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This year’s Odun Owa Ajibogun festival started on Tuesday, the 26th of August, as hundreds of Ijesa people, including tourists, stormed Ilowa-Ijesa, one of the oldest towns in Ijesaland, to remember, venerate, and celebrate the founder of Ijesaland and the first Owa of the Ijesas, Ajibogun Ajaka.
WHO IS OWA AJIBOGUN?
‘Odun Owa,’ a festival of grit and tradition, is celebrated annually to venerate the war general, Ajibogun, known for his military prowess and leadership skills, who founded and expanded the Ijesa kingdom. He was the youngest son of Oduduwa, who went to fetch seawater to cure his father’s blindness.
Credible sources posited that Owa Ajibogun left Ile-Ife with a ‘sword of victory’ given to him by Oduduwa to establish ‘Ilowa,’ one of the oldest towns in Ijesaland. Ilowa-Ijesa is arguably the ancestral home of all Ijeshas.
MILITARY EXPLOITS OF OWA AJIBOGUN?
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that Owa Ajibogun was a ferocious war general.
Scholars contended that the ‘victory sword’ bestowed upon Owa Ajibogun by his father, Oduduwa, represents power and strength, allowing him to create and expand Ijesaland through conquest.
In an interview session with WITHIN NIGERIA, the Owarisa Obokun of Ilowa-Ijesa, Oba Adebukola Aremu Alli, narrated how Owa Ajibogun rescued Ilemure, now Ibokun, from invaders.“Owonkwo founded Ilemure, now Ibokun (the roaring of the sea).
Itaforitigun defeated Owonkwo and became the king of Ilemure, now Ibokun”.According to Oba Adebukola, the Alare of Ilare would then invade Ilemure, now Ibokun, fight and defeat their men, cart away properties, and enslave their sons and daughters.
“This prompted Itaforitigun, then ruler of Ilemure, now Ibokun, to seek the assistance of Owa Ajibogun, the founder of Ilowa-Ijesa. Ajibogun took his sword of victory, fought with the Alare of Ilare, and beheaded him,” Oba Adebukola further disclosed.
Sources claimed that Owa Ajibogun also beheaded Itaforitigun, then ruler of Ilemure, now Ibokun, because he did not make an attempt to follow him to Ilowa-Ijesa with drums and people as a form of appreciation after he had beheaded the Alare, who was tormenting his people.
“Owa Ajibogun gave one of his daughters to the then Alare of Ilare to marry. The daughter replaced the spiritual drum that Alare used to beat to awaken spirits while on the battlefield with a counterfeit. When Owa Ajibogun invaded Ilare, then Alare beat the counterfeit drum, and spirits did not appear as usual. Owa Ajibogun approached him and cut off his head with his sword of victory given to him by Oduduwa,” according to sources.
These sources also affirmed that Owa Ajibogun beheaded both Alare of Ilare and Itaforitigun, then ruler of Ilemure. Owa Ajibogun renamed Ilemure to Ibokun (Ibinuokun—roaring of the sea).
A check by WITHIN NIGERIA revealed that there is a historic and sacred site in Ibokun called Ile-Ori (House of Head). Further findings revealed that Ile-Ori is the sacred area where heads of Itaforitigun and then Alare of Ilare were buried, and annually, both Ibokun and Ilare people jointly perform sacred rites there.
OWA AJIBOGUN, ILOWA-IJESA AND ILESA: THE LINK?
Sources disclosed that Owa Ajibogun did not beget a son until he came to Ibokun, where priests performed a big sacrifice for him.
According to sources, Owa Ajibogun later begot a son named Okaokile, who happened to be his only son throughout his lifetime.
Okaokile gave birth to only one child, whose name is Ogborogboro Olokueshin. Okaokile’s only child, Olokueshin, gave birth to three sons, namely, Eyin Ilewura, Owaluse, and Owari. These sons contested for the royal seat of Owarisa Obokun of Ilowa-Ijesa after the demise of their father, Ogborogboro Olokueshin, but Eyin-Ilewura won.
Following the coronation of Eyin-Ilewura, Owari and Owaluse left Ilowa-Ijesa to establish their respective towns. Owari founded Ipole, and Owaluse founded Iwara. Some sources argued that Ilesa—‘Ile eesa’—was formerly a marketplace or trading center under the influence of Oba Onila—a rich farmer who owns the largest okra plantation. Owaluse came to Ilesa and challenged Oba Onila’s dominance, but it did not become bloody because he subdued to the authority of Owaluse, making him the first Owa of Ilesa.
This claim further affirmed the positions of some scholars that there is no true-born Ilesa native without an ancestral home that can be traceable to one of the ancient towns in Ijesaland. For every new Owa in Ilesa, the occupier must be from one of the core Ijesa towns.
WHY ILOWA IS THE RIGHTFUL TOWN TO CELEBRATE AJIBOGUN, THE FIRST OWA IN IJESALAND?
Historical findings revealed that Ajibogun left Okun (sea) with three stones and a sizable amount of seawater (Omi Okun) to be used in curing Oduduwa’s blindness caused by old age.
According to reliable sources, Ajibogun vanished into the ground at Ilekete, a suburb in Ilowa-Ijesa.
When WITHIN NIGERIA visited Ilowa-Ijesa to cover the Odun Owa annual festival, the three stones from the sea were sighted in front of the Owa Ajibogun shrine.
