​History Of Ile-Ogbo Town

Ileogbo is the headquarters of Aiyedire Local Government in Osun State, Nigeria. It is situated midway between Ibadan and Osogbo, the capitals of Oyo and Osun State. Ibadan is about 44 km to the south of Ileogbo while Osogbo is about 42 km to its north, Oyo 40 km to its west, while Gbongan and Ife are located to the east of the town.

The name Ileogbo comes from an old Yoruba folk tale that the people in this town had a very long life span. Ileogbo means the land of the old. The settlers in this town used to have a saying "Ile Ogbo mi ni mo de yi" (meaning the place where I will live till I am very old), and the name was later shortened to Ileogbo.

Ileogbo is one of the famous Yoruba land with its famous cultural activities and tradition,

Ore (ileogbo Ilu ore, omo arepo panda) said to be the protector of ileogbo citizen both home and abroad. Ore festival comes once a year and it attracts people far and wide. Ore Tree is as strange as finding a lion in a hole dug in the ground that harbors a rat. When you account for the mother of whom her child's biography is shoddy, its sound unbelievable. But such is the feature of the cradle of a sacred Oore Tree located in Ileogbo.

Ileogbo, inarguably is a product of Ore Tree. The tree, because of its peculiarity, is a pointer to the seating of Ileogbo, the headquarters of Ayedire Local Government in Osun State. The tree life span is uncertain as the first settlers are younger than Ore tree.

The tree was located circa 1840 subsequent to a spiritual consultation with oracle by Kuseela, the only surviving Prince of the war between Fulani and Ileogbo in 1822. Ileogbo was checkmated by Fulanis in 1822, thus, the former site became desolated. After the clash between the troops of Alaafin and the Fulanis in Osogbo in 1840, tranquility returned to the affected Yoruba towns, Ileogbo inclusive. The development triggered Kuseela, consulted an oracle and was divined that he stops, with his entourage where ever he finds a tree tied with white cloth. It was divined that he, with his people shall organize a prosperous kingdom.

Tradition had it that the tree is manned by a male (Baba Abore) and a female (Iya Abore) appointed on the advice of the king. One of the past Iya Abore from Olukoun's compound nicknamed the Tree Alhaja Jabaru. This name is not unconnected with the female spirit the tree is said to shelter. Some traditionalists considered Ore as a strong protection against any havoc in Ileogbo. The tree does not shed its leaves under its shade.

Eegun festival (masquerade) it is festivity that draws people from other towns and cities to Ileogbo.

Igbo festival is a must see tradition where young and old, men and women, boys and girls loyal to Igbo festival will be flogging themselves publicly in the city center.

Ileogbo has some private and public secondary schools like Luther King’s college ileogbo, Community High School, Ileogbo, African church grammar school, kuta/ileogbo others are Royal ambassador international college, ileogbo, Omoloye group of schools, ileogbo, Daarul-Hikmah Islamic School, Glorious group of schools, ileogbo and lots more

Aiyedire is a Local Government Area, one of the thirty Local Government Areas in Osun State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is located at 1, Col Ogunkanmi Road in the town of Ileogbo at 7°47′00″N 4°12′00″E. Hon. Adeboye Mukaila Oladejo had been its Chairman since 2017.

Aiyedire Local Government Area is divided into four districts namely Ile Ogbo, Kuta, Oke Osun (Alabata), and Olupona. For efficient administration purposes, Aiyedire South, a Local Council Development Area (LCDA) was created out of Aiyedire and headed by Hon. Olufemi Idowu.

This Local Government Area is located in the western axis of Osun state. It is bounded by Ejigbo, Ola Oluwa, Irewole, Ayedaade and Iwo Local Government Areas. It has an area of 262 km² and a population of 75,846 at the 2006 national census. It features two distinct seasons, the dry and rainy seasons. The average temperature of Aiyedire is put at 28.5° centigrade while the humidity of the area is estimated at 60 percent. Wind speed across Aiyedire is put at 10 km/h.

Farming is the predominant economic activity. Cocoa is a major cash crop cultivated in the area solely or in combination with other agricultural crops such as coffee, cassava, palm oil, kola nut, maize, pineapple and yam.

Trade is an important feature of the economic lives of the people with markets such as the Alaya main market and the Mosun market providing access for the exchange of a wide range of goods and services. Hunting and crop cultivation are other important economic enterprises engaged by the locals.

Sacred Idi-Oore Tree

The tree is famed a pointer to the seating of Ileogbo, the headquarters of Ayedire Local Government in Osun State. The tree life span is uncertain as the first settlers are younger than it. The tree was located circa 1840 subsequent to a spiritual consultation with oracle by Prince Kuseela, the only surviving monarch from the war between Fulani and Ileogbo in 1822 where they were defeated. In 1840, as tranquility returned, it triggered Kuseela, to consult an oracle for a new abode as the former settlement was desolate. The oracle divined that he stops, with his entourage where ever he finds a tree tied with white cloth. It was divined that he, with his people shall organize a prosperous kingdom. Prince Kuseela contacted the tree, weeded its surrounding, settled near at Akinmoyero`s compound and invited people from far and near and subsequently multiplied to about eighty two compounds with numerous suburb.

Tradition had it that the tree is manned by a male (Baba Abore) and a female (Iya Abore) appointed on the advice of the king. One of the past Iya Abore from Olukoun`s compound nicknamed the tree Alhaja Jabaru. This name is not unconnected with the female spirit the tree is said to shelter. Some traditionalists considered Oore as a strong protection against any havoc in Ileogbo. The tree does not shed its leaves under its shade.

Cultural activities

Anlugbua is celebrated annually. Anlugbua Akindele, a famous hunter and warrior was a progenitor that led his people from Orile-Owu to Owu-Kuta, where they are presently settled. He left Orile-Owu because he was not given the chance to reign after his father’s passage. His younger brother was made to ascend the throne, which angered him. So, he left and later settled in a place called Ikutamiti (I evaded death). It is Ikutamiti that was shortened to Kuta. After a reign of 300 years, he decided to sink to the ground, instead of dying physically. The spot where he entered into the ground is where is annually converged to celebrate. The place is now a local historical site.

The shrine is a sacred groove about three kilometres away from the town and inaccessible by vehicle and tucked inside the Anlugbua forest. Some of the rites are the sacrifices of live ram and dog in addition to pounded yam and okro/ogbono soup at the shrine. Persons who wear certain tribal marks called keke are forbidden from entering Anlugbua’s.