Imesi-ile

Imesi-ile is an ancient town in the northeastern part of the Obokun Local Government in Osun State, Nigeria. In the 19th century, this town was the epicenter of the Jalumi and the Kiriji wars among the Yoruba nations, and the foundation of peace among all warring Yoruba kingdoms, in Nigeria. The town is about one-hour drive from Ilesa; and less than an-hour drive from Osogbo, Osun state capital. It is located on an extremely high hill and almost entirely surrounded by mountains. Because of its unique location and its natural hills and caves within the mountains covering several miles; it was an easy choice for protections during wars in the historic past.

Etymology

Imesi-ile has undergone several name changes over the centuries. It was originally called Oke-mesin, which literarily translated to a hilly town where climber could easily come to ridicule because the town is situated on an elevated plateau. Thereafter, it was changed to Imesi-ipole which was conflicted with a sister kingdom in Ekiti state. Then it was named Oke-mesi, fashioned after one of her small hills, called Oke-iro, where Amosi, an elderly man baked, himself in the sun – Oke Amosi and later to Oke-mesi. Imesi-ile was the final name adopted to signify the home of all imesis including those in Ekiti and Ogun states.

History

The probable first inhabitants in today’s Imesi-ile were Nupe emigrants. They had with them bronze implements, wooden bows and arrows which could not cope with the giant trees, dense forest, and wild animals of those days. They faced uncertainties and near extinction and had to relocate up northern part of the country. Several hundred years later, the Oloja, from Ondo, migrated to the present Imesi-ile. Within weeks, his half-brother, Odunmorun, also relocated from Ondo to join him and was settled in the present Odunmorun family compound. As Oloja, expanded and moved up north, he discovered a hut owned and occupied by, Eye. Imesi-ile received her formal original name, Oke-mesin, between the 10th and 11th century AD, when Owa Ooye Saga, a prince of the Olofin of Ile-ife migrated and joined the other families. He arrived with the crown gift from his father and thus, was the first Owa Ooye of Imesi-ile. Since her founding, many of her citizens had drifted away and founded new settlements named Imasai in Ogun state; Imesi-lasigidi and Okemesi both in Ekiti state. Also, many settlers relocated to Imesi-ile from different Yoruba towns and Nupe kingdoms.

Kingship

There are three ruling houses in Imesi-ile. They are Ako Imose Ilerio. Owa-Ooye of Imesi -Ile, a first-class king, is assisted by a council of traditional chiefs to oversee traditional affairs of the town.
Oba Ooye Saga was the first king in Imesi-ile. His father was Olofin of Ile-ife. His stepbrother was Owa Jaka of Ilesa with whom he had cordial relationship to the level one of his children, Lukan, was installed the first Lejoka of Ilesa. Imesi-ile used to send successor when a Lejoka passed until modern changes were affected in Ilesa. Oba Saga had many wives and children; and a large compound with entrance facing the street of Odobi. On his arrival, he planted a statue at the gateway to Imesi-ile by Odobi which is named Orisa-otutu.
After the death of Saga, his son Imuroko was installed. He did a lot to improve the town. He was able to tackle several difficulties of those days. He was succeeded by Losin who had to contend with threats of wars and invasions plus fear of insurrection by powerful subjects within his domain, among whom was Agba-ogo who was very skilled in clairvoyancy. Owa Ooye Lusin was succeeded by Agbaogo. Owa Ooye Agbaogo was thoughtful and cared for his people. In his attempt to protect his people, he would disappear out of sight. In one of those attempts to acquire more mysterious protective powers, he went away for several months. When he would not return for such long time, the community concluded he must have gone with the spirits, so they installed his son, as the new king. So dismayed were his people when he suddenly reappeared. He was angered by the news that his son had been made king in his absence, so he had no choice than to disappear again. At the spot where he disappeared, according to William Ojo, “…a strong brass chain emerged from the earth recoiling to the length of 10 or more feet on the surface of the ground. It would sometimes be reduced to a shortness of 2 or 3 feet at times. The spot and the chain itself may be seen behind Imesi’s palace until to-day…”
The eighth king in Imesi-ile was Owa Ooye Agboreledo Osuntaboye. His reign witnessed several inter-tribal wars and fear of attacks. He seemed not a favorite of his people because of his tyrannical and highhandedness disposition. It was during his mis-rule and maladministration several citizens emigrated to different countries at Ajase-opo and Imesi-lasigidi. The king felt lonely, isolated, and sad. After his passing, his successor, Orifioye, refused to adopt the Owa title ‘…mindful of the imprecations levelled at it by the last holder and so they agreed to call the new Oba “The Oloja-Oke of Okemesi” … ‘ It was Oloja-oke Orifioye’s son named, Agodogbomokun, who led the secession from Imesi-ile with sixty-seven men and a dog to the present Okemesi in Ekiti state. Their displeasure arose from incessant attacks on Imesi-ile by neighboring suzerains.
The thirty-second king was Aole. He was a descendant of Owa-Oye but his mother was from Ibokun. He was very disliked by his subjects. He was wicked, short tempered and unprincipled, such that unsuspecting of plans against him he was called out of the palace to view a strange object outside the town’s gateway towards Igbajo. As he stepped out, the Gbedu drum, a national emblem for deposing an objectionable king was sounded. He had no choice than to return to his maternal town at Ibokun where he later died.
Fasan Alosoija became the thirty-fourth Oloja-oke. It was during his reign war broke out in Ilesa. He decided to volunteer in the war. It was while in Ilesa, Merunpe connived with the support of Ibadan, where he grew up as a youth, and made himself king. Alosoija died at Ilesa. Oloja-oke Merunpe was on the throne for thirteen years. He was very mean and dishonest. It was on the thirteenth year of his reign was about to begin the longest war in today’s Nigeria history, the Kiriji war. Merunpe knowing it was the support of Ibadan that got him on the throne was reluctant to support Ekitiparapo confederacy against Ibadan. So, he ran to Ibadan to conspire against his people. While on the way back, Imesi-ile people sounded the Gbedu drum so he could no longer return to his kingdom. He died at Osogbo. After Merunpe was deposed, Oloja-oke Luoye Arokosewaji was installed the thirty-sixth king.
The following are monarchs since the first settlement in chronological order:

Owa Ooye Jalorun, otherwise known as Owa Ooye Saga	Owa Ooye Imuroko	Owa Ooye Owalosin	Owa Ooye Agbaogo	Owa Ooye Ponyin
Owa Ooye Imoni	Owa Ooye Agbon-jo-laafin	Owa Ooye Agboreledo Osuntaboye	Oloja-Oke Orifioye	Oloja-Oke Korodin
Oloja-Oke Adelekuku	Oloja-Oke Eyinyinloja	Oloja-Oke Oluyode	Oloja-Oke Imoni	Oloja-Oke Oyoyo 'Taban'
Oloja-Oke Akinwumi	Oloja-Oke Adelekan	Oloja-Oke Adeleye	Oloja-Oke Ajitakoto-aje	Oloja-Oke Adejuwonlo
Oloja-Oke Otutu-bi-osun	Oloja-Oke Alubi-osasa	Oloja-Oke Adesunloye	Oloja-Oke Eyebiokin	Oloja-Oke Adeoti
Oloja-Oke Adebiyi	Oloja-Oke Adelakun	Oloja-Oke Akuluju	Oloja-Oke Akere	Oloja-Oke Agbagba
Oloja-Oke Ogbeyeye-ebu	Oloja-Oke Aole	Oloja-Oke Aridan	Oloja-Oke Fasan Alosoija	Oloja-Oke Merunpe
'Loja Oke Luoye-Arokosewaji	'Loja Oke Ajetomobi Ooyokun	'Loja Oke Fabunmi I Gbegbaaje	'Loja Oke Ladokun Adefenwa Fabunmi II	'Loja Oke Ademikanlu
'Loja Oke Ajiboye Ariyowonye Kekere Olajugbe	Owa Ooye Rufus Adenipekun Adegbola Gbegbaaje Fabunmi III	Owa Ooye Richard Oladiipo Makanjuola, Adebiyi II	Owa Ooye Enoch Ademola Akinyemi, Oyoyo II

Wars

Jalumi war was a precursor to the Kiriji war. Ekitis who wanted dignity, respect, and independence from the hegemony of Ibadan through the unbridled powers of Ibadan political residents, formed a coalition to go into war against Ibadan. The formation was as follows:

Ekiti-under the command of Fabunmi of Oke Mesin, encamped at the foot of Imesi-ile, near a river, now called Fejeboju.
Ila – under the command of Prince Adeyala
Ilorin - under the command of Chief Ajia
Ijeshas – under the command of Ayimoro and Ogunmodede encamped at Iba

Ekiti coalition moved ammunitions through to Imesi-ile and first attacked Igbajo, who refused to support the confederates but pledged allegiance to Ibadan. Igbajo called on Ibadan for help and a military commander, headed by Osuntoki was dispatched from Ibadan by Are the Kakanfo. The Ekiti allied forces defeated Ikirun; and Are, the Kakanfo of Ibadan, then dispatched Balogun Ajayi Ogboriefon and Ilori the Osi of Ibadan, against the coalition. As Ibadan soldiers overran Ilorin and pursued them towards Offa through the Otin river, Offa cut off the bridge across Otin river and many Ilorin armies running from the pursuit by Balogun Ogboriefon led Ibadan army, perished in the river. Ilori the Osi of Ibadan who had been taken captive by Ilorin was killed. Prince Adeyala of Ila also died there. After the defeat of Ilorin, Ibadan army led by Balogun Ajayi Ogboriefon was recalled back home and Ibadan army ceased temporarily to fight.
Kiriji War : Ki-ri-ji sound was the result of the long-flintlock guns with large muzzles when fired reverberate among several hills in Imesi-ile. The Ekitiparapos allied forces against Ibadan were determined to free themselves from the shackles of Ibadan authoritarian. These confederates formed alliance determined to overrun Oyo tribes right to Ibadan farms at river Oba. So they invited Ogedengbe to come and lead them who was initially reluctant because he had sworn never to attack Ibadan since he horned his military training there. But Are rebuffed all his entreaties. So the confederate was headed by Fabunmi of Oke Mesin and were on the match towards Ikirun. Seriki initially led Ibadan army against the confederates and there began the Kiriji war. The confederates retreated to Imesi-ile via Igbajo whose town was already deserted at the approach of the allied. Ogedengbe later took over the leadership command of the Ekitiparapos at Kiriji in Mesin ipole. On September 23, 1886, all the warring parties except Ilorin soldiers signed the peace settlement but Ekikitparapos still remained, thereafter in Imesi-ile, to watch Ibadan next move.
Elewure war: Owa Ooye Saga of Imesi-ile and Owa Jaka of Ilesa were half-brothers from the same father, Olofin of Ife. Both left Ife about the same time to their respective settlements. They had warm and close relationships such that one of the sons of Owa Ooye Saga became the first Lejoka of Ilesa. In 1904, this age long brotherly relationship between the two kingdoms took a sudden negative turn. After the death of Oba Ladokun Fabunmi of Imesi-ile, there was a contest to the throne between Ademikanlu and Agbemokunro. Owa Bepo was Ilesa king at the time. Ademikanlu sought and got the support of Saraibi Ogedemgbe, a Kiriji war veteran and ally, to have Owa Bepo’s backing rather than seek the support of Imesi-ile traditional kingmakers, promising him monetary and valuable gains. Working in his favour was also the fact that Agbemokunro refused to join the Kiriji war; against whom the community still held resentment. Several years after he was installed and Ogedengbe’s death, Oba Ademikanlu, refused to honor his promise; to which the Ilesa king kept badgering him. In 1914, Oba Ademikanlu refused to answer one of those numerous mundane calls to Ilesa. Oba Bepo took it as a declaration of war and sent his military against the town. Imesi-ile, having witnessed the devastating horrors and destructions of the war, deserted town and left their domestic animals behind to take refuge in many of their natural man-caves and jungles. When Ilesa military arrived, they plundered the land and left with the palace crowns and staff.