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Ekiti People - Culture (9) - Nairaland

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Ekiti People - The Origin (2) (3) (4)

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Re: Ekiti People by Coefficient(m): 10:23pm On Sep 11, 2014
Temmyfoj: Macof I love u for this grin. This is grt...... Am from Ise-Ekiti and am proud to be. Tnk u so much for dis.

Hi

You're Mosun's sister

topemirates I see you

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by Nobody: 12:28am On Sep 12, 2014
odukoko: Ekiti,i hail!the only under developed state in the southwest.70 percent of houses in Ado the state capital no get toilet,na bush and gutters people they do their bizness!very lazy set of yorubas!they love education but self development is zero!main source of income is being a civil servant and politics!only bizness is water biz i.e ikogosi,pure water and hotels/beer parlous where the so call educated people meet to get drunk from morning to nite discussing stomack infrastructure and sport!.all kudos to our ibo brethrens who now owned about 75 percent of both lands and buildings in Ado the state capital who are now developing the state.pls note the Ewi of Ado has now prohibit the selling of lands and properties to any ibo person to prevent total annexation by the tribe! The little farming in the state are done by the igbiras 'the kogi indigenes' living in the state!what about cost of living?rents? dont mention it!them dey expensive like die!!!
This is a cause for concern

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Re: Ekiti People by Nobody: 4:39am On Sep 12, 2014
Okun
Re: Ekiti People by Nobody: 4:42am On Sep 12, 2014
I rep oye ekiti

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Re: Ekiti People by EsanAyo001(m): 6:00am On Sep 12, 2014
your article is perfect but for the aspect that say we are not one until Kiriji war. I want to tell you that it was the unity among us that make us to come together and conquer Ibadan.' N o kun o omo Ekiti'

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Re: Ekiti People by Temmyfoj(f): 6:12am On Sep 12, 2014
Helo....... Yeap am Mosun's sis. Hw re u doing.
Re: Ekiti People by tocin44(m): 7:12am On Sep 12, 2014
Proudly an indigine of Ekiti !!

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by tocin44(m): 7:14am On Sep 12, 2014
VenusBetty: I rep oye ekiti

Which part? My mum is from there.
Re: Ekiti People by topearos(m): 7:22am On Sep 12, 2014
stabillo:
SSASS My Alma Mata, One of d Best Schl in Ekiti. I enjoyed my years in Ekiti while in Silas
Abeg which set is yours?
Re: Ekiti People by Nobody: 7:24am On Sep 12, 2014
Justicemy: Ekiti na place? I no go gree people wit most dirtiest and dusty state capital in the south west.. Wen we talk abt states in naija ekiti shuld atleast ranked somewer below 30 position among de 36 states in all ramification
if you say Ekiti is the dirtiest state what would you say about oyo/ibadan?
Re: Ekiti People by Nobody: 7:25am On Sep 12, 2014
tocin44:

Which part? My mum is from there.
araromi very close to St. Augustine Catholic Church
Re: Ekiti People by Nobody: 7:32am On Sep 12, 2014
doctorgold: Wow. Nice thread. Was so delighted when i saw it. However, i am proud of two things
1. That i am from Ekiti State. Oye local government area to be precise.

2. Arc. Professor Adeyemi, the first professor of Architecture in sub saharan África examined my final Masters project in Architecture.
Nice meeting you.

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by tocin44(m): 8:05am On Sep 12, 2014
VenusBetty: araromi very close to St. Augustine Catholic Church
.

Owk she's from Isan, the governor's home town. I'm from Ikere.

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by MetaPhysical: 11:52am On Sep 12, 2014
Macof, nice article.

I salute all Ekiti sons and daughters. More progress and success to your efforts.

Oodua a gbe wa!!

Long live Yorubaland!

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by Layolaw(f): 8:47pm On Sep 12, 2014
God bless you for this 0P, inn ora ooo kete Ekiti, aba rin a gbe innn ooo, Ado naa ti i J'ewi ooo

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by rezzy: 8:52pm On Sep 12, 2014
MabraO: Na only book dem sabi for ekiti
Development is zero
In Moba(osun-ekiti)no network is working common pure water them no get. Otun ekiti is a lil better.

