tax to bring the rulership of the then emir to ridicule. In

1936, the Yoruba, according to sources, also moved to oust Emir Abdulkadir who was

banished to Kaduna but got reinstated by the colonial administration.17

8
In 1978, the George Innih administration of Kwara State raised a judicial panel of inquiry

to look into the Yoruba agitation. The Yoruba people reportedly made a case for the

merging of Kwara State with the Southwest before the commission while also laying

claim to the Ilorin throne. It was said they even claimed antecedent to the throne as they

allegedly said Yoruba had produced four obas in Ilorin before the advent of the Fulani.

But the Alimi people, in a counter position, claimed there was no known Yoruba king in

the town before their forefather mounted the throne.

The report of the panel never saw the light of day while there was also no white paper

from government. A twist to the tussle was the recent petition by three of the six Yoruba

chiefs (mogajis) in Ilorin to the State House of Assembly complaining that they had been

classified as ungraded by government allegedly at the behest of the emir. Their non-

grading, according to the chiefs, suited the emir, so that there would be no rivalry of any

sort from the Yoruba to his authority. Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union (IDPU),

formed to protect the interest Ilorin indigenes who are of Fulani extraction, once in its

opposition to the upgrading of the chiefs, said dong so would bring them at par with

Gambari. But the Afonja Descendants Union (ADU) which came on stream in 1978 to

advance the cause of the Yoruba in the town and with Kasumu as its leader would hear

none of that. The group is allegedly pressuring the legislature to grade the chiefs.

Another angle to the agitation is the demand for Oya State that will comprise the Yoruba

speaking areas of Kwara and Kogi States. The move, it was said, is to pull the rug from

under the feet of the emir and end the Fulani ruler ship of Ilorin.

The Yoruba people of Ilorin are not alone in the struggle. The pan-Yoruba meeting which

took place in Ibadan last year demanded restructuring of Kwara State such that Ilorin

9
 would be grouped with the Southwest. Analysts interpreted this to mean that the parley

did not believe that any emir had any business on Ilorin throne. 18

2.4 Nature of the Kwara South Yoruba

There Are Four Major Ethnic Groups In Kwara State

List Of Kwara South Yoruba and others

Languages of Kwara State listed by LGA Languages

LGA
Asa Yoruba
Edu Nupe
Ifelodun Yoruba
Ilorin South Yoruba
Isin Yoruba
Kaiama Bokobaru
Offa Yoruba
Baruten Baatonum and Bokobaru
Ekiti Yoruba
Ilorin East Yoruba
Ilorin West Yoruba
Irepodun Yoruba
Moro Yoruba
Oke Ero Yoruba
Pategi Nupe
Oyun Yoruba
source: Post Offices- with map of LGA". NIPOST. Archived from the original on 2009-
10-07. Retrieved 2009-10-20.

Yoruba

The Yoruba ethnic group is one of the major ethnic group in Kwara. Though these said

Yorubas are part of the Igbomina Yoruba – a sub-ethnic group among the Yoruba ethnic.

They are the major occupants of the Kwara South region. In as much as they are a sub-

10
ethnic group of the entire Yoruba ethnic, they have similarities with other Yorubas in the

southwest.

Being one of the major ethnics in Kwara state, it is not uncommon to hear people speak

the language. In fact, it is the main language spoken in Ilorin, the city’s capital. This does

not mean it is only the Yoruba’s that occupy Ilorin. What is, however, common among

the Yorubas in Ilorin is the way they end every sentence with ‘fa’.

The Ilorin Yorubas are often not regarded as pure Igbomina Yorubas. There are often

claims by the Igbomina that they are more of a pure Yoruba people than the Ilorin

Yoruba. Parts of Kwara State that are core settlements of Igbomina Yoruba include Omu-

Aran, Oro, Ajasse, Illofa, Oke-Onigbin, Offa etc.

