Modakeke

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Modakeke is a town in Osun State, South West Nigeria, with a population of close to three hundred thousand people.The Modakekes are also known as "Akoraye" and have a history of valor at war and are prosperous farmers.

[edit] History

With the fall of the Oyo Empire to the fulani,the Yoruba kingdom was thrown into confusion and the inhabitants of the Old Oyo were dispersed and started new settlements all around Yoruba land.Fleeing southwards in search of new abodes after the fall of the Oyo Empire, the Oyos started settling among the Ifes in 1834. As the Romans of old, they were soldier-farmers. They were hardy as soldiers and industrious as farmers. Having lost all their possessions in their hasty flight, they started life in Ife by doing menial jobs to enable them eke out a living. The reigning Ooni of Ife, Oba Akinmoyero was said to have received them well. They started growing and producing different types of food crops on farmlands given to them by their hosts. A good number of them got recruited into Ife’s weak army and it was through their gallantry that Ife had its territory extended to Alakowe, its present boundary with Ilesa. Prior to the arrival of the Oyos, Ijesha land extended to the present location of the Palace of the Ooni of Ife. This is why the Palace area is known as Enuwa (Enu Owa) up till today.

Ooni Akinmoyero gave the displaced Oyo an expanse of land to stay outside the walls of Ife,the place given to the Modakekes was home to a specie of bird called Ako (Stork), Hence the origin of the appelation AKORAYE(The stork has a place). It was also customary for the storks at the location to chirp and sing the rhyme "Mo-da-ke-ke-ke-ke" which was most of the time heard by the Ifes and it was decided that the new settlement would be called MODAKEKE.

[edit] Conflicts

When the Oyos (later Modakekes) started arriving in Ile-Ife in 1834 they did not have the intention of establishing a separate settlement. They lived among the Ifes, did menial jobs for them, brought prosperity to them through abundant agricultural harvests and helped them to fight their wars and secure their boundaries. But they soon became envious of the growing relevance and influence of the enterprising Oyos. They went to the extent of kidnapping Oyo children and sacrificing them to their gods. They eventually forced them out of their midst. Where then is the hospitality that they always claim they showed to the Oyos ?. As Modakeke started to flourish, the Ifes started plotting its annihilation because they harboured a deep-seated antipathy for Oyo-speaking people. By September 1849, the Ifes had an excuse and launch an attack on Modakeke. They were repulsed with heavy casualties. After receiving military assistance from Oke Igbo, one month later, the Ifes launched another attack. The Ifes where defeated and where routed from the Ife land. Ifes was sacked and all its inhabitants, including Ooni Kumbusu, went into exile. They escaped to Oke Igbo, Isoya, Ifetedo, etc. Many of them were captured and sold as slaves. Bashorun Ogunmola’s intervention brought them back to Ife in 1854 after a pledge by Ooni Kumbusu to keep the peace.

Twice in 1882 during the Kiriji war, hostilities broke out once again between Modakeke and Ife. The Modakekes came out victorius once again.Many Ifes were again captured and sold into slavery while the rest of them including the reigning Ooni Derin Ologbenla escaped to Oke Igbo, Itajaaro, Isoya, Iwara, Iloro, etc. They were in exile for 12 years (1882-1894). The Ifes were vanquished in war four times in a period of 45 yrs(1849 and 1984).

As already stated above, Modakeke has defeated Ife in war four times--twice in 1849 and twice in 1882. Modakeke has also sent Ife into exile cumulatively for 17 years--for five years in the first instance (1849 - 1854) and for 12 years the second time (1882 - 1894). The Ifes were eventually allowed to return to their homes each time. A gesture that has no equal in history. When Rome destroy Carthage, it was total. When Ibadan routed Ijaye, it was complete. But when Modakeke sacked Ife and drove its inhabitants into exile they(Ifes) were later allowed to return yo their homes. Such humanity has no parallel in history of man. It is a great irony that the weakling now dons the garb of the kingpin. It is amazing that the vanquished are now dictating terms to their conquerors. It is at this juncture that the question appropriately arises - Who is the ingrate? The Oyos fought their wars for them, helped them to secure their boundaries; permitted them to return from exile unconditionally; liberated those of them captured as slaves and related to them as friends and brothers thereafter. But how did they reciprocate? By bribing Colonial Administrators to disband Modakeke: by grabbing the farmland and other possessions of its inhabitants before they returned; by layingclaim to everything that belonged to the Modakekes and insisting on introduction of Isakole( a kind of tax and levy on a community you are colonizing). Who is the ingrate? If the Modakekes had been as mean and vicious as the people of Ife, there would have been no place known as Ile-Ife on the surface of the earth today.

But the hostility broke out again August 25,1997