Moba, thats where they posted my sister to. She said na only agbero full there and no toilet

@odukoko, true talk. Yr 2000 that i went to ekiti to stay with my aunt, humm, we package shit like moimoi inside sack to throw inside the bush. I do the throwing for the family. When we came to lagos for xmas, i refused to return with them.
Re: Ekiti People by odukoko(m): 9:56pm On Sep 12, 2014
Ekiti is called 'the punishment ground' in the federal service,i.e paramilitary.when they want to treat your mess up in the service in the south west zone they transfer you to the 'punishment ground' to cool off ''under low radar''where you will ENJOY low social standard of living than you are use too with high cost of living!you can imagine even 'oga at the top' dey Ekiti now!
Re: Ekiti People by ayowhizi: 10:36pm On Sep 12, 2014
ekiti kete. inn o raa ooo

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Re: Ekiti People by MetaPhysical: 11:30pm On Sep 12, 2014
winbyforce: Make I sign in ,Ekiti abroad smiley. Not proud of much right now. My ancestors,especially the one that got his PhD from UCLA,be looking at me from heaven and saying ''What is wrong with this boy ke? Don't fall our hands o'' smiley Dear God,please help me cry

I find this touching....very open and honest!
God will show you the way and make the path easy for your own success, and your ancestors will not depart from you, Amen.

2 Likes

Re: Ekiti People by kazman117: 3:42am On Sep 13, 2014
macof: I just felt I should compile this for my beloved Ekiti people.

The Ekiti people are aboriginal, culturally homogeneous and highly intellectual agriculturalist Yoruboid-speaking people that forms a sub-group of the larger Yoruba ethnic group of West Africa, particularly in Nigeria and some part of Benin. Ekiti people who are well-known for their diverse and quality of traditional arts, music, poetry and witty sayings are reside predominantly in the Ekiti State in Western Nigeria. The Ekiti constitutes one of the largest Yoruba sub-group in Nigeria with the 2006 population census by the National Population Commission putting the population of Ekiti State at 2,384,212 people.
Ekiti State lies south of Kwara and Kogi State, East of Osun State and bounded by Ondo State in the East and in the south. It was declared a state on October 1, 1996 alongside five others by the military under the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. The state, carved out of the territory of old Ondo State, covers the former twelve local government areas that made up the Ekiti Zone of old Ondo State. On creation, it took off with sixteen (16) Local Government Areas (LGAs), having had an additional four carved out of the old ones. Ekiti State is one of the thirty-six states that constitute Nigeria. The capital of Ekiti State is Ado-Ekiti.
There are not less than 120 towns in Ekiti state. One important aspect of the Ekiti towns is the common suffix "Ekiti" attached to their names eg. Ido-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti.

Historically Ekiti people like the larger Yoruba are aborigine to the region, until absorbed by the invaders from the East. The term Ekiti denotes a "Mound", and is derived from the rugged mountainous feature of the country. It is an extensive province and well watered, having several tribes and clans right on to the border of the Niger, eastward. They hold themselves quite distinct from the Ijesas, especially in political affairs but have always had a strong brotherhood consciousness.

Ekiti themselves never saw each other as one nation until the Ekiti parapo(Ekiti confederacy) agreement of 1877 in order to raise a strong army against Ibadan.
The 16 foremost Ekiti Obas also went into agreements with Ijesa as Ogedengbe of Ilesa led the Ekiti parapo army

It is believed that the ancestors of Ekiti people who came to combine with the aboriginal people on the land migrated from Ile Ife, the spiritual home of the Yoruba people. According to oral and contemporary written sources of Yoruba history, Oduduwa, the ancestor of the Yoruba traveled to Ife [Ife Ooyelagbo] where he met people who were already settled there. Among the elders he met in the town were Agbonniregun,Obatala, Orelure, Obameri, Elesije, Obamirin, Obalejugbe just to mention a few. It is known that descendants of Agbonniregun [Baba Ifa] settled in Ekiti, examples being the Alara and Ajero who are sons of Ifa from the same mother. Orunmila himself spent a greater part of his life at Ado before going back to Ife to become Oba of Oketase, Ife. Due to this, we have the saying ‘Ado ni ile Ifa’ [Ado is the home of Ifa].