Other traces of Yorubas in the state include the towns that are closer to Osun state and

Ekiti State. For instance, Oyun LGA is closer to Osun and the people speak more of the

Oshogbo dialect. Another example is the Ekiti LGA where the Ekiti State dialect is

predominantly spoken.19

Ifelodun Kwara

Ifelodun is a local government area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the

town of Share The people of Ifelodun are Yorubas and mostly of Igbomina origin with

roots in Ife, Oyo and Ketu. Much of the Ifelodun domain was overtaken by the

Afonja/Alimi era and annexed to the present Ilorin enclave. It has an area of 3,435 km2

and a population of 206,042 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 241. It

includes at least 80 villages and towns.

Religion

There are three main religious groups,

11
1. Christianity

2. Islam

3. Others (Ifa, Sango, Elegun/Mascurade, Opele, etc.)

Ekiti kwara

Ekiti is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the

town of Araromi Opin. It has an area of 480 km2 and a population of 54,850 at the 2006

census. The postal code of the area is 252. Among other communities in Ekiti are Aare-

Opin, Isolo-Opin, Isare-Opin, Osi, Ikerin-Opin, Oke-Opin, Epe-Opin, Owaatun-Opin,

Etan, Obbo-Aiyegunle, Obbo-Ile, Eruku, Ajuba, Isapa, Koro and Ejiu.

The present Ekiti Local Government headquarter was never a known community in Opin

land, but a compound from Isolo-Opin. This became a legal tussle and caused communal

unrest when the local government was created. A landmark judgment later declared

Isolo-Opin as entitled to be the headquarter as opposed to Araromi Opin.

One of the credentials to this judgment is the fact that there are 12 Opins, who are

children of a father, and Araromi was never among them. It has become difficult to effect

name changes because of political issues and legislative processes.

Ilorin South

Ilorin South is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in

the town of Fufu. It has an area of 174 km2 and a population of 208,691 at the 2006

census. The postal code of the area is 240.

Irepodun kwara

Irepodun is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the

town of Omu-Aran. It has an area of 737 km2 and a population of 148,610 at the 2006

12
 census. It has very significant Yoruba cultural and historical significance. And is

populated by the Igbomina people.

Esiẹ Museum is a museum in Esiẹ, Irepodun. The museum was the first to be established

in Nigeria when it opened in 1945. The museum once housed over one thousand

tombstone figures or images representing human beings. It is reputed to have the largest

collection of soapstone images in the world. In modern times the Esie museum has been

the center of religious activities and hosts a festival in the month of April every year.

Another significant town is Oko, which means stone in the Yoruba language. It is a

mountainous region with very special and significant rock formations that were thought

to have been used by the Yoruba in ancient warfare. Folktales also talk about gods and

men with superhuman strength and abilities who fought for the people. The people of

irepodun are known to listen to Dadakuada music, a music which involves the use of

eulogy, chants and slow danceable beats.

Also close to Esie is Ijan-Otun, a small town within minutes from neighboring Esie and

Oro, Ijan-Otun is home to an Anglican church and a Government Day secondary school.

The People of Ijan-Otun are part of the igbomina. The postal code of the area is 251.

Notable people

1. Moji Afolayan (1969-), actress.

2. David Oyedepo - (Born September 27, 1954) - Presiding Bishop Living Faith Church

Worldwide (a.k.a. Winners Chapel).

3. Kunle Afolayan - (Born September 30, 1974) - Nigerian Actor, Film Producer and

Director

Isin kwara

13
Isin is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Isin Local Government Area of

Kwara State was created from the old Irepodun Local Government Area in 1996 with the

headquarters at Owu-Isin. It has an area of 633 km² and a population of 59,738 at the

2006 census. The postal code of the area is 251.

Isin settlement

Isin comprises several towns and communities including Isanlu Isin, Iji- Isin, Ijara isin,

Owu isin, Iwo, Oke-Aba, Oke-Onigbin, Alla, Edidi, Odo-Eku, Oba, Pamo, Oponda,

Igbesi, Eleyin, Kudu-Owode etc. To the north of Isin are Igbajaland, Oraland and Ireland;

to the west are Ajasse Ipo and Oro; to the east are Oro-Ago and Olla and Osi in Ekiti LG;

while to the south are Apaland, Arandun and Omu-Aran.

Origin

The Isin people are stock of the Igbomina. Although the Yoruba language is spoken in

Isin, the dialect concurs with major Igbomina. They also migrated from Ife and Oyo.

