HISTORY OF IDOFIN (copied)
===============
Promoting our heritage
How it all started
Idofin is a town in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State. The town was established by Abadofin Akinla (Atikunbonileja lotun) from Otun Ekiti in Ekiti State. He came with his wife and three children namely: Egosi (the ancestor of Ilegose people), Eruwa (the ancestor of Odo-Eru people) and Awaye (the ancestor of Igbon people) and some of his loyalists).
Abadofin Akinla was not only next to the oore (Oba) in the political hierarchy of the then Mobba-Otun but also the religious leader in the town. The name Idofin is derived from the founder, Abadofin. As a result of religious and political dispute, Abadofin Akinla migrated North of Mobba-Otun to establish his own settlement which he regarded as Mobba or satellite settlement to Mobba-Otun and referred to as Idofin-Mobba. This Idofin is the first settler in Ekiti Kwara around 16th Century.
After the establishment of Idofin-Mobba, the early settlers, established a monarchical system of government headed by a monarch (Oba) who wore and still wears beaded crown with frings. Abadofin Akinla became the first oba of Idofin Mobba and his religious functions were passed to his eldest son, Egosi.
Abadofin Akinla died and was succeeded by his eldest prince, Egosi who firmly established obaship and traditional administration of Idofin-mobba. Like it was and still is in otun where Abadofin was second in command to oore (the oba) of otun. Odofin, the corrupt form of Abadofin was second in command to oba of Idofin.
The post of Elegose became institutionalized and charge with the responsibility of royal ritual. Hence his function as the king maker. The Oba Odofin and Asanlu titles were not only promotional from Asanlu to odofin and odofin to oba but were also to be rotated among the three princes of Abadofin Akinla namely: Egosi, Eruwa and Awaye, the ancestors of Ilegose, Odo-Eru and Igbon ruling houses respectively in Idofin Mobba.
Thus while Egosi became the oba, his immediate brother Eruwa became odofin and Awaye the youngest became Asanlu.
The initial traditional council of Idofin-Mobba had the oba, Odofin and Asanlu in the council, since the time Idofin Mobba was founded around 16th Century to the second half of 18th Century, seven (7) obas ruled over Idofin Mobba (now Idofin-Igbana) alone:
1. Oba Akinla
2. Oba Egosi
3. Oba Eruwa
4. Oba Awaye
5. Oba Ilaju
6. Oba Olowu
7. Oba Okandobobata
The population of Idofin Mobba, the early immigrant swell up by others immigrants from Igbomina country; from Ora, Ajesepo, Oba, Oko, Omu Aran, Isin Igbesi, Olla other from Oyo (Igbana), Egbado, Egba, Ile-Oluji, Opin-Ekiti, Ilale, Ekan, Odo-Owa, Ilofa, Odo-Aga (Omo-Aro and Idabe) Isanyi Ekiti, Odo-Oba and so on around 17th to 18th century.
The later immigrant into Idofin-Mobba territory were the ancestors of the present Odo-Ashe community namely: Ogbolu from (Ife), Ilomo and Okoriko (Oyo), Aawo (Nupe), Ilafe (Nupe), Idabe (Ife), Ebinrin/Omo-Aro (Otun), Irodo (Iyagba) and Ilawu (Oro-Ago) and Ehinafo (Otun).
The first among the later immigrants were the Ogbolu people who migrated and settled at the North-Eastern base of Ilaju ridge in Mobba-Idofin during the reign of Oba Eruwa of Idofin-Mobba. According to history, Oba Eruwa discovered an unusual smoke near his settlement, traced its source and met the Ogbolu people. They (Ogbolu people) narrated their plights in respect of various problems in respect of their migrations, probably through Otun, Odo-Ere before they got to Idofin to Oba Eruwa who had sympathy on them and allow them to settle at a place called Ode-Ogbolu which is situated along the present Olla-Odo Aga road.
Overtime, the Ogbolu people became assimilated into Mobba-Idofin and their settlement was regarded as an integral part of Mobba-Idofin and giving them Idofin-Ogbolu, thus Ogbolu suffix to Idofin as Idofin-Ogbolu. Ogbolu people were the first settlers in the present Odo-Ashe to suffix Idofin to their name.
As unity continue between Idofin-Mobba and Idofin-Ogbolu, during the reign of Oba Okandobobata from Mobba, he divided Idofin into Eight wards namely: Eredo, Ebido, Igbon, Iketa in Idofin-Mobba and Aiyekale, Odo-Aga, Omo-Aro, Ehinafo, new name of their settlement after the wars in Idofin Ogbolu (Odo-Ashe) and Isapa town join as 9th ward, for political and security reasons.

ISIN RIVER MEETINGS
==============
Each of the wards was placed under a military commander called Elegbo, which met and still meets regularly up till the present time at a place called Isin, situated at the base of Oke-Are mountain in Idofin-Mobba now (Idofin Igbana). The Baba isale or patron of Elegbos is permanently from Iketa ward in Idofin-Igbana.
This military structural organization was in place before Yoruba civil war and Jihad war erupted.
Apart from military re-organization, Oba Okandobobata also introduce Alaye to the initial traditional council of Idofin as Oba, Odofin, Asanlu and Alaye in the council. He however maintained the same promotional system to the obaship title. Thus Odofin was chosen from among the aborigines of Ogbolu people of Aiyekale, the Asanlu to be promoted to Odofin from Ehinafo (Alaye) and new Alaye from Odo-Aga, thus the rotation follows the pattern.