The early Ekiti country is divided into 16 districts (and it has been maintained to this day), each with its own Owa or King (Owa being a generic term amongst them) some of which are Owore of Otun,The Ajero of Ijero, Alara of Aramoko, Alaye of Efon-Alaye, Ewi of Ado, Elekole of Ikole, Olojudo of Ido, Oloye of Oye, Arinjale of Ise(and 7 others i dont know). these 16 Owas controlled other small towns that paid homage to them, Ewi and Owore are said to have had the largest territories.

The Ekiti are very intelligent and have a deep love of home- there has been no large scale migration of Ekiti peoples to neighbouring countries, but Ekitis are in other parts of Yorubaland mostly in Ondo, Oshun and Kwara states. Respect for age and superiors, ingrained politeness is part and parcel of their nature. Ekiti land is reputed to have produced the highest number of professors in Nigeria.It is rather by heritage than by accident that the motto of the present Ekiti state is “Fountain of Knowledge,” since Agbonniregun whose descendants are all over Ekitiland is praised as Akeke-f'inu s'ogbon [the small man with a mind full of wisdom, which could be the source of the popular "Ekiti kete" slogan
Several pioneers academics are from the state. Pioneers like Profs Adegoke Olubummo (One of the 1st Nigerian Professors in the field of Mathematics), Adeyinka Adeyemi (1st Professor of Architecture in West Africa). Others include renowned academics like Profs J.F. Ade-Ajayi, Niyi Osundare, Sam Aluko and others too many to mention


The main staple food of the people of Ekiti is pounded yam with Isapa soup or vegetable soup. NATURAL RESOURCES Ekiti land is naturally endowed with numerous natural resources. The state is potentially rich in mineral deposits. These include granite, kaolin, columbite, channockete, iron ore, baryte, aquamine, gemstone, phosphate, limestone,GOLD among others. They are largely deposited in different towns and villages of Ijero, Ekiti West, Ado - Ekiti, Ikole, Ikere, Ise-Ekiti and other Local Government Areas.The Land is also blessed with water resources, some of its major rivers are Ero, Osun, Ose, and Ogbese. More so a variety of tourist attractions abound in the state namely, Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ipole - Iloro Water Falls, Olosunta hills, Ikere, Fajuyi Memorial Park Ado - Ekiti and so on. The Ikogosi tourist centre is the most popular and the most developed. The warm spring is a unique natural feature, and supporting facilities are developed in the centre. The spring is at present being processed and packaged into bottled water for commercial purpose by a private company - UAC Nigeria
Moreover, the land is buoyant in agricultural resources with cocoa as its leading cash crop. It was largely known that Ekiti land constituted well over 40% of the cocoa products of the famous old Western Region. The land is also known for its forest resources, notably timber. Because of the favorable climatic conditions, the land enjoys luxuriant vegetation, thus, it has abundant resources of different species of timber. Food crops like yam, cassava, and also grains like rice and maize are grown in large qualities. Other notable crops like kola nut and varieties of fruits are also cultivated in commercial quantities


Ekiti Anthem
" Oun abajoro kiipe kun
Oun asepo nileye
Ehin ola wa tidara o
Awa Ekiti ati parapo
Kaparapo katun panupo
Awa Ekiti ati gbominira
Okan lawansee
Chorus: Ekiti, Ekiti ati gbominira (2ce)
Awa Ekiti iwaju laomalo lagbara Olorun
Awa Ekiti okan soso ma ni’wa o lailai."