However, there are some Isin Towns whose founders migrated from outside these two

states. Owu-Isin also migrated from Osun State and the first settlement to have a

kingdom in Yorubaland.

Investigations unto how the area came to be called “Isin” have been carried out because

for many villages with diverse origin as Isin villages to bear the all binding name “Isin”,

tells a lot of the importance of the name. Variously, different sources have different

versions of its derivation.

Firstly, it is held that, the name was coined from “Igi Isin” (an ackee apple tree). Isin

people was said to usually met under this tree to hold general meeting of all villages.

14
Another source still using the ackee apple tree as the source of the name, states that

Olupo of Ajase-Ipo and Aina the founder of Isanlu Isin were cured of certain decease by

a diviner, who used the bark of the ackee apple tree to treat them. It was out of gratitude

that Aina named Isin after the magic tree.

A third version says that when Aina got to Ade after a tedious journey, he rested under

the ackee apple tree (Igi Isin), for the relieve which the tree gave him, he named the area

“Isin”. Moreover, there is a version that says Isin meant ‘escort’. It holds, that it was

named because the founders of all Isin villages came together.

Others states that the area was called Isin after Esinkin Onigbonigbo a great warrior of

Isanlu. He conquered many villages for Isanlu. In gratitude for this, the Olusin named the

whole area Isin after him. Yet another source says that Isin was coined out from the cult,

Agbasin. It is held that the area of influence of the god. Agbasin, was named Isin,

because the god’s original name was Agba-Isin. A last source says that it was because

Aina found rest in the area, which occasioned his naming the area as ‘Isin’. To clarify

this, the source said that Aina the founder of isanlu, had troubles right from his original

home in Ile-Ife. It is said that he left Ife to find peace, but met several attack on the way

by the Nupes, Ibadan, Oyo and the Fulanis. When finally he got to Odo-Owa, he found

that he had escaped all attacks and finally named Odo-Owa and all his acquired land

around, Ile-Isimi (the land of rest). Subsequently, others who also were escaping Nupe’s

onslaught came to join him at Ile-Isimi, which was later corrupted to Isin. Among these

versions, the one which seam probable is that which states that Isin was coined from the

word “Ile-Isinmi” (land of rest) because Aina did experience unrest before he finally got

to Igbole at Odo-Owa.

15
Oke Ero

Oke Ero is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the

town of Iloffa. Other Major towns in Oke Ero are Kajola, Idofin, Ekan Nla, Ayedun,

Odo-owa, Erin Mope, Egosi, Imode, Idofin Odo-Ase, and Ilale. The first executive

chairman of Oke-Ero is the late Otunba Moses Afolayan, while the second was Barrister

Kayode Towoju.

Traditional institutions

Established traditional titles and Seats in the Local Government Area are: Alofa of Iloffa

— a first-class King, Elekan of Ekan Meje, Olota of Odo-Owa, Edemarun of Kajola,

Onidofin of Idofin Igbana, Obajisun of Ayedun, Onimode of Imode, Odokogun of Ilale,

Elegosi of Egosi, Onimoji of Imoji and Onidofin of Idofin Odo-Ase.

Oke-Ero Local Government Area was carved out of the present Ekiti Local Government

Area of Kwara State. Oke-Ero has an area of 438 km² and a population of 57,619 at the

2006 census, the population has since grown. This subsequent sections were added by

Bamidele Emmanuel Ola, this 22 January 2018.

According to official documents reported by Bamidele Ola, an ethnographer who was

posted and worked as a national youth corp member in Oke Ero between 2008 and 2009,

Oke Ero is administratively divided into three districts: The Iloffa/Odo Owa District at

the centre, The Idofin District at the north and the Ekan Meje District in the south of the

local Government area.

