By
Dr Robert Adekunle Ibironke Atobatele
A Brief Account of Atobatele:
Atobatele k’oye o to de, simply means; “one who is equal to a king already before he was crowned a king”.
The Obaloja Atobatele is a renowned personality of great influence and compassion. Atoba, as he was interchangeably called him in his days was a man of many parts, who most notable achievements aside his farming, hunting and traditional medicine trade was all about caring for people.
He was a philanthropist in his days, and history abound of how each time he travels outside of Efon to do his regular businesses but would never return home alone. He will always come back with strangers from different parts and integrate them into his family.
In his days, people who had no blood relationship with him became his sons either after curing them of certain ailment or picking them up from where they were abandoned or affected by a war. Everybody was treated as a child in his days. His first wife was barren but he had other wives. Adopting people into his family was a thing of joy to Atobatele even though he was blessed with his own biological children too through his other wives. He loves to give hope to others and he finds joy doing it like a job or career.
One of such examples was when Atobatele, during one of his trips to Alara met a very smart but very stubborn boy whose parent were fed up with and didn’t know what to do with him. The boy loved Atobatele and begged to follow him to Obalu. Atobatele being whom he was, took him and brought him home and added him to his family in Obalu. One of the great grandchildren of that particular stubborn young man of the Alara of those days is present John Filani, and by rights he is an Atobatele’s child and everyone sees him that way too.
Atobatele had many daughters from his other wives. Majority of them lived in his courtyard (Akodi), and this is because his daughters rarely stay with their husbands. And facts remain that Atobatele’s daughters were so influential to the point that they chose their husbands those days and since Atobatele was wealthy and influential, the men found it an honor to live with their wives within the courtyard. And this accounts for how most of the adopted children were raised. Atobatele would either hand them over to his barren first wife or hand them over to any of his daughters and that was how every one of them grew up knowing only Atobatele as their father.
When Atobatele was getting old, been the purposeful leader that he was, he personally chose the son of Omoyeye’s first daughter (Oladimeji), Adewunmi Arapaiya to succeed him when he joins his ancestors, and Arapaiya became Obaloja after Atobatele. Atobatele had sons also, but they were too young or little to lead at the time and instead of letting the throne go to other houses, he chose his sister’s son who was old enough to rule in his stead, and that again, accounts for why sons of female children were Obaloja at some point or the other in Obalu history. It all started with the liberalism of Atobatele.
Obaloja Atobatele was a great leader who according to history had his reign around the late 18th centuries to around the early 19th centuries. And he is about the most prominent leader of Obalu as far as history is concerned.
I promise you that one of the things you will learn from this book is HOW EFON WAS FOUNDED and WHO founded it.
From all available evidence of oral history, the progenitor of the Obalu was a famous hunter-prince of Ile-Ife called Ekuwi. Ekuwi was a prince of the GIESI Ruling House of More Ile-Ife. GIESI is still to date one of the three ruling houses in Ile-Ife. According to history, Ekuwi was cheated out of the kingship tussle because of the great fear people had for him. He was reputed to be very powerful spiritually and in traditional medicine. This created an awesome image of him among the kingmakers who felt that he might be uncontrollable if made king. In protest to the injustice, Ekuwi left Ile-Ife with several of his loyalists and migrated first to Oba-Ile near present day Akure from where he later moved on to a place called Ugbo-Aba, a part of the present day Efon land.
As he progressed on his odyssey, he not only carried along his key deities like Atita, Eleko, and Ogun, he also journeyed with his chief political and spiritual advisers. Key among his loyalists that migrated with him was a brother Prince of his named Oloba. Several other chiefs, Ifa priests and traditional medicine-men also accompanied him on these migrations as was customary of a prince in those days.
At Ugbo Aba, there was a severe famine at the period. His people were wary of what to eat and were practically starving. Again, as was customary they consulted the Ifa Oracle. The oracle directed that they should remain there for them and that food will come to them there miraculously. They obeyed the oracle and within a short period, they noticed that a particular tree under which they camped “Igi-Aba” suddenly started to have certain insects called “Irore” on its branches.
They were worried at the sudden emergence of a multitude of these insects eating up the leaves of “Igi Aba”. They further consulted the oracle, which confirmed that these insects were provided for them by the gods to serve not only as food but also to cure any ailments they may have. They started eating the insects and found that it was not only good but had therapeutic values for them as claimed by the Ifa oracle. It is significant to note that till today, the “Irore” insects is peculiar to Efon and its environs and not found anywhere else in Ekitiland.
After some time, Ekuwi decided to settle here permanently. He then sent Oloba to Ile-Ife to go and bring a branch of the Igi “agbagba” so that he could plant it in their new abode. The “agbagba” tree is a scared tree of the GIESI ruling house of More in Ile-Ife. It is also the symbol of settlement and authority of any of its princes anywhere they may migrate to. The Original “Igi Agbagba” is still in More Ile-Ife till date. However, as journeys took so much time in those days because people travelled on foot and across very harsh terrain, it took a long time before Oloba returned to Igbo-Aba with the Agbagba tree. In the meantime and while Oloba was yet to return from Ile-Ife, the Ifa Oracle directed Ekuwi and his followers to move further downwards from Igbo Aba. In obedience, they moved downwards to a new place called Uwaro, which the Oracle said was to be their promised land. At their new settlement at Uwaro, Ekuwi and his people encountered a lot of problems from hordes of buffaloes, which roamed the environment. It was in consequence of this that Ekuwi named their new settlement Ilu Efon (Land of Buffaloes). Buffalo in Yoruba means “Efon”.
Oloba on arrival searched in vain for Ekuwi for a long time. Finally, on climbing the top of “Agbomuroko” mountain, he sighted smoke rising slowly to the sky on a relatively low land beyond. This he saw as an indication of human existence there. He therefore traced the source of the smoke and to his joy, discovered that that was the new settlement of Ekuwi and his people. The branch of Agbagba tree brought by Oloba from Ile-Ife was then planted beside Ereja shrine in the frontage of Uwaro, the residence of Ekuwi. Later on, in appreciation of Ekuwi’s demonstrated leadership traits all these years of their sojourn, his people resolved and crowned him as king over them with the title “Owa-gboni”.
At Uwaro, Ekuwi reigned over his people of Obalu as king for so many years. He used the official designation of OWA OGBONI. In those days, kings in Yoruba-land were variously referred to as Owa Ogboni, Oloja, Oba or Olu. Ekuwi and his people prospered and multiplied in Uwaro. Several of his followers spread across the land founding new farm sites and settlements. Among these are Iluji, Alanaka, Ugbo Aba, Oniyo, Alagbonrin, Oke-Obo, Odo-Amo, Ugbo eku, Urunshin and others. Owa-gboni Ekuwi as noted earlier was a great hunter, especially of buffaloes and other huge games. During one of his several hunting expeditions, he sighted smoke coming from a hill-top far away south-eastwards of Uwaro. This was sign of human habitation there. He therefore traced the source of the smoke to a place called Ugbole-aaye where he discovered that people were living there. He met with their leader (a farmer called Oisinkin), discussed with him and later invited him to Uwaro for further talks. The two of them later became good friends and trading partners. Owa-gboni sold meat (bush meat) to Oisinkin, while Oisinkin sold farm produce like yam, maize etc to Owagboni. This friendship blossomed to a point that Owa-gboni, Ekuwi later invited Oisinkin to come downwards with his people and Owa-gboni settled them somewhere north-wards to Uwaro, and named it Isinkin. It was a testimony to their friendship that Oisinkin eventually gave his daughter Orinkinleso to Owa- gboni Ekuwi as wife. Owagboni Ekuwi later established a market in front of Oisinkin’s residence for his wife Orikinleso and named it Oja-Obalu or Oja’ balu.