Oriki Ekiti
omo Owa omo ekun
omo oro ninu waya agbele sebi eko, aidamo ro o yangba
omo otiriki ju Ida, ki keri ogun hun won l'ule Owa
Elila oke isa, okan din nibe eyin ra kan si, okan le nibe inse leyin pa kan je
Omo agesin re popo ukoro,
Omo ogbogan gbogan leti
Omo aroyin royin kan se po e yo run lule aran
Omo ekun peran dagba aya si,
Omo jiwajiwa ileke
Eyin lomo olulu oro kii ro loru.
Omo olupepe ka sokasoka ka mebibo sere, ka
soloko segbe ogiri lule eyigbo
Eyin lomo irafi eemi, omo agbona bi ado
Omo elewure funfun ilasa ki fun bi okin
Omo obanla ba odo, omo arabaribi akuta
Omo Aalaere gbendeke, Omo aji be gbaa ji
Udile Ekiti Omo aji mogun sano omo
opababa lesi lodo ose oko.


ADEYEMI Ekundayo Adeyinka, Prof. Distinguished Professor, 1st Professor of Architecture in West Africa
Adegoke Olubummo, Ekit man and one of the 1st Nigerian Professors in the field of Mathematics
Saraibi Ogedengbe Agbogungboro
infact is as if i shud join ekiti 2dae wit dis writup. It'z indeed fountain of knwledge

2 Likes

Re: Ekiti People by adusco(m): 6:35am On Sep 13, 2014
Layolaw: God bless you for this 0P, inn ora ooo kete Ekiti, aba rin a gbe innn ooo, Ado naa ti i J'ewi ooo

hallo! Are you from Ado?
Re: Ekiti People by Layolaw(f): 6:46am On Sep 13, 2014
adusco:

hallo! Are you from Ado?
yes, from Ogbon-0ba
Re: Ekiti People by adusco(m): 7:28am On Sep 13, 2014
Layolaw: yes, from Ogbon-0ba

I'm frm Idemo but ado in diaspora.
Though I always come around hoping to settle down dere one day.

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by macof(m): 11:34am On Sep 13, 2014
Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe III

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by macof(m): 12:46pm On Sep 13, 2014
ADO-EKITI

Capital city and headquarters of Ekiti, The population in 2004 was 446,749.
Ado Ekiti City has a State owned University - the University of Ado Ekiti now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, a privately owned University - the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, a Polytechnic - the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, two local television and radio stations, - NTA Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State Television (BSES), Radio Ekiti, Progress FM Ado Ekiti. Various commercial enterprises operate in Ado Ekiti. The city is the trade centre for a farming region where yams, cassava, grain, and tobacco are grown. Cotton is also grown for weaving.
Where Ado-Ekiti is situated is a land that has been continuously inhabited/occupied by human communities from time immemorial. Available research shows that human societies of unknown antiquity occupied this neighbourhood about 11,000 years ago. These ancient inhabitants were probably the same or progenitors/ancestors of Igbon near Ogotun, Erijiyan, Ijero, Ulesun and Asin (near Ikole) who were probably autochthones because available traditions shows that they had lived in and near their abodes from time immemorial. As a matter of fact, no one knows where, if any, they came from and for how long they had lived in those ancient sites. Ulesun appears the best-known apparently on account of its size, the number of its subordinate communities especially Aso, Ulero, Isinla, Ilamoji, Ukere and Agbaun (near Igbemo), its well-organized traditional religion including its festivals etc. and its location at the heartland of Ekitiland. These ancient people were the ancestors of Ekiti, they played hosts in the 7th and 8th centuries, about 1,200 years ago, to waves of immigrants from the basins of the rivers Niger and Benue; these settled among the ancient Ekiti, and were fewer in number and so, the hosts culturally absorbed them.

