Culture:

By Chris Onuoha

His Royal Majesty, Oba Michael Odunayo Ajayi, the Arowotawaya II is the Elerinmo of Erinmo town. The first class and highly cerebral monarch ascended the throne of his forefathers having obtained the staff of office in August 2014 by the then Governor of the State of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola. The monarch since his enthronement has vigorously turned the agrarian community to an enviable tourist hub with lots of sustainable developments.  As a custodian of the culture and heritage of his people, he has consistently demonstrated this by reviews and updates of the ancient town’s history. According to the monarch, it is a sustainable cultural history of Erinmo for scholars of history. In this exclusive conversation with vanguard, Oba Ajayi highlighted the enhanced history of the town from the cradle till date. Excerpt:

Erinmo is a prominent ancient town in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State founded on or about 1100 AD (as gazetted in Osogbo District, Ibadan Division file 1253 dated 20th August 1934) by the third and fifth Ooni of Ife, Obalufon Alayemore, located about 2km from Ilesa within the rain belt region of South West, Nigeria which enjoys her heaviest rainfall between July and September. The mean annual temperature is about 70 F (40 c) with the highest temperature during the dry season which is between December and March.

Erinmo is bounded in the East by Efon Alaaye, in the West by Iwaraja, in the North by Ijeda and in the South by Erin Ijesa. The town which covers an area of over 11,000 square kilometres is sited on a fairly elevated plain area and almost surrounded by mountains.

Authentic history has it that the people in the present day Erinmo originated directly from the cradle of Yoruba people, Ile Ife and are direct descendants of Oduduwa the great ancestral father of the Yoruba race through the second, third and fifth Oonis of Ife, who were OBALUFON OGBOGBODIRIN and his brave son OBALUFON ALAYEMORE who left Ife with his loyalists due to a misunderstanding with his uncle ORANMIYAN regarding his ascendancy to the throne of Oodua.

ERINMO’S ORIGIN IN ILE IFE

For Oduduwa to become the Supreme ruler and Adimula of Ife, he had to bring the thirteen autonomous communities in Ile-Ife together and presided over them as the supreme head.  One of the most influential personalities in Ile-Ife by then was Oranfe who married one of Oduduwa’s daughters. The marriage produced a son named OSANGANGAN OBAMAKIN.

After Oduduwa descended into the mother earth, Osangangan Obamakