Ifon Orolu: A town with the largest number of crowns in Yorubaland

Tunde Oyekola, Osogbo

Olufon of Ifon Orolu, Oba
Al-Maroof Adekunle
MagbagbeolaIFON Orolu kingdom is an ancient kingdom in the South West Zone. It was established sometime between 10th and 11th century by an Ile-Ife Prince, Obatala Obatakuntakun Obatoosa, also known as Erujeje Akoni Adugbo.

Ifon Orolu kingdom is located in the central senatorial zone of Osun State and it is presently the headquarter of Orolu Local Government Council of Osun State. Its people are predominantly farmers and they produce all kinds of farm produce including cash crops and food crops and that is why Ifon is being referred to as food basket of Osun State. Ifon shares boundary with Ilobu and Erin-Osun in Irepodun Local Government of Osun State and with Oko and Iresa Adu in Surulere Local Government Council of Oyo State. Ifon kingdom existed before some great and ancient towns such as, Ibadan which was established in the 14th century, Osogbo, 15th century and Ede 17th century.

Oral tradition says that Ifon Orolu kingdom was founded in the 10th century precisely in 1008 by Obatala Obatakuntakun Obatosa who was regarded as a deity. He left Ile – Ife after his attempt to ascend the throne of the Ooni of Ife failed. When his attempt to clinch the throne was unsuccessful, Obatala consulted Ifa oracle told him to move westward and settle in any place where there were plenty of mushroom and weaver birds (Eiye Ega). He left Ile-Ife with his people and proceeded to a virgin forest where he found a widespread of mushroom and weaver birds and that gave the town its name, Olufonka which means, a land with widespread of mushroom, which was also known as Ifon Ega. Up till date, Eiye Ega (weaver birds) fly freely at the palace of Olufon and it is a taboo in Ifon to kill the weaver birds and the bats which are seen in abundance in the town.

Both species of birds, according to Ifon tradition, are sacred as they are regarded as protectors who drive away evil spirits from the town in that, “they see beyond the people and they feel that they are the owners of the palace. They will not allow any calamity to befall the town. If anyone mistakenly kills any of the birds, one or two rituals have to be performed to appease the gods.

Obatala, after settling down his people at Ifon Ega, moved out and relocated to Ifon Eree, about ten kilometres to the present Ifon where today, there are different villages inhabited by Ifon people and later proceeded to Ifon Baale where all the past Obas were buried.

Today, apart from serving as cemetery for all past ruling Obas, nobody lives or farms in the place. Obatala, a.k.a Erujeje Adugbo, after acquiring the area waged war and conquered the Fulanis and the leader of the Fulanis was killed by the deity, “Orisa Olufon” and after this, people felt secured and there was rest of mind and that was why many people moved down to Ifon which accounted for the conglomeration of many ethnic groups such as Ijesas, Egbas and Oyos in Ifon apart from the original people who followed Obatala from Ile-Ife.

“No warrior ever overran Ifon kingdom and it was never defeated in any battle. Instead, people ran to the new kingdom for asylum”.

When Obatala was going out of Ile-Ife, he took along some crowns including some special crowns with unique features. Such crowns included Ade Sese-Efun which was peculiar to Olufon and Ade Obatala, which was peculiar to the Ooni of Ife and Olufon. Ade Obatala is a special and spiritual crown which is worn on special occasions like special festivals when special rituals had to be performed before it is worn. No other Oba in Yoruba nation has that type of crown.

As a result of acquisition of crowns, Ifon has many crowns than any other town in the Yorubaland. Ifon could boast of over a thousand crowns and that is why the town celebrates “Odun-Ade” where the crowns are displayed every year.

According to the reigning Olufon, Oba Al-Maroof Adekunle Magbagbeola Olumoyero II, all the crowns have different spiritual powers. The reigning Olufon, during the festival, would wear and pray with each of the crowns.

Ifon has sufficient and unique crowns and that is why it was included in its acronyms that “Lade, Lade, Lade, nighati Alafin ko Lade, Ade Obatala la gba fun Alafin,” which translates, when Alafin had no crown, it was one of the crowns of Obatala that was given out to Alafin”. But Oba Magbagbeola would not explain the reason behind this Greek gift further because it would take a whole day if he dabbles into how the crown of Alafin got missing.

The crowns in Ifon cannot be stolen because of the belief that any person who steals it will return it as he will be faced by some calamities after committing the act.

Oba Magbagbeola, who narrated an incident of a man who stole a wooden artifact from the town said that the relation of the thief returned the artifact when the man ran amock.

“You cannot steal our crowns because our forefathers used to fight for themselves. “If anyone steals our crown, that person will run mad or face some terrible calamities.

“Even, the crowns are so sacred that if somebody who is not a bonafide son of the royal family is enthroned mistakenly and wears the crown, he will not live to tell the story.”

The Olufon said that he was planning to build a museum where the crowns would be kept adding that, “it is only in Ifon that we celebrate Odun-Ade (crown festival) which to us is an important festival as Olojo festival in Ile-Ife, Osun Osogbo and Sango festival in Ede.

The people of Ifon, before the advent of Islam and Christianity, worshipped traditionally. When Obatala Erujeje left Ile – Ife, his followers took along over 400 deities which are still in existence in Ifon till date. But the most prominent of them is Orisala also known as Obatala or Orisa Olufon which is being worshipped every five days (Ojo Ose) till date.

Early in the morning of every five days, the Olufon, his chiefs and the high priests would dress in white attire, proceed to the shrine of the deity where they would offer prayers for peace and good health for the town, the state and the nation in general.
“On these days, people are usually careful to come to the palace because if anyone comes with bad intention, it would bounce back on him or her.”

The five-day traditional ritual at Orisala or Orisa Olufon shrine does not affect the belief of Ifon people in God, as it is traditional for the Olufon to participate in all deities in the town. “It is traditional for the Olufon to pray every five days at Orisa Olufon shrine. It does not affect my religion. I am a practising Muslim and I observe my five prayers a day. Tradition and religion are interwoven. They cannot be separated”.

Ifon kingdom, since its establishment, has produced 34 traditional rulers with Obatala Erujeje Adugbo as the first ruler and five ruling houses produce reigning Olufon in rotation. The ruling houses are Moronfolu, Odunolu, Orisatoyinbo, Olumoyero and Oluyeyin.

Oba Al-Maroof Adekunle Magbagbeola is from Olumoyero ruling house and he is the 34th Olufon in Ifon Orolu. Olufon is the title of traditional rulers of Ifon. The Olufon title is also shared by two other traditional rulers who are princes of Ifon who left the town to establish their own domains. These are Olufon of Ifon Omimah in Ondo State, and Olufon of Ifon Sepeteri in Oyo State while there are other over 20 towns in various parts of south west established by Omo Olufons.

Oba Magbagbeola who ascended the throne as the 34th Olufon on February 18, 2008 said that the town has achieved unity, both within and outside the community. “We have revived all the chieftaincy titles in the town and we have revived the spirit and sequency of hierarchy which allows smooth administration in our community,” he said.

He added that the age-long inter-community dispute between Ifon and her neighbours, Ilobu and Erin-Osun which had been on for over 200 years had been settled adding that, “very soon, we will call people to come and join us in celebration of this rare achievements.”

Olufon said that very soon, his domain would house police village as a 500 - hectare of land has been provided for five thousand units of housing for the Nigeria Police Force, while the Osun State Government has also approved the sitting of a Grade C customary court in the town”.

Oba Magbagbeola however called on the Federal Government to site a tertiary institution and industries in the town, while the state government also should embark on projects that would engage the youths and stem the influx of people to urban areas.

Ifon kingdom is an agrarian community with over 95 per cent of its population engaged in farming. The town operates a produce market every five days with all types of farm produce and those who come to the market buy things at cheaper rate and make over one thousand per cent gain when they take them to cities, “that is why the government and wealthy individuals in the society should come and invest in plantation farming. We are blessed with rich agricultural land which can be utilized to provide sufficient food for the countryt” the monarch said.

To the indigenes of Ifon, both at home and in diasporas, Oba Magbagbeola said that they should stretch their hands of fellowship to others, while those who have contacts with foreign partners should encourage them to bring their investments to Ifon.