Obalu under the rulership Owagboni Ekuwi and his successor Ogbonis i.e. Owagboni Oloba, Owagboni Aseso enjoyed a very good system of governance. Obalu was administratively divided into nine (9) districts called “Udogbos” with an “Olori-Udogbo” heading each. On every nineth day (Isan in Yoruba), the nine (9) Olori – Udogbos first converged at a place called “Ota-Mesan” (a place of nine stool-like stones) in the frontage of Ejio’s house. Here, they not only assembled and waited for one another before proceeding slope-wards to meet with the Owagboni, they also discussed the topic they intended to discuss with the Owagboni for the day. After discussion, the nine (9) Olori-Udogbo then migrated downwards to Uwaro to meet their king, Owa-gboni. The site of the Ota-mesan leads directly by a foot path to the palace of the Owagboni. It is noteworthy to state at this juncture that the current Alaaye’s palace was the palace of the Owagboni then. It was the 4th Owagboni Orude who ceded the palace to Ijiemigun and his descendants. Owagboni Orude, in a rare gesture of hospitality ceded his palace to the progenitors of the present Alaaye dynasty and went to found another palace at Umore near present-day Imoba. Till today, the nine stones (representing the nine (9) Udogbos) are still there and place is named Ota-mesan Street. The Chief responsible for cleaning the nine stones and its environs is called Chief Ejio; That Obalu Chieftaincy exists till today. Similarly, the main market around Ekuwi’s palace at Uwaro, i.e Erekesan market is still existing till today as the main market in Efon. The only difference is that it is now patronized every five (5) days unlike at the beginning of time when it used to be patronized every nine (9) days (Erekesan) to coincide with the nine-day meeting of the nine (9) Oloridogbos with Owagboni.
Adjacent to this “Otamesan” site is a place called “Okiti Omolore”. At the passing away of Owagboni, his body is first laid in state at Okiti Omolore” where all Obalu will come and pay tribute and bid him farewell before the body being removed for burial at Uwaro. As the years rolled by Owagboni Ekuwi died and was buried in his place at Uwaro Owagboni. Oloba, his younger brother who ascended the throne at an advanced age also died and was buried there. So also, was the third Owagboni Aseso. All three were buried at Uwaro, the site of the present-day palace of Efon.
Then came the reign of the 4th Owagboni, Owagboni Orude. It was a particularly difficult period as there were a lot of inter-tribal wars plaguing the land. It was during this time that Owagboni Orude received a strange visitor in his place. This visitor was jointly brought by Oluji, Alahun and Oisinkin to Owagboni Orude. The name of the visitor was Ijiemigun a.k.a “Onasangoke”. Oluji explained that Ijiemigun claimed to be a prince from Ipole-Iraye near Ile-Ife and that he Oluji had harbored him (the visitor) for seven consecutive days at Iluji before then. It is in recognition of the hospitality of Oluji-Oba to Ijiemigun (who later became Alaaye) that the tradition is maintained till date that whenever a new Alaaye is installed, the wife of Oluji must fetch water for him for seven days. Also, whenever a new Oluji is installed, the wife of the Alaaye must fetch water for him for seven days. This prince from Upole-Iraye Ijiemigun is the progenitor of the present Alaaye.
According to the Intelligence Report on Efon District of Ekiti Division, Ondo province published by the British Colonial Administration in 1935, hence called the Vosper Report (page 8, section III, under historical, the report stated among other things that “Alaaye and his followers first migrated from Ife to Ipole Iraye”). That after many years at Ipole-Iraye one Alaaye died leaving two ambitious sons and the two contested for the throne. The elder came to Ooni at Ile-Ife to press his claim, but by the time he had returned to Iraye the other son had decamped with all his followers and migrated to Ekiti country, where he eventually established himself as Alaaye and called his new settlement Efon instead of Iraye. The elder brother wept bitterly and reported again to Ife, and the Oni sent messengers in pursuit of the Alaaye, traced his settlement and received back a crown which was given to the elder brother to wear as the Oba of the remaining people of Iraye”.
According to Capt. Vosper’s report, this same Ijiemiju migrated from Upole-Iraye and first “settled at a place called Igbole-aaye in Efon District”. The same report also stated inter-alia that “like most other people who migrated to Ekiti country, he (Ijiemigun) was preceded by a hunter who eventually became the Obaloja” (page 5-9). This corroborates our claim that Ijiemigun actually met the said hunter, Owagboni Orude a descendant of Owagboni Ekuwi in Efon.
All the above notwithstanding, Owagboni Orude and his people agreed to accommodate Ijiemigun in his palace. Ijiemigun when he arrived had come with a crown (which he held on his shoulder to support his claim to royalty. However, when his crown was eventually retrieved from him by the Ooni (as claimed above) it became a major embarrassment for him. It was at this juncture that the then Oisinkin pleaded with Owagboni Orude and others that they should allow Ijiemigun to be chosen as Olori-Aaye (Head of the Aayes), which was later turned to Alaaye. It is a testimony to this historical occurrence that every Alaaye so installed from Ijiemigun’s time to the making of the 1957/1958 gazette had always been an exclusive appointment of Oisinkin and Aayes to the exclusion of other quarters in Efon.
Furthermore, and in sympathy with Ijiemigun over the withdrawn crown, Owagboni Orude offered to vacate his palace and to found a new palace elsewhere so that Ijiemigun could at least have a semblance of kingship to soothe his bruised ego. Ijiemigun could not believe the unusual large heartedness displayed by Owagboni Orude in offering to vacate his palace for him. It was at this juncture that a kind of ritual agreement was reached between them. Owagboni Orude placed a curse that he will never come back to chase Ijiemigun out of the palace with this saying “Odo kii san ko boju weyin” translated in English as “a river never looks back on its onward flow”. That is why till today, it is a taboo for Owagboni Obaloja that leaves Alaaye’s palace to look back until he gets to his residence before he can look back or return to Alaaye’s palace.
As stated above, Owagboni Orude vacated his palace for Ijiemigun. But this vacation of the palace by Owagboni Orude was not without some ritual agreements among, which were:
(i) That Ijiemigun and his descendants must recognize Owagboni as his “father” or “father of king” Baba Oloja, which was later corrupted to Obaloja.
(ii) That the burial site of the first three Owagboni’s at “Ode Okika” within the palace must be worshiped every year with sacrifice offered exclusively by Obalu hunters (Till date this is practised annually during Okodun festival when hunters from Obalu place ritual sacrifices on these graves. No hunter from any other quarter is allowed to take part in this sacrifice). This has been the practice ages involving several Alaayes until last year 2018 that the present Alaaye locked the palace gates to prevent Obalu hunters from laying the sacrifice on these graves. He did this because as at then 11/5/2018, the Obalu had a petition before the defunct Justice Oyewole Chieftaincy Commission of Enquiry and this practice was one of their claims against the Alaaye. All the same when the Alaaye did this, the Obaloja and his chiefs met and instructed Obalu hunters to return to Alaaye’s palace and lay the ritual sacrifice already prepared at the doorstep of the palace gates, claiming that this being a taboo of unprecedented dimensions, the gods/deities which the Alaaye was denying their dues would know how to retrieve such from the Alaaye.
(iii) There are two very important rivers in Obalu – Agbonrin and Ibase. Owagboni Orude ceded Ibase to Ijiemigun and his offsprings for their exclusive use and retained Agbonrin for himself. Till today, the descendants of Owagboni Orude (The Obalojas) and their families must never drink from River Ibase. Furthermore, it was part of this ritual agreement that whenever an Alaaye passes on, his body must be washed with water from Agbonrin River, while whenever an Obaloja passes on, his body must conversely also be washed with water from Ibase River.
(iv) That the Alaaye must worship the Ogun god at the Ogun Shrine he (Owagboni) created at the frontage of his Uwaro palace (The place is called Ereja). Hence the popular saying among Efon people that “Owagboni lo lereja ko bu owa sogun” It is Ogboni who owns Ereja but graciously allows the Owa (Alaaye) to worship Ogun there.
As a consequence of the above, Owa Ogboni Orude relocated his palace to a new site not far from Uwaro. This site he named Umore (in the conformity with the More Ile-Ife ancestral home of his fathers). As was customary everywhere a More prince settled, Orude then planted a fresh stump of the Agbagba tree at Umore.
As was customary in those days every stranger or visitor (including traders) that came to town stayed in the premises of Owa Ogboni’s palace. As such, when Owa Ogboni Orude was vacating the palace at Uwaro for his new palace at Umore, all the non-indigenes particularly the Ilorin people and Gambaris moved along with him to his new location. That accounts for why the first ever and oldest mosque in Efon is located in front of the Owa Ogboni Obaloja’s palace. (These strangers were mostly Muslims).
OmoOba Dr. Robert Adekunle Ibironke Atobatele
Author, The Obaloja Atobatele
