Imesi ile

The historic town of Imesi -Ile is located on a hilly landscape – a semi plateau, in Ijesha area of Yorubaland, Nigeria. It is about 23 miles (37 kilometers) north-east of Ilesha, and about 19 miles (31 kilometers) from Oshogbo, the Oshun State capital. It is located on latitude 7o 4’ north of the equator, longitude 4o 5’ east of the meridian, on an altitude of 518 meters or 1700 feet above the sea level. It is one of the principal towns in Ijesha land, and administratively in Obokun local government of Oshun State.

The town is believed to have been founded in 12th century (one of the oldest settlements in Yorubaland). While the present site of the town was recorded to have been settled by the Nupe people of old, the original Nupe settlers eventually moved towards the northern part of Nigeria, leaving only a few remnants of their descendants behind. The earliest of the settlers that came and founded the present Imesi-Ile about 1126 AD were the Oloja, the Odunmorun, and the Eye. The Oloja and the Odunmorun patriarchs, being half brothers from Ondo, are held in positions of pre-eminence till today in Imesi. Even though the Eye family is almost extinct or aligned with other families in the town, the homestead remains till today and still enjoys the acknowledgement and respect of the community tradition.  The town is currently a melting pot of the descendants of settlers originally from a variety of Yoruba towns including Igbajo, Ila-Orangun, Iresi, Otan, Esa-Oke, Okemesi, Ile-Ife, Efon-Alaiye, Ijero-Ekiti, Ido-Ekiti and other Ekiti towns, Oyo-Alaafin, Benin and others. 

“Agbo-Ile” or Family Compound identifies all indigenes of Imesi-Ile. Each Agbo-Ile is a large extended family sharing common ancestry. These ancestors were from very diverse places in Yorubaland as indicated in the opening section above.

Imesi-Ile is almost entirely surrounded by hills of various altitudes; the hills are numerous, sometimes magnificent, giving the town its picturesque look and famously cool weather. Local mythology has it that one of the town’s ancient warriors, Agbaogo (who has the status of a daity in the heart of some older generation), commanded the hills into existence at a time of numerous inter-tribal attacks and assaults against the town to provide adequate protection against wanton invaders. The various hills also provide incredible panoramic views for lovers of nature. On a clear day, various towns surrounding the town can be seen in far distances. The caves at the feet of various hills and mountains are of various shapes and sizes and are veritable shelters for all kinds of animals. The Olo hill in the heart of the town, for example, is a very good viewing station for lovers of nature, and home for all types of animals;  hence the common saying among the people of Imesi: “Ojidun-run ereko e luru ni e l’abe Olo” (over 360 tailless rock hyraxes make Olo caves their home).

A frontline traditional ruler, the Owa-Ooye of Imesi -Ile, assisted by a council of traditional chiefs, governs traditional affairs of the town. Owa Ooye Saga, also called Owa Ooye  Jalorun (one of the crown princes of Olofin from Ile-Ife, and a brother of Owa of Ilesa), was the first ruler of the community. Since the beginning of recorded history, a total of 43 Obas (including the current one) have been enthroned in Imesi-Ile. More recent Imesi-Ile traditional rulers include

The incumbent - His Royal Highness Oba Enoch Ademola Akinyemi, Oyoyo II of Imesi-Ile  - Jan 2006 to date;
His Royal Highness Oba Richard Makanjuola Adebiyi II - 1983 to 2004;
His Royal Highness Oba Rufus Olanipekun Adegbola Fabunmi III - 1967 to 1983;
His Royal Highness Oba Ajiboye Ariyowonye - 1929 to 1965
His Royal Highness Oba Ajetumobi who was on the throne in 1900 when Christianity was introduced to and accepted in Imesi-Ile.
CULTURE, SOCIAL LIFE & RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

The principal occupation in the town was and is still farming; thus Imesi-Ile serving as a major bread-basket for the surrounding community. The farmers climb hills and mountains that look sometimes almost insurmountable to get to arable lands behind the hills. This cycle of climbing and descending from and to their various farms is principally responsible for the hardy build and nature of the people of Imesi-Ile. Imesi-Ile people work hard, but they also play hard when they get back home from their arduous farming routines. Some of the gaming activities employed for relaxation include Ayo, Jeje, Arin, Okoto, Ere-Osupa, and colorful folk story telling. Imesi-Ile people are musically versatile. Dancing is prominent in the town’s relaxation routine. Local music forms include Gangan, Sekere, Bata, Gan-gan-un, Adamo, Agogo, Aje, Ibembe, Lukorigi, to mention but a few.

Since the introduction of Christianity in 1900, Imesi-Ile people have come to understand the importance of western education. Parents put premium emphasis on good education; consequently, Imesi-Ile people have one of the highest education rates in the Yorubaland. This has also diminished the influence of farming in the community.

