Ijero-Ekiti, the Ijero metropolitan is a centre of traditional administration, culture and seat of Ajero of Ijero Kingdom,the legendary fourth direct Prince of Olofin Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba race and the first divine king of Yoruba people in Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race.From the ancient times, the Ajero of Ijero, the traditional ruler of Ijero metropolitan and Paramount ruler of Ijero Kingdom is highly revered amongst all the royalties in Yorubaland.
The Ijero Kingdom is one of the sixteen kingdoms that formed the defunct Ekiti Confederacy.
Ijero-Ekiti has been the headquarters of Ijero Kingdom since the pre-colonial era and is now a major town in Ekiti State,South West Nigeria and is otherwise known as “Ajoro”, a Yoruba word that means “mutual thoughts, understanding or symbiotic opinion”.
The people call it “Ile Owuro” because it is a land since the dawn of creation, the land of the ancient; and the ancient people of Ijero are friendly, hospitable and entertain their visitors and strangers alike and this leads to the popular cognomen of the native people of Ijero as: “Omo Olojijero abenimemu”, meaning that “Ijero is a place where people beg and entreat others to come and drink palm wine”. Ijero is a land of hospitality where guests are entertained and feel a sense of belonging.
Ijero is not only a land of great monarchs but also a land of seasoned warriors and great generals during the Kiriji (EkitiParapo)war of the late 19th century.It was the native land of the great Monarch and warrior-pacifist, Ajero Oyiyosoye, it was the great land of great warriors; Otunragun Alanka,Asurigidi Ogun,Olori janbe, Afomodi (the first Balogun of Ijero) and Olomofe Otirigijuda, a general who became a celebrity at the Kiriji wars who dismystified the gun and rendered it of no effect and turns war to an exquisite pure entertainment.Ijero was the ancient town of the veteran warrior “Osirigbongbo” omo Alakoda Erin who swallowed the head of a mule with it’s horn.The “Oke Agba” hills is where the proud and ancestral heroes of Ijero were born.
It is not only in military tactics that we have heroes in Ijero,we also have heroes and heroines in the pioneerism of Christianity, missionary and education. Princess Helena Fatoregun Doherty (daughter of Ajero Agbeleja of Ijero Kingdom) was a great pioneer of Christianity in Ekiti land in 1895 and she was an active member of the Ekiti Parapo Society,Lagos that gave foreign aid support for the EkitiParapo Confederate warriors and later helped in the end of Kiriji war in 1893.
Oga Josiah Henryson Doherty, ,the only begotten son of Mummy Doherty was a merchant Prince of old Lagos and one of the earliest millionaire in Nigeria, he was a legendary businessman and great philanthropist and the first man to give out scholarship to many Nigerians since early 20th century and the famous Doherty Memorial Grammar School was named after him in 1955.
Ijero-Ekiti was the land of great leaders, statesmen, politicians and titans of academia, the likes the J.A.Arokodare, J.W.Alufa, Akin Omoboriowo, Ayo Fasanmi and the Professors
V.A.Williams,Adeniji Adaralegbes, Folayan Ojos, Funso Akingbades and many others.
Ijero-Ekiti is also the land of colourful and fascinating festivals.It is an exciting place to study history, culture and tradition, democracy and development.Ijero also have a unique mix of exceptional heritage and cultural resources,which includes the Para Oduduwa (the only mononymous place where the legendary Olofin Oduduwa is worshipped as a deity outside Ile-Ife).
It is arguably said that “no other cultural festival in the world can match the Ogun festival,the ancient Ijero Cultural Festival in glamour,splendour, scintillating beauty, superb organization and methodical arrangement.”
Ijero is the capital of a historically important kingdom in Yoruba history where local and regional history overlap very significantly with Ekiti,Yoruba, Nigerian, African and indeed international history. We have a stimulating environment that brings together a range of social, economic,political and cultural historians,tourists and festival afficicinados.
Welcome to Ijero-Ekiti, the seat of Ajero the great Monarch of Oduduwa descents, the land of Ajoro where we are very proud of our tradition and culture.
We are proud of what we have to offer as a city of culture and fascinating cultural festivals and we want all lovers of African culture and tradition from all over the world to join us and experience our love and frenzy for Ijero ,the land of our birth and pride,the land of mutual thoughts and democratic opinion where love flows like a river from our beautiful hills.
We look forward to welcoming you to Ijero during our fascinating and cultural festivals.Welcome to Ijero-Ekiti my own dear native town,the school of Ajoro where it is peace, progress and prosperity.
Credit: Mr Femi Alufa
