Brief History of Igede and the link with Osun goddess.

Ake, a hunter and herbalist of great prowess founded Igede many centuries ago. Erindo his wife and Awota, his servant all migrated from Ile-Ife. They settled on arrival at Okesu. Ake and Erindo were blessed with sixteen children, eight boys and eight girls. Prominent among the children were Osun, Elemi, Orunro, Ogbese, Elerinwo and Okunsusi among others.

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Elemi River, Igede-Ekiti

Immediately after the death of Ake, struggle for leadership and power tussle erupted among the children. That led to intra-family crisis and was with display of high degree of metaphysical powers through the use of incantations called “ogede” in Yorubaland. The name IGEDE was a derivative of the term OGEDE (incantation) meaning a town founded where war was fought with lots of incantation.

Okunsusi, a younger, courageous, painstaking and highly intelligent member of the family eventually took over the mantle of leadership after most of the elderly ones had destroyed themselves. At the end of it all, they turned to different things, including rivers and ponds. Ibaja entered the ground, while Orunro, Elemi, Ogbese and Osun turned into water. While Okunsusi became the first king (Oba) of Igede at Okesu.

The available land space at Okesu became grossly inadequate for effective and peaceful co-existence due to ruggedness and population increase, hence the need to move down to a relatively plain land at Odogede hence the origin of the saying “ODO BABA IGEDE”. Oba Obirimoko was the first Onigede on settling at Odogede but led a reckless and horrific life with bad record. Hence, this got his reign and name outrightly expunged from the list of Obas that reigned in Igede-Ekiti and by any standard can never be described as Onigede.

Prior to the era of Christianity, Igede- Ekiti had been the ancestral home of the legendary Osun, Elemi pond and other historical spots that are relevant to the origin of the community. Osun goddess actually left Igede-Ekiti as a result of disagreement with her siblings in Igede and settled at Efon-Alaaye, Oyo and lastly in Osogbo, in the present Osun State.

Osun found her way to Osogbo after leaving Sango, her husband in Oyo. At Osogbo, she ran into a troubled community, who sought her help. Her intervention paid off as the calamity in the land subsided. After this, the people begged her to stay and she obliged. That is why till date, prayers are being made and answered at the Osun Osogbo groove and at her source in Igede, till date.

The core custodians of Osun Osogbo and the traditional institution in the city till date still eulogise Osun Osogbo as Onibu Ola Ere Igede. Elemi flows north and eastward towards Ogbese. All the rivers in Igede are not from anywhere but have their sources from the community. A stone in the mode of an armchair is still seated at Osun Igede spot. The core custodians of Osun Osogbo annually pay a visit to the source in Igede before the annual Osun Osogbo festival. There are three ruling houses in Igede-Ekiti. They are Onaowuro, Oborolada and Okiribiti.

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