The notorious Kiriji wars (otherwise called Ekiti-parapo war) that lasted from 1877 - 1886, was the mega war that ended all the protracted inter- tribal wars in the Yorubaland. Kiriji war camps were located on an area of land between Imesi-Ile in Ijeshaland and Igbajo (another historical town, a short six kilometers from Imesi-Ile) in Oshunland. The “Treaty of Peace” that ended this war was negotiated by Governor Alfred Moloney, then British Colonial Governor of Lagos, assisted by Reverend Samuel Johnson and Reverend Charles Philips. Although the treaty was dated June 4, 1886 it was signed by all the principal parties on various days between June 1886 and September 1886. This treaty signed at Imesi-Ile was significant because it represented the first attempt by the Yorubas to fashion out a constitution for a peaceful coexistence among the Yorubas of various kingdoms. Today, war relics, archaeological sites and monumental spots abound in Imesi-Ile, and already catching the attention of Tourists and Archaeologists.
Imesi-Ile abounds in cultural events, celebrating one festival or another, most prominent being the annual Egungun (masquerade) festival, with the grand Egungun (Ladunnwo) emerging every other year. This is usually an all town events with indigenes of Imesi-Ile within Nigeria and abroad coming home for celebration. On a different note, the contributions of these Egunguns during the Kiriji was noteworthy. Apart from Ladunwo who could help in maintaining law and order as well as protecting the territory from invaders, Iyekiye also plays the same role. Gbajero is also one unique masquerade that helps in sending witches out of the town when there was need for that. Other prominent masquerades of note include Gbado, Pelemba, Alagbo, Eiyeba – not to mention the purely entertainment ones like the “Owolewas” and the “Daadouns”. The Other cultural festivals worthy of mentioning include the Ogun festival, Otoporo, and the Imesi-Ile Festival of Drums and Dance steps.

Self-help has being the model of social development among the Imesi people, and the traditional local governing body, and later in the 20th century, Imesi-ile Progressive Association (formally Imesi-Ile Progressive Union – IPU), have been the tools for making this work. When Imesi-Ile people are summoned by their leaders, they respond in kind. The first road which linked Imesi-Ile to Ilesha and Oshogbo opened in 1936. It was a community self-help project. Other such projects include the first High School founded in 1956, the Post Office, the Dispensary, the Palace, the Imesi-Ile –Igbajo road, the Imesi-Ile – Okemesi road, and several other projects, including one now underway to establish an Imesi-Ile Polytechnic.

Traditional religions have been (and still is) practiced in Imesi-Ile before Christianity was introduced to Imesi-Ile in 1900 by the Methodist Missionaries. Moreover, there is a handful of Muslims in the town and all these live together in perfect harmony. It should also be noted that  while violent conflicts, turmoil, destruction and death had been and are still being engineered and sustained in many parts of Africa using political, cultural or religious plurality as excuses. Imesi-Ile is a good example of how the people's Imesi-Ile Progressive Association and the Church have organized local people in very constructive cooperative community development ventures with impressive achievements over a century. 

Imesi-Ile has also been the centre of some medical breakthrough. David Morley began his medical career as an undergraduate in Cambridge and then at St Thomas's Hospital, London. After graduating in 1947, he first learned about health care problems in the developing world during his national military service in Malaya. He worked for a short while in general practice, but then recruited by the Methodist Mission; he left the UK for rural Nigeria and began a career that would improve the health of millions. Professor June Lloyd of the British Paediatric Association described his work thus: “In the five years that he was in Imesi-Ile it is no exaggeration to say that he transformed the approach to the health care of children in the developing world. He showed that infant mortality could be cut by over 80 per cent, not by the introduction of modern medicine and the building of hospitals, but by education and use of locally available resources.”

 

Morley started Under-Fives Clinics run by local personnel, he trained local women to immunise the children, and he devised the ‘Road to Health’ growth chart – all concepts which have spread around the world. When he arrived, measles killed 1 in every 20 children in Imesi-Ile. He tried a new vaccine from the USA, at first on 20 children, and then on all the children from 1962 to 65. By 1965 Imesi-Ile had become the very first community in the world to record the eradication of measles through vaccination.

Going back to the idea of Imesi-Ile being a town of self-made model and of true patriots. From the first Chairman of IPU, The late Chief A.O. Makanjuola (Otun Owa of Imesi-Ile) and Senator L.T. Olamijulo – the longest serving IPU Chairman (1938-1962), to the likes of Oba Ajiboye (Ariyo-won-ye), Pa  William Ojo , Chief J.I. Bifarin, Chief (Engineer) J.A. Olaniyan, Chief J.O. Awoyomi (Aragba-migo!), Chief S.A Ajanaku, Chief D.O.Oguntoye, Pa P.F. Familusi, Pa J.O. Fakolade, Mr. J. Olu Ojo, The Right Rev. Famonure, Pa (Pastor) Olufemi, Pa I.O. Ajiboye, Pa  Omoyeni, Pa J.A Adeogba, Dr. S.O. Fasokun, Engineer Lanre Fakolade, Honorable Oluwole Siyanbola, Chief Mrs.  Wura Ojo (Nee Itagbemi of the famed Elizade Motors), and many others of blessed memories. These forerunners served the town with relentless and absolute patriotism. Some did not have money, but their ideas were invaluable, some educated our generation, others brought otherwise impossible progress and spotlight to Imesi. It is gratifying to note that as we speak, this effort on self-improvement through die-hard patriotism is still the norm in the town. The difference now is that the people who are making these changes and differences are our contemporaries that we grew up with!  If we are at home right now, most of us will be participating actively in the building of this “city set on a hill”. It would therefore amount to dereliction of civic and moral duty for us to be absent from the firing line under the guise of being here in the United StatesCanada. This is a clarion call to all Imesi-Ile people and their friends to join hands with us on this important building process. and

 

 -Compiled by Dr Remi Saseun.