Wole Balogun, Ado-Ekiti

Although Ilogbo is a sleepy town in Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, it has many feats, which added many feathers to her cap as an outstanding town.

Founded by some of the grand children of Oduduwa, led by Okunbobuwa, who jointly migrated from Ile-ife, around 14th century, Ilogbo began as a local military camp and had its establishment coinciding with the institution of Islamic Hausa Kingdom in Northern Nigeria.

The Owa of Ilogbo, Oba Edward Ajayi, said llogbo was formerly called Ulogbooro, meaning a town flourishing with wealth, and this attests to the town’s current wealth in human and material resources:

“As descendants of Oduduwa, Ilogbo people could trace their root to Ile-Ife. The town began as a military camp in the early 14th century. Its establishment coincided with the institution of Islamic Hausa kingdom in the northern part of Nigeria.

“The town, which was initially known as Ilugbooro came to existence when modern Nigeria was full of individually distinct ethnic kingdoms. Okunbobuwa, popularly known as Ejemu was the direct son of Owa Obokun of Ijesa who was also the son of Oduduwa.

“According to history, Okunbobuwa was the first person to migrate to Ilogbo. He was a prince and a son of Owa of Ijesa. When his father died, Okunbobuwa (Ejemu) and his two brothers argued on who would be crowned as a king. In the name of peace, Ejemu left Ilesa with few friends and Okere.

“After a few days in the forest, the group settled at Ipole Oke-Ona and the place became their first settlement. At Ipole, Ejemu was there for many years before he could meet Olotin, a great hunter who later helped Ejemu to persuade Omo Oye, a prince from Osun to settle down at Ipole. Omo Oye was made the king and the dynasty remains the ruling house in Ilogbo since then.

“Olotin also won another soul of passer-by (Odofin) to settle down with them. Ejemu agreed to make him second-in-command while he took third position. Enurin, who migrated from Ikole took the number fourth position.

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“In the administration of Ilogbo-Ekiti, Owa is the head. The town has three permanent house chiefs namely: Odofin, Ejemu and Enurin. Odofin is the head of Odofin’s dynasty, Ejemu is the head of Ebi Mije and Enurin is the head of Enurin’s descendants.

The additional three are rotational high chiefs: Eisinkin, Eisaya and Eisaba. The three additional chiefs increased number of high chiefs to six and these chiefs were known as Iwara Mefa (the kingmakers). Ilogbo-Ekiti is one of the 11 towns in Ido/Osi Local Government. The meaning of Ilogbo is a town that flourish formerly known as Ulugbooro.”

Ilogbo has other feats, which placed the small town on the world map. Chairman, Committee for Homecoming event, Dr Jola Awosusi, said of the many sons and daughters who have made Ilogbo proud nationally and globally are Thaddeus Aina, Prof Tayo Olutoye, said to be Nigeria’s first Professor of Yoruba language and her son, a United States of America (U.S.A) based Nigerian surgeon, Dr Oluyinka Olutoye, who achieved a great medical feat by removing an unborn child from the mother’s womb. He returned the child to the womb of the woman who delivered after 32 weeks.

Ilogbo also boasts of rich cultural practices and heritage. The Oba said:  “It is an abomination for the indigenes to engage in money ritual. The consequence is that anybody who does this will die without tasting the wealth.

“Our other taboos include the fact that you can’t kill a cat, you don’t carry the complete of plantain of banana or palm kernel around the town and you cannot ride horse across the main town. The natural resources in the town are grand stone and partial gold.

“The most popular traditional festival in Ilogbo is Olua and it attracts tourists and traditionalists from Cuba, United Kingdom and America. The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi Eniitan is always coming to the town during Olua festival.  He was here recently.

“Tourist attractions in Ilogbo-Ekiti include Alaorosaba cave at Ipole,   Erandu, a similitude of Olosunta Ikere and Kitikiti. Also, we have Ope Oloriyeye, a spiritual palm tree with many front heads. We have streams with certain spiritual powers. They include Ogidigbi Oniranyin, a healing stream and her gentle compatriot, Isune. We are blessed in agriculture. We produce mostly yam, cassava, maize and some other things.”

Oba Ajayi explained why the town honoured her indigenes: “I congratulate them all for what is happening today. It is a great lesson for everyone of them so that when the opportunity arises they should use it very well to serve their town so that they will be well-known. They should do good in their own time so that they will be remembered for it. We also want to urge the state government to help tar Usi-Ilogbo Road and provide jobs for the unemployed youths.”

Aina, a former member of the Federal House of Representatives and former Chairman of Ido-Osi LGA, said: “I thank God I was able to construct some developmental projects in this town and in my constituencies. I feel delighted and elated. I am happy and grateful to God that I lived to see this.”