Oke-Onigbin

Oke-Onigbin
Town
Oke-Onigbin

Location in Nigeria

Coordinates: 8°13′0″N 5°0′0″E / 8.21667°N 5.00000°E / 8.21667; 5.00000
Country  Nigeria
State Kwara State
Local Government Area Isin, Nigeria
Time zone WAT (UTC+1)

Oke-Onigbin lies at the heart of and is the major community in Isin Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria. It is mostly inhabited by Igbomina people.

Traditions

The location of Oke-Onigbin, formerly called Oke-Igbo, was renamed by the then Alaafin of Oyo, after the town paid a homage to his palace with a basket full of snails in dry season during the reign of Aniyaloye and the title of the king was changed from "BARA" to "ONIGBIN". In return, the ALAFIN presented him with the type of traditional cap (ABETI AJA) worn by ALAFIN and to immortalized the gesture of ALAFIN, a statue wearing the type of the cap was made known as (AWORE). The town was believed to have had an abundance of snails, hence its name. Oke in the Yoruba language means hill or an upland, Oni signifies possession and Igbin means snail(s). The founder of current day Oke-Onigbin, "Baba Akoo," was said to have migrated from another Igbomina settlement known as "Ikosin." This was due to a misunderstanding on who becomes the next king of the town, and he intended to avoid inter-tribal wars. He settled at the then Oke Igbo now Oke Onigbin as stated above all alone with his wife. he erected a staff in front of his house which he usually hang his hunter bag. his wife now asked him that who will be a mediator between them any time there is any misunderstanding between them as they were only two of them then. he told his wife that the moment she run to the staff, he will not touch her. So the staff then served as the mediator between them any time the two of them quarrel. The said staff Still exist now referred to as "IGI DUDU" and that why a phrase in the linage says IGI DUDU KETA OPO which means Igi Dudu make up the third person as there was no body with them then. It was after a long time of living together that they were joined by the in-law from Ora who are now the Aros in Aro's compound.

Female figure from Oke Onigbin, Shango Shrine

The community had a shrine dedicated to the god Shango, the god of thunder then. But it was abolished since 1969 and the town is now having two recognized religions "CHRISTIANITY and ISLAMIC" any other religions are not allowed to be practiced in the town till today.[1]

          PAST RULERS AND THEIR RULING HOUSES

The town has a traditional ruler known as BARA initially before renamed as Onigbin of Oke Onigbin. The office of traditional rulers in Oke-Onigbin is rotated among the ruling families who are descendants of Baba Akoo. When a ruler dies, another ruler is chosen from the ruling family that is next in line, according to the history of the town. The first ruler was Baba Akoo himself the founder of the town called BARA ILE NLA Ruling house. He was succeeded by his son Egbaraojosan BARA was the title from Ile Nla Ruling house. He was succeeded by Aniyaloye who started with BARA of Oke Igbo but was changed to ONIGBIN of Oke Onigbin by Alaafin of Oyo then from Odo Oja Ruling house (Odo Oja is one of the son of Baba Akoo. He was succeeded by Amoyeniyi from Odo Oja Ruling House. The next was Okiri from Odogboeyin (Odogboeyin people are descedants of Baba Odumo who was the senior brother to Baba Akoo but because the descendant of Baba Akoo was young to take over the mantle so they gave Baba Odumo descendant the chance to take over). After him came Asosuparankadeyi from Odo Oja ruling House. The next was Alekunlogba from Odogboeyin. He was succeeded by Ologbaraogbo from Odogboeyin. He was followed by Ajayi Omolaoye from Ile Nla Ruling House. He was followed by Aleniloye from Odogboeyin. Then followed by Adebayo Abata from Odo Oja Ruling house. He was followed by Gabriel Adeoye Olayinka who was unanimously installed by the town then but there was conspiracy and Jimoh Olaoye who was not in the linage of Baba Akoo was turbaned at Ilorin and was imposed on the Town living the town with two Obas for about four years before Gabriel Adeoye was asked to step down. The current Onigbin of Oke-Onigbin is HRH, Oba Joseph Olayinka (Omolaoye II). He came to throne after the death of Oba Jimoh Olaoye. Peter Adesina was the Elemo of Oke-Onigbin, one of the high chiefs of the traditional state.[2]

Contemporary religions

The Kwara State has numerous Muslims, and Oke Onigbin has one of the largest central mosques in the state. It also has congregations of several church denominations, including the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) and All Saints, an Anglican church.[3]

In October 2002, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was a candidate for governor in the April 2003 Kwara State elections on the Alliance for Democracy platform. He was assaulted and five vehicles in his convoy were smashed in front of Senator Suleiman Ajadi's campaign office at Oke-Onigbin during a festivity.[4]

References

  1. Gigi Pezzoli (1995). Cavalieri dell'Africa: storia, iconografia, simbolismo. Centro studi archeologia africana.
  2. "Councilors in the 16 LGs of Kwara State charged to collaborate with relevant Agencies". Radio Kwara. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  3. "CLERGY LOCATIONS" (PDF). Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  4. Utibe Uko (2002-12-15). "The Endangered Aspirants". This Day Online. Retrieved 2009-11-26.

Coordinates: 8°13′0″N 5°0′0″E / 8.21667°N 5.00000°E / 8.21667; 5.00000

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