The Iloffa/Odo-Owas District

This district comprises the Iloffa, Odo-Owa, Imode and Egosi Peoples. They occupy the

central part of Oke-Ero and are bounded by the Osi-Ekiti Local Government area of

16
Kwara State to the South and Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government to the North,

they also share a boundary with Erimope Ekiti, Ekiti state, the district is about 80 to 90

km south of Ilorin, Kwara State. Tourist sites in the district include the Imole-Boja Rock

Shelter; the Odo-Owa Adin Factory; The Relics of Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola

(1904-1959), the world acclaimed “Father of Nigerian pentecostalism,” and His Prayer

Mountain;” the Ancient Palace of the defunct Orota Kingdom, which comprises seven

villages, namely: Owa,Imode, Ikotun,Egosi,Kajola,Igbede and Ilofa under Olota of Orota

kingdom; the Are Hill/Ori Egunpe, amongst others. Common festivals include the Are

Festival, the New Yam Festivals, the Egungun Festivals, the Agan Festival, the Eji

Festival, amongst others.

The Idofin District

This district comprises the Idofin Igbana and Idofin Odo Ashe Peoples. The latter further

comprises Idofin Odo Aga, Idofin Ayekale and the Idofin Ehin Afo Peoples; these three

form what is presently known as the Idofin Odo Ashe. Tourist sites in the district include

the Eromola Waterfall; Relics of the Eleegbo Ogbonko; Two giant mounts: the Ore

Mount and the Ojokolo Mount, among others. Common festivals here include the New

Yam Festivals and the Egungun Festivals.

The Ekan Meje District

This district comprises the Ekan Nla, Ayedun, Erinmope, Ilale, Omoji and the Ajure

Peoples. They occupy the southern part of Oke-Ero and are bounded by the Otun Ekiti in

Moba Local Government area of Ekiti State and Ila in Osun State. The communities are

17
closely knitted and are rich in cultural Heritage. The name Ekan Meje can literally be

translated Seven Knots, formerly made up of seven communities, six mentioned already;

the last of which are the Ipetu-Igbomina People who now prefer to be grouped with Ora

People. Tourist sites in the district include the Palace of the Elekan of Ekan Nla, the Imoji

Damp, the Bead Making Industry at Ayedun, amongst others. There are a huge number of

festivals in this district such as the New Yam Festivals, the Egungun Festivals, the Oloku

Festival, and the Ogun Festival, amongst others. The imperial ruler of these communities,

being the Elekan of Ekan. (Bamidele Ola, 2009).20

Economy

The vegetation is tropical, hence the local economy is a hub for cash crops. The main

industry of the people is in the area of agriculture as her citizens are mainly farmers. With

her tropical climate, cocoa, sugar cane, bananas, oranges, cotton and jute (a soft, shiny

vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads), are common cash crops. The

oil palm is a tropical palm tree, and the fruit from it is used to make palm oil. Palm oil

can be bought in all the Communities of the Local Government Area. The postal code of

the area is 252.

Oyun

Oyun is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the

town of Ilemona. It has an area of 476 km2 and a population of 94,253 at the 2006

census. The postal code of the area is 240.

Asa Kwara

Asa is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. The Asa local government

secretariat is located in the town of Afon. The Asa LGA contains several towns and

18
villages which include Ogbondoroko, Afon, Laduba, Aboto, Balah, Eyenkonn, Pampo,

Ogele, and Olowokere.

It has an area of 1,286 km2 and a population of 126,435 at the 2006 census. Islam and

Christianity are the widely practiced religions in Asa LGA while ethnic groups such as

the Yoruba, Hausa, and Fulani are represented in the area. The postal code of the area is

240.

Ilorin East

Ilorin East is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in

the town of Oke Oyi. It has an area of 486 km2 and a population of 204,310 at the 2006

census. The postal code of the area is 240.

Ilorin West

Ilorin West is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in

the town of Wara Osin Area. It has an area of 105 km2 and a population of 364,666 at the

2006 census. The postal code of the area is 240.

NUPE

The Nupes are another major ethnic group in Kwara state. They are the main occupants

of the northern part of Kwara State. The LGAs in which they occupy include Edu, Pategi

and some areas of Moro, Kaiama and Ifelodun. It is not unusual for people to always

confuse the Nupes for Hausas or Fulanis. This is often due to the shared similarities like

religion and quiet nature.

FULANI

19
The Fulani group are another major ethnic group in Kwara State. They are arguably the

largest ethnic group in the state. Though one might argue that the Yorubas are more. One

thing that might make it hard to ascertain is that most of the Fulanis speak Yoruba too.

Though the entire Kwara State comprises of mix ethnic groups, most of them are of

Fulani descent. In as much as most of the Fulanis speak Yoruba, there are some core

Fulanis in Ilorin.

BARIBA

The Bariba ethnic group are considered the minority of the four ethnic groups. They are

mainly found in the Benin Republic. However, they occupy the Kaiama and Baruten

LGAs. The Bariba people are primarily Muslims and are often mistaken for Hausa,

Fulani or Nupe.

Another fact that you should know about Kwara state is that it is a very old state. It is

actually one of the oldest states in Nigeria. As mentioned earlier in the history of Kwara

State, it was part of the first twelve states. These states were created by Yakubu Gowon

in 1967, which saw Nigeria drop the regional system.

It is also important to note that the state initially covered some parts of Kogi and Niger

State.

After the creation of the twelve's states, the present day Kwara State was named West

Central State. That is the first name in which this area was known as was the West

Central State. There was, however, a name change which brought about what we have

today.

20
 The name Kwara is a Nupe for the River Niger. Thus, it can be said that the state was

renamed after the River Niger which flows through the Jebba, Edu, Pategi LGAs of

Kwara State from Niger to Kogi state.21

2.5 End note

21
1
Ile Ife, Nigeria (ca. 500 B.C.E.-) The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed"
(https://blackpast.org/aa h/ile-ife-ca-500-b-c-e). Blackpast.org. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
2
Yoruba People of Nigeria–Yoruba People History & Culture"
(https://www.cometonigeria.com/about Nigeria/Nigerian-people-culture/Yoruba-people/).
Guide to Nigeria tourism, local culture & investments. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
3
Zerbo, J.KI (1981)."General history of Africa, I: Methodology and African prehistory"
(https://unesdoc.une sco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000042225). unesdoc.unesco.org. Retrieved 2020-
05-29.
4
Ile Ife, Nigeria (ca. 500 B.C.E.-) The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed"
(https://blackpast.org/aa h/ile-ife-ca-500-b-c-e). blackpast.org. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
5
Law, Robin (1984). "How Truly Traditional Is Our Traditional History? The Case of Samuel
Johnson and the Recording of Yoruba Oral Tradition"
(https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0361541300008172/type/journal_article)
. History in Africa. 11: 195–221. doi:10.2307/3171634 (https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3171634).
ISSN 0361-5413 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0361-5413).
6
Oyo empire | historical kingdom in western Africa" (https://www.britannica.com/place/Oyo-
empire) . Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
7
Press, 2006, Gat, Azar. "War in human civilization" Oxford University pg 275.
8
Gat, Azar. "War in human civilization" Oxford University Press, 2006, pg 275.
9
Yoruba People Towns and Cities - Ekimogun Descendant United Kingdom & Northern
Ireland" (http://ww w.ekimogundescendant.org/yoruba-people-towns-and-cities/). Ekimogun
Descendant United Kingdom & Northern Ireland. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
10
Nolte, M. Insa; Ancarno, Clyde; Jones, Rebecca (April 2018). "Inter-religious relations in
Yoruba land, Nigeria: corpus methods and anthropological survey data"
(https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/full/10.3366/cor.2018.0135).Corpora.13(1):2764.doi:10.3
366/cor.2018.0135(https://doi.org/10.3366%2Fcor.2018.0135).ISSN17495032(https://
www.worldcat.org/issn/1749-5032).
11
Retrieved:from"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=History_of_the_Yoruba_people&oldid=1052284586
12
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yoruba by Virginia Gorlinski.
13
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yoruba by Virginia Gorlinski.
14
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yoruba by Virginia Gorlinski.
15
https://www.ilorin.info/fullnews.php?id=10472
16
https://www.ilorin.info/fullnews.php?id=10472
17
https://www.ilorin.info/fullnews.php?id=10472
18
https://www.ilorin.info/fullnews.php?id=10472
19
Post Offices- with map of LGA". NIPOST. Archived from the original on 2009-10-07. Retrieved
2009-10-20.
20
Bamidele Ola, 2009. Article Submitted to the Office of the Kings and Traditional Rulers of
Oke Ero Local Government></ref>
21
https://www.propertypro.ng/blog/kwara-state-facts-history/#Yoruba