HISTORY OF ISE-EKITI, AND 120 YEARS OF MAGIC LATERN
By: Comr. Olamide Akinwumi, 09068215955
Ise
Ekiti (Yoruba: Ìṣẹ̀-Èkìtì, also Ise), is a city in Ekiti State, Nigeria, It is
the traditional home of Akinluaduse, also known as Akinluse by the inhabitants
of the city. Akinluse was a great warrior in the ancient Oyo empire. Ise -
Ekiti is the headquarters of the
Ise/Orun Local Government Area, along with Orun. Its geographic coordinates are
7°27′36″N 5°25′12″ECoordinates: 7°27′36″N 5°25′12″E. As of 2006, the Arinjale,
or king, of Ise-Ekiti is Oba Ayodele Ajayi. As of 2007 Ise Ekiti had an
estimated population of 204,022.
History of Ise Ekiti and their Traditions of
OriginIse Ekiti in Ekiti State is the headquarters of Ise/Orun Local Government
area is situated approximately between geographic latitudes 07o25 and 07o30N
with a population of about 204, 022 as at 2007. The town is bounded on the
north by Ado Ekiti and Gboyin Local Government Areas, on the East by Emure
Ekiti Local Government Area, on the south by Owo Local Government Area and on
the west by Akure-North and Ikere Ekiti Local Government Areas. Ise-ekiti, is
located in the rain forest zone of south-western Nigeria where the rains are
steady and spread almost evenly throughout the wet season (April – October).
The area supports rain-fed agriculture and the crops grown are yam, maize,
rice, cassava, cocoyam, plantain and banana. Ise was one of the original
sixteen kingdoms of Ekitiland. This preeminence of the town in Ekiti and indeed
in Yorubaland conferred on the Arinjale, even before the advent of colonial
administration in Nigeria, the inherent right to wear the beaded crown, which
still remains the symbol of authority and a veritable indicator of the
importance of a traditional ruler in Yorubaland. Oral history, no matter the
source has it that the original founders of Ise Ekiti came from Okeluse, a town
in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. The question is how they arrive at
Okeluse when according to one of their traditions of origin, the Ise people
migrated from Ile – Ife. It is believed that a certain Olofin, a descendant of
Oduduwa from Ile – Ife had three male children and that the Arinjale of Ise
Ekiti was the youngest while his brothers where the Oba of Benin and the
Awujale of Ijebu Ode. Arinjale was said to have accompanied Awujale to Ijebu
Ode while the Oba of Benin set off in a different direction. There arose some
communal dispute about title of Awujale which ultimately led to the exit of
Arinjale from Ijebu Ode. As was the practice in those days, Arinjale left Ijebu
Ode with many followers and settled at a place called Olokuta near Akure where
they encountered considerable difficulties as a result of some natural
disasters such as thunderstorm etc. The exit of Olofin’s children from Ile –
Ife agrees with the account of Chief Omotosho Eluyemi who stated that after the
death of Oduduwa, his children started to quarrel over his property. This was
followed by a very serious misunderstanding as a result of which the different
warring camps agreed at Itajero conference that they should all leave Ile – Ife
except the Ooni. Another version of their oral tradition connects the Ise
people to the royals of Benin Kingdom. It is said that the Oba of Benin had two
sons Osunleke and Gbaderin who were born on the same day but by different
mothers. In conformity with tradition, the mother of Osunleke who was the
younger wife was the first to draw the attention of the Oba to her giving birth
to a bouncing baby boy. She took the baby to the palace for royal blessings and
the Oba named the child the successor to the throne. It was after this that the
mother of Gbaderin took him to the palace. The Oba blessed the baby as usual
but it was clear that he could not ascend the throne in succession to the Oba. Gbaderin
was an ardent hunter who usually goes on hunting expedition for two months at a
time. He was away on one of such expeditions when his father died and his
younger brother Osunleke was enthroned in line with the will of their father.
Displeased with the enthronement of his brother as the Oba of Benin, Gbaderin
left the town as usual with some numbers of supporters especially hunters like
himself and on getting to Okeluse, he settled at the outskirts of the town due
to the invitation of the Oba of Okeluse. News of his stay in Okeluse reached
Osunleke his brother the Oba of Benin who dispatched emissaries to inform the
Oba to drive out his brother and his entourage since Okeluse was a tributary to
Benin. Gbaderin believed that there was no point causing untold hardship to the
people of Okeluse, so he and most of his entourage left to a place he had once
discovered during a hunting expedition which was called Use; a word that has
over the years been adulterated or yorubanised into Ise. In conclusion, both
version of Emure tradition of origin laid claims to Ile – Ife as the point of
dispersion. It also states that a prince Fagbamila whose mother was Obele was
the founder of the kingdom at Igbo Owa. Thus, it is safe to adjourn that the
Emure people migrated to their present destination from Ile Ife. In respect to
Ise Ekiti, the first oral tradition laid claim to Ile – Ife while the second
one states that the founder of Ise Ekiti was one of the sons of the Oba of
Benin which according to history was a kingdom founded by a prince from Ife. So
we can assume that the claim of Ise people to Ile – Ife is legitimate
Ise-Ekiti
is divided into three quarters namely; Oraye, Odo-Ise and Erinwa respectively.
120
YEARS OF MAGIC LATERN
The
people of Ise-Ekiti, were stunned on Wednesday, November 30, 1898, when a
‘magic lantern’ was put on exhibition in the town. The villagers, in the
present day Ekiti State, could not believe their eyes as they watched the
display of the magic lantern.