In the late 13th/early 14th century,a new wave of immigrant groups penetrated this homeland; their leader as Ewi nicknamed Awamaro, son of Biritiokun, from the House of Oduduwa, as he wandered the forests through Bini as part of the 13th century Ile-Ife exodus of princes. Ulesun people welcomed them warmly and neighbouring committees came together to assist their settlement (built homesteads for them) at Oke-Ibon in Odo Ijigbo. Eventually, Ewi and his people overthrew the existing political arrangements, conquered Ulesun community, displaced its ruler Elesun and established a new town, Awamaro named Ado, meaning 'here we encamp'. Ewi Awamaro and his successors conquered villages and cottage in the neighbourhood, replaced their rulers with their own loyalists, stalwarts and scions of the royal family. The important citizens of these conquered communities were relocated in Ado. Ewi supplanted Elesun as sovereign ruler of the aboriginal and settler population, many of Elesun's Chiefs were confirmed in their offices but they swore oaths of allegiance to the Ewi. Many of the succeeding Ewi expanded the kingdom by force of arms, annexed territories and gave these territories to scions of the royal families, these assumed titles which became hereditary. The expansion and growth of Ado-Ekiti and the kingdom of Ado lasted over 400 years. In the course of this expansion, Ado became associated with certain traits. Citizens of the kingdom in general and those of the mother town, Ado-Ekiti in particular were reputed for great attention to cleanliness. A popular lyrical description of Ado citizenry depicts:
Ira Ule Ado m'etipise fifin seree (Ado citizens with their usually clean heels). Ado people were, by local standard, tough and brave warriors. Traditions preserve numerous brave citizens of each Ado community, the best known were Ogbigbonihanran of Idolofin quarters, Ogunmonakan of Okelaja, Fasawo, a.k.a. Aduloju of Udemo quarters, and Eleyinmi Orogirigbona of Okeyinmi quarters - all of Ado-Ekiti and Ogunbulu, a.k.a. Ala l'oju Osoru of Aisegba. The exploits of Ado tough in many parts of Ekiti formed the basis of the popular orature: Ikara s'eji s'inu agbagba t'emi ukoko (Of two balls of cake in the frying-pan, he insists his share is one)
Oral traditions are replete with fond references to Ewi's relationship with some other Ekiti traditional rulers. Ewi's antecedents are depicted as: Elempe Ekiti (mightiest man in Ekiti) On k'emu 'kan o mu meji Oloju k'enu 'kan gba kete re (He is entitled to one, he took two he has a disposition to take everything) Ewi i pe mi udiroko Onitaji i pe mi esunsu...... (Ewi invites me for his udiroko festival Onitaji invites me for his esunsu festival)
Ado-Ekiti is situated at the heartland of Ekiti and is thus less exposed to cross-border attacks or non-Ekiti influences. Consequently, over many centuries, waves of immigrant groups seeking haven settled in Ado-Ekiti and several other Ado communities. Many of these immigrants were refugees, they left their old homelands in parts of Ekiti, Akoko, Owo etc where their leaders lost out in chieftaincy contests, They were settled in Ado communities where they increased the local population, and enriched the culture with their lineage names and festivals in similar circumstances, citizens of Ado communities left their fatherland and settled in a few places in the neighbourhood up to Ijesaland. Ibadan sacked many Ado communities in 1873 and made a huge haul of prisoners of war and other captives who eventually settled in Iwo, Ibadan and some Remo towns such as Iperu and Makun Sagamu. However, Ado communities especially the mother town offset part of their losses with a large number of slaves and prisoners of war from Owo, Ose and Akoko.


Ado-Ekiti is one of the towns of the northeastern territory of Yoruba land and passed through a succession of military, political and cultural changes from the time of Ewi Awamaro (1310 A.D) who migrated there to form what became Ado-Ekiti, some sources state that Ewi's father, Biritiokun was of the same mother as Oranmiyan, both settled at the outskirts of Bini before disputes among their people led them to separate and the Ewi sought a new home westward at Utamodi (Oke Papa). Ewi Biritiokun and his son reigned there. It was Ewi Awamaro who migrated to Ilesun (Present day Ado-Ekiti) after staying briefly at Udoani (Ido Ani) and Agbado during the long trek. When Ewi Awamaro left Agbado, the elders remained behind to rest and gave the settlement the name Agba Ado (Elders’ Camp) – Agbado-Ekiti as the town is known today. Awamaro’s spies encouraged him to attack Elesun with the support of Odolofin after he had settled down at Oke Ibon (now Odo Ijigbo) and with the conquest of Ulesun by Awamaro, the town of Ulesun changed its name to Ado or Ado-Ewi.
The Elesun (the King) who ruled over the town of Ulesun with its satellite towns i.e. Ukere (now Ikere), Isinla, Ulamoji, Agidimo, Ikewo existed in what is now known as Ado-Ekiti before the emergence of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti. The Elesun occupied the peak of a hierarchy where he had his subordinates as the Odolofin (Elesun second in command), Asao, Elegemo, Alamoji, Olisinla, Olulero, Olookori etc. Elesun was the head of the laity in the worship of Olota (god), the deity in charge of the security of Ulesun State. The Ulesun language was different from Yoruba (Ado-Ewi) language. Examples are Ideregbe (Ewure or Goat), Okeregba (Aja or Dog), Amomo (Alangba or Lizard), Usa (Ikoko or Pot), Ukere (Ago or Calabash Cup), Ogolomosi (Ibepe or Pawpaw), Oyeye (Epa or Groundnut). Some of the Elesun’s chiefs such as Odolofin and Asao were accepted into the Ewi’s system of chieftaincy after Awamaro’s conquest. The Elegemo retained his post as Chief Priest and custodian of Iwemo Ogun. Ewi’s Warrior chiefs who provided military security for palace inhabitants were the Akogun at Irona, Oloja Ese at Oke Ese, Eleyinmi at Okeyinmi and Egbedi at Orereowu. Ewi Awamaro subjugated Elesun’s neighbours and expanded his territory except Ukere (Ikere Ekiti) and his successors up to Yeyenirewu followed same steps that by 1550 A.D. Ado-Ewi had become a big power in the entire Ekiti country.
The Ewis that reigned at Ado from 1444 to 1552 were: Ewi Ata (1444–1471), Ewi Owakunrugbon (1471–1490), Ewi Owamuaran (1490–1511), Yeyenirewu - The regent (1511– 1552). Ewi’s military exploits during the period was to subjugate and annex his immediate territories extended to Ikere, Igbara Odo, Ogotun, Aramoko, Erio and Erijiyan among others. It was a long time systematic military campaign during the reigns of Ewi Obakunrin (1552–1574), Ewi Eleyo-Okun (1574–1599) and Ewi Afigbogbo Ara Soyi (1599-1630). During the reign of Ewi Gberubioya (1630-1696), Ado-Ewi was peaceful as war was abandoned in place of diplomacy and mutual relations strategy. Ewi Gberubioya divided the Ewi dynasty into three ruling houses of Owaroloye (Aroloye), Atewogboye and Arutawekun. Ewi’s sons that ruled in neighbouring areas during the reign of Gberubioya included Okunbusi who became Onigede, Adubienimu who became Alawo, the Onijan, Opoakin (of Iwere), Olu Akitipa (of Odo), Aramude, Olokun, Olurasa, Onikewo and Olotin. One of his sons, Amujoye founded Igbemo and took the title of Oba of Igbemo from its inception. Gberubioya linked the Ewi’s dynasty to both Ikole and Ijero because one of his wives who were betrothed to Elekole was surrendered to Ewi as a peace deal and her children for the Elekole, Ewi and Ajero who took her into custody after Ewi’s demise later ascended as Ewi, Elekole and Ajero respectively. Ido Faboro (Ido-Ekiti) took her current name from Ado as a result of settlement with Ewi to remain independent of Ado during Gberubioya’s reign. Other Ewis that reigned after Gberubioya were Ewi Idagunmodo (1696-1710), Ewi Okinbaloye Aritawekun (1710-1722), Ewi Amono Ola (1722-1762), Ewi Afunbiowo (1762-1781), Ewi Akulojuorun (1781-1808), Ewi Aroloye (1808-1836), Ewi Ali Atewogboye (1836-1885), Ewi Ajimudaoro Aladesanmi I (1886-1910), Ewi Adewumi Agunsoye (1910 - 1936), Ewi Daniel Anirare Aladesanmi II (1937 - 1983), HRM Ewi Samuel Adeyemi George-Adelabu I (1984 - 1988) and HRM Alayeluwa Ewi Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III (the current Ewi of Ado-Ekiti).

At the height of Ado-Ekiti influence in Ekiti country in the 18th and 19th centuries, legend has it that Ado kingdom consisted of 150 (ewadojo) communities and that the metropolis of the kingdom was Ado-Ekiti Township where the Ewi as Sovereign superintended over the realm as the sovereign head. The Oluyin, the Alare, the Alaworoko, the Elesure, the Eleyio and the Onigbemo are very important rulers of subordinate towns within the immediate precinct of the Ewi’s municipality. Within the Ewi’s Kingdom, heads of subordinate towns often performed specific political and spiritual roles and responsibilities in the service of the Kingdom in order to retain and sustain their relationship with the powerful King while supporting the layers of interrelations among towns in the realm. Legend has it that it was a tradition in Ado-Ekiti for influential members of the royal household (Omo Oba or Omo Owa) to be sent to subordinate Ado-Ekiti community to found new dynasties on established settlements in buffer zones and borderland areas.
Rulers of subordinate towns like Iyin-Ekiti (Uyin Alelagba) and Are-Ekiti were brothers and relations of the Ewi who co-existed and led their respective townships as co-ordinate lesser cities of Ado-Ekiti. They ruled in those towns with a view to creating stability for the Ewi who was a ruler of higher importance in the main city, Ado-Ekiti, while his brothers are rulers over lesser Ado towns where they maintained required importance and role to preserve the Ewi’s realm and achieve an equation of substance and stability against Ewi’s potential regional neighbours. The existence of these chieftains help to preserve Ewi’s interest and to protect Ado-Ekiti from direct invasion by any ambitious adventurer since the chiefs represent Ewi’s interest in those subordinate and neighbouring towns, farm settlements, hamlets and subordinate towns. The headship of most of these towns was selected from the ruling lineage that was created by the senior chiefs, subject to the ratification of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti.
J.O. Olubobokun in his works – Itan Iyin (1980) as corroborated by A.O. Oguntuyi (1986:9) asserted that Iyin is one of the subordinate towns of Ado-Ekiti founded by Oluyin Agbogbomaje, e.g. the sword bearer (Oluda) who accompanied Ewi Awamaro to settle in Ado before he was allocated land to the West of Ado town and settled in a place called Uro where he was later joined by people of Ibedoyin, Oketoro and Okelawe in forming a total of 16 quarters which later truncated into one town. The essence here is that Iyin people were part of Ado Kingdom that gained royal autonomy to co-exist as separate community under the realm of the Ewi without severing traditional ties and blood relations with Ewi and Ado people. The deep traditional relationship that existed between the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti and the Onigbemo of Igbemo-Ekiti for instance requiring those rulers of the subordinate towns around Ado-Ekiti to participate in specific rites at the death or installation of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti tends to highlight the role of covenant renewal in the community for the continuity of Ewi’s ‘imperial’ or hegemonic status and influence in the subordinate Towns.

2 Likes

Re: Ekiti People by ChristyG(f): 4:06pm On Sep 13, 2014
VenusBetty: if you say Ekiti is the dirtiest state what would you say about oyo/ibadan?
ehn dapada!!!dont even go there,ibadan aint dirty,it used to be but not anymore.stop being defensive,ekiti is the poorest state in d sw,so dont even compare ibadan to ekiti,dey are not on d same levels at all,after lagos,d next is ibadan.

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by undisputed25(m): 5:14pm On Sep 13, 2014
FrankySnow: Sorry but did I say anything wrong about your state? I'm confuse.
@ franky am sorry not you, I wanna qoute the dude you quoted
Re: Ekiti People by Nobody: 5:42pm On Sep 13, 2014
undisputed25:
@ franky am sorry not you, I wanna qoute the dude you quoted
No problem.
Re: Ekiti People by doctorgold(m): 5:57pm On Sep 15, 2014
VenusBetty: Nice meeting you.
Yipeee! At last ano opportunity to interact with someone from ma area. No mind me. Am ekiti by mouth. I dont even understand d dialect. You can hook me up on whatsapp. 08065700664

1 Like

Re: Ekiti People by MabraO: 8:55am On Sep 16, 2014
[b]I heard ekiti got the best Agbo Jedi
How tru is this]/b]
Re: Ekiti People by arbass(m): 2:25pm On Sep 21, 2014
IHate9ja1:
plz do you knw d Awoyinka's of oTUn
Yes I do....just on the surface though.

1 Like

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