Ijesha

The Ijesha (written as Ijesa in Yoruba orthography), are a sub-ethnicity of the Yorubas of West Africa. Ilesha is the largest town and historic cultural capital of the Ijesha people, and is home to a kingdom of the same name, ruled by an Oba locally stylized as the Owa Obokun Adimula. The current reigning Owa Obokun is Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II.

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 of roads from Ile-Ife, Oshogbo, Ado Ekiti and Akure. The Ijesa cultural area presently covers six local government councils within Osun stae of Nigeria.

The Ijesha territory is adjoined by the Ekiti on the east, the Igbomina to the north, the Ife to the south, and the Oyo and Ibolo to the west.

The nationally famous Olumirin waterfalls, more popularly known as Erin-Ijesha Waterfalls is located in Ijeshaland.

History

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, Omuo-Oke are said tospeak a dialect similar to Ijesha.

The Ilesha (Ijesha) Monarchs

Part of a series on
Yoruba people
Culture Music Art Language Mythology
Subgroups
Ana-Ife Anago-Ifonyi Akoko Awori Egba Egun Ekiti Ibarapa Ibolo Idaasha Igbomina Ife Ijebu Ijesha Ikale Ilaje Isha Ketu Mokole Ohori Okun Olukumi Ondo Onko Owo Oworo Owu Oyo Remo Shabe Yewa-Egbado
Music
Contemporary: Apala Fuji Were Yoruba Highlife Waka Jùjú Afrobeat Sakara Folk/Traditional: Ehin Ogbe Bolojo Obitun Biripo Bata Olele Ijala Gelede Ekun Iyawo/Rara Dadakuada Oriki Esa Alamo Gbedu Iremoje Ewi
Notable Personalities
List of Yoruba people
Religion
God Olorun Olodumare Olofi Divination Ifá Opon Ifá Opele Odù Ifá Orishas Obatala Osanyin Elegba Yemoja Olokun Shango Oya/Yansa Ogun Babalú-Ayé Oshun Oshosi Orunmila Aganju More....
Diaspora
Okus Bahians Saros Akus Sierra Leone Creoles Taboms, Agudas & Amaros Afro-Cubans / Lucumis United States Afro-Dominicans Afro-Haitians Canada Ivory Coast Britain Ireland
Festivals & Events
West Africa: Osun-Osogbo Olojo Igogo Eyo Festival Badagry Festival Odun Ogun Ojude Oba Oro Aké Arts & Book Festival World Sango Festival Odun Egungun Lisabi Odun Olokun Orosun Yoruba Drum Festival Diaspora: Odunde Festival Yoruba Arts Festival Yemoja Festival (Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad, USA, Venezuela, Argentina Etc)

The state of Ilesa (Ile ti a sa which means a homeland we chose), Traditional Headquarters of Ijesaland and the capital of the first Local Council in Nigeria (Ijesa/Ekiti Parapo Council) named by the British Colonial Administrator on 21 June 1900 comprising the present day Ondo and Ekiti States of Nigeria. Founded in c.1350 by Owaluse, a grandson of Ajibogun Ajaka (Ubiquitous Warrior) Owa Obokun Onida Arara, one of the most accomplished sons of Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba race of South-Western Nigeria and Benin Republic. The city described by Rev. Williams 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.

Rulers of the Kingdom have been as follows:

Notable People

• Victor Ogunwusi
• April A. Gordon
• Rauf Aregbesola

References