Some
adherents propagating Christianity, who had their tutelage in Lagos, brought
the lantern to the town. It was a journey, which took several days through
mosquito-ridden forests and the Ogbese River.
It was
very hazardous to cross the Ogbese River in those years, which meandered
through thick forests and rocks when there was no bridge on it. In fact, some
students going to higher classes were carried across the Ogbese River in those
days.
In the
diary of Bishop Philips, he recorded that through the exhibition of the magic
lantern that year, they were able to realize the sum of two pounds and 16
shillings. What the people referred to as magic lantern, was actually a movie
projector, which had never been seen in the town in those years.
However,
it was recorded in the diary that the money realized from those who came to
watch the magic lantern was used to buy a church bell.
The town,
Ise-Ekiti, has a rich history. It’s a land of culture, education and
Christianity. The rich history, cultural evolution, emergence of Christianity
and educational advancement was brought to bear recently when St. Mark’s
Anglican Church celebrated 120 years of Christianity in the town.
It was the day the town came alive and
recognized its illustrious sons and daughters, (those who had passed on), their
children, and their offspring’s and several others, including government
functionaries, who were pioneers of modern development in the town. The event
also revealed why Ise-Ekiti and some Ekiti towns are reservoirs of knowledge
that produce professors and educationists in the country.
Coincidentally,
Oba Aweloye, the great grandfather of the present monarch, Oba David Adetunji
Ajayi Aweloye II, was on the throne in 1896 when the magic lantern was brought
into the town for people to watch.
The award
ceremony, initiated by the priests and elders of the church, evoked a sense of
pride, memory and love for the Aweloye, who was present at the ceremony and he
paid glowing tributes to the memory of his grandfather in the establishment of
the early church.
He saluted
the courage of the foundation members, most importantly Mrs. Lucricia Fayose,
popularly called Yeye Lukiri (1877-1976), who risked her life with others under
a very harsh and hostile environment. Oba Aweloye II recalled the establishment
of St. Mark’s Primary School, Ise-Ekiti, in the first decade of the 20th
Century, as “a watershed in the history of educational development and
civilisation in the community.”
He
mentioned how the love between Ise-Ekiti and Emure-Ekiti in 1958 culminated in
the establishment of a grammar school. The Oba also mentioned the relationship
with the three major crown heads in Ekiti, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Ajero of
Ijero-Ekiti and the Arinjale of Ise-Ekiti.
These were the three towns that received the
torch of Christianity in those early years. The Oba likened Ise-Ekiti to
Israel, which was chosen as the “peculiar treasure of God.”
Amongst
those who were given awards of distinction in the town were the first Post
Master, Pa John Ogunleye, and the first university graduate in 1951 and
parliamentarian, Babalola Olokesusi, who encouraged parents to enroll their
children in secondary schools.
Olokesusi
was potrayed in the book, Ise-Ekiti, A Cradle of Honour, written by Prof. L.B.
Kolawole in 2003, as the man who changed the educational landscape of Ise-Ekiti
by the way he also encouraged the kids from the town to enroll in his schools –
Academy Secondary School, Sapele, and Holy Trinity School, Sabongida Ora, where
he was principal at various times.
His boys
in the town were known as “Olokesusi boys.” Interestingly, the town recalled at
the recent event that his boys were the ones who emerged as professors,
technocrats, administrators and great achievers from the town over the years.
Sadly, the
principal died at the age of 38 but his footprints were remembered and honoured
at the event.
• From a
ceremony, which was to mark 120 years of Christianity in the town, the
anniversary became a huge event to celebrate foremost indigenes and reminisce
on old times.
Venerable
J.O. Adeyemo, the Archdeacon of the church, who was happy with the turnout of
the event, said that he was elated that he received massive support from
everyone. According to him, the idea of celebrating 120 years struck him
because when the church clocked 100, it was not marked.
The Most
Reverend Dr. S.A. Abe, Archbishop of Ondo and Bishop of Ekiti (Anglican
Communion), expressed delight that the impact of Christianity has spread to
other sectors such as education, health and social amenities in the town. The General
Secretary of the Anniversary Committee, Joseph Olatunji Falana, said it took a
year to plan the glorious event that touched all facets of the Ise-Ekiti life.
Special
guests at the event included the governors of Ekiti State and then former
Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; Chief Afe
Babalola, Niyi Akintola, Wole Olanipekun, and Benedict Ajayi. Twenty-four
people were given posthumous awards, including Rev. Charles Jemiriye, who was
head of the church at inception.
ORIKI ISE-EKITI
ISE
-EKITI- Omo Akin je'Efon. Omo a gbure Agudugbu s'oju odi k'ari j'Efon Use ya
yan. Ugbo kan mo'sii si kan si d'Use, a mo foo oun le iijugbo Aje a l'Use.
Adabalukosi lo ba loriigi l'oja Odo, kan p'ugba Ode jo. Oni mo tita libe, o ta
ogun ifon. A ri mo tita libe, o t'oji akofa. Ugbogbo kukuruku la gbogi l'oja
odo, k'Adabalukosi fo lo, Emi omo ogidan,o gun mo gara, Omo at'eran mo ta'ho.
SOURCE:
1.
http://naijasky.com/iseorun/235/ise-ekiti-history/6332/
2. "Ise/Orun Local Government Area".
www.nigeriacongress.org. West African Non-Governmental Organisation Network.
2004. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