The location where Owa Ajibogun vanished under the ground was discovered in Ilekete, an Ilowa-Ijesa suburb.
WITHIN NIGERIA also trekked a narrow road directly opposite Adebola Ajayi Memorial Church, Ilowa-Ijesa, to reach a river body known as Omi-Okun in the town.
Ilowa chiefs claimed that Ajibogun dumped the remaining seawater used to cure Oduduwa’s blindness onto the ground, where it became a river body.
Natives, tourists, and locals come here to get the water for healing, cleansing, and other spiritual purposes.
These historic locations associated with Owa Ajibogun are located in Ilowa-Ijesa, hence there is a need to commemorate Ajibogun, the first Owa in Ijesaland, there.
HOW ODUN OWA AJIBOGUN FONDLY CALLED ODUN OWA IS CELEBRATED?
The festival, ‘Odun Owa,’ is divided into two parts, namely, the traditional part and the entertainment part.
Four days are dedicated to the traditional part, while the grand finale, where natives and guests dine and wine, represents the entertainment part.
The traditional part of ‘Odun Owa’ includes Iboriade, Esi Idale, Bibo Omi Okun, Odun Ogun, and venerating Owa Ajibogun on the spot he disappeared into the ground.
IBO ORI ADE
Ibooriade was the first traditional activity performed at this year’s Owa Ajibogun festival.
The town’s historic crown, which had previously been worn by kings, was gathered for spiritual cleaning.
These crowns were used to pray for the Owarisa Obokun of Ilowa-Ijesa, Oba Adebukola Aremu Alli, his family, chiefs, people, and the entire Ilowa-Ijesa. Prosperity, abundance of food, peace, and progress of the town will be solicited for.
ESI IDALE
Esi Idale was the second traditional activity performed at this year’s Owa Ajibogun festival.
The Owarisa Obokun of Ilowa-Ijesa, Oba Adebukola Aremu Alli, his chiefs, natives, and those who came for healing and spiritual help went to Owa Ajibogun’s shrine and gathered in front of the three sacred stones he brought from the sea to perform spiritual cleansing.
Snails, seawater (Omi Okun), salt, and palm oil are materials used in appeasing the three stones.
OMI OKUN FESTIVAL
Omi Okun was the third traditional activity performed at this year’s Owa Ajibogun festival.
The Owarisa Obokun of Ilowa-Ijesa, Oba Adebukola Aremu Alli, his chiefs, and natives went to the Omi-Okun (seawater) to appease the spirit of Owa Ajibogun with some sacred items.
Oba Adebukola prayed for his chiefs, people, and the entire town.
ODUN OGUN
Odun Ogun was the fourth traditional activity that was done during this year’s Owa Ajibogun festival.
Owa Ajibogun was a fierce and warlike prince who won a lot of battles. We celebrate the Ogun festival annually to recognize his military exploits and strength as a man with the sword of victory, Chief Sunday Ojo, the Oluode of Ilowa-Ijesa.
WITHIN NIGERIA followed the king, his chiefs, and natives to the backyard of the Oluode’s family house, which is not far away from the Owa Ajibogun shrine.
Items like kolanut, salt, palm oil, alcoholic drink, palm wine, roasted yam, Efo Odu, and a young dog tied with rope.
Chief Sunday Ojo, Oluode of Ilowa-Ijesa, stood up, walked towards the Ogun shrine, and picked kolanuts dipped inside water from the bowl to appease and seek direction over the fate of women, young and aged, in the following year.
As the Oluode threw broken kolanuts, he prayed for the king, chiefs, and people of the town. After throwing off kolanuts, a well-sharpened cutlass was used to chop off the dog’s head, which was buried into the ground of the Ogun shrine.
Nine pieces of roasted yam were stained with the dog’s blood and arranged in the shrine.
The headhunter shared the rest of the yam pieces not stained with blood with standbyers with Efo Odu.
They drank palm wine and alcoholic drinks while chiefs were offering prayers in turn.
VISIT TO ILEKETE
The final rite of the Owa Ajibogun festival is celebrated at the Ilekete—the spot the valiant warrior disappeared into the ground. Oba Adebukola Aremu Alli led his chiefs and people to Ilekete to perform spiritual cleansing and pray for the people and town as a whole.
CHALLENGES?
During an interview session with WITHIN NIGERIA, the Owarisa Obokun of Ilowa-Ijesa, Oba Adebukola Aremu Alli, cited paucity of funds and little or no state approach as primary challenges facing the festival.
He appealed to the Osun State Government, particularly the Ministry of Tourism, to support and collaborate with the town during her annual Odun Owa Ajibogun festival.
According to Oba Adebukola, the need for interaction, cooperation, and collaboration is important for upholding the culture and tradition of the Ijesa people.
Oba Adebukola disclosed that the traditional council of Ilowa-Ijesa is open, accessible, and ready to cooperate with necessary authorities to make the annual festival a global one.
“Ilowa-Ijesa is our origin as a people. It is our spiritual home. Ilesa is no doubt the political and administrative head of the entire Ijesa kingdom, and I consider his imperial majesty, Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland, Oba Clement Adesuyi Hastrup III, as the overall leader of all.”
“Oba Clement Hastrup is ready to work with us. I trust his leadership, and I admire his personality as a visionary leader. We are planning to reach out to him for support, and we believe he will not turn us down, he further disclosed.
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