The past Obas who ruled Idofin land were:

NAME OF OBA RULING HOUSE WARD TOWN
========================

1st.
==
Abadofin Akinla (Atikunbonilejalotun)

2nd
===
Egosi
Ilegose
Eredo
Igbana

3rd
==
Eruwa
Odo-Eru
Eredo
Igbana

4th
==
Awaye
Igbon
Igbon
Igbana

5th
==
Ilaju
Ilegose
Eredo
Igbana

6th
==
Olowu
Odo-Eru
Eredo
Igbana

7th
==
Okandobobafa
(Amowomole Adodo)
Igbon
Igbon
Igbana

8th
==
Inaromiku Awolebi Opo
Ilomo
Aiyekale
Odo- Ashe

9th
==
Agbodidi Ogabonu Aribani
(1) Abeji bokunrin
Okenahun
Ehinafo
Odo- Ashe

10th
==
Abiye Pekun niwowo
Ilegose
Eredo
Igbana

11th
==
Amegbarukuta
Okoriko
Aiyekale
Odo- Ashe

12th
==
Adeyana Onibuowo
Omo-Aro
Odo-Aga
Odo-Ashe

13th
==
Akangbe Alomilogba
(Sopodiwura, soladigbigbe)
Odo-Eru
Eredo
Igbana

14th
===
Olalemi torodeboniaye Olanawoka (Aniyaloye Ibisantale)
Okoriko
Aiyekale
Odo-Ashe

15th
==
Jamu Fabiyi (Asunledoye)
Omo-Aro
Odo-Aga
Odo-Ashe

16th
==
Ishola Olowolagba
Igbon
Igbon
Odo-Ashe

17th
===
Awojanu Arojojoye
Ilomo
Aiyekale
Odo-Ashe

KING MAKERS
==========
The kingmakers. These chiefs (Ejo Idofin) are:
1). Elegose
2). Aro The three permanent king makers from Igbana
3). Onigobe
4). Olomo – permanent member from Aiyekale
5). Alaaye – permanent member from Ehinafo / Odo-Aga
6). Asanlu
7). Odofin At any point in time, one of these was in Igbana and
. Oba two were at Odo-ashe
Four of these eight chiefs were at Igbana while four were at Odo-Ashe at any point in time at the time the oba was rotated between Igbana and Odo-Ashe.

BREAK of AMALGAMATION of OBASHIP (1974-1977)
=======================
At this end, the amalgamation of the Obaship institution in Idofin land break in 1974, Kwara state government intervened and directed the Irepodun/Ifelodun traditional council to resolve the issue. Thus, Idofin Igbana has her Oba and councils and Odo-Ashe has her own in 1977.

IDOFIN WAS NEVER ENSLAVED or CONQUERED
========================
Idofin history in the 18th and 19th Century: In the earlier 18th Century, Yoruba civil was started ravage most of Igbomona and Ekiti country but Idofin has never subdue, it follow by Jihad war of Ilorin. This make the entire people of Idofin Mobba fled to Oke-Are mountain with a group from Odo-Aga fled to Eastern part of Oke-Are mountain for security reasons.

EUROPEAN ARMY (1895) and The RETURNED from MOUNTAINS
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The entire Idofin-Ogbolu people fled to mountain Ojokolo (aiyekale) mountain Ore (Ehinafo/Omo-Aro) the rest of Odo-Aga to Ilafe hill, until the arrival of royal constabulary force of European that established her barrack at Idofin Mobba (proper) in 1895. And people start coming down from their various mountain they fled to for security reason.

ORIGIN of IGBANA NAME
=================
In Idofin-Mobba, Odeyemi Oniku, a warrior, first came down from mountain Oke-Are to a place called Igbana (Agbana) where he stands as border controller for West and North East, which is now refer to as Igbana that substituted Mobba of Idofin in existing. Others follow in coming down from mountains dwellers to their present town. Likewise, Ogbolu people came down from their mountain dwellers to their various present towns: Aiyekale, Ehinafo and Odo-Aga.
Since then, Idofin-Igbana, referred to as Idofin (proper) by colonial master is the headquarter of Osi district in the Ilorin province of Northern Nigeria that now comprise Ekiti and Oke-Ero local government area.

MOVING OSI DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS FROM IDOFIN IGBANA TO OSI
========================
later, the headquarter move to Osi in the early 20th century probably due to economic and religion reason, rather than recommendation of D.H. Yussuf, new district head after Balogun Gambari’s Ajias. That the headquarters of the district have been moved from Idofin to Osi the later place being much more central. Idofin (on the hill) has for some time past been inclined to defy authority. This village which is of some importance being on the trade route to Patigi requires strict supervision. Because new district head do good work in 1912 – 13, Osi district assessment report but there are disturbances at Idofin during the period, they even refer Idofin to be a pagan village. But Idofin-Igbana is still the headquarter of Idofin district till present date. That was pre-colonial, colonial and post colonial era history of Idofin of Ekiti Kwara State of Nigeria.

Source of reference books:
=============
Note of reference in relation to Ekiti
(a). G. C. Whitely: Assistant District Officer Ilorin Assessment Report 1916

(b). Mr. H. B. Hermonhedge pages 175 – 176
Gazetteer of Ilorin province

(c). Memorandum to Justice Ekundayo Chieftaincy Panel of 1978

(d). G. C. Whitely & Burnet 1916 Ilorin Association Report

(e). Memo submitted by Ekiti Welfare Assistance on the Creation of Ekiti Local Government in 1991

(f). I.D.U (Idofin Development Union): History of the Establi

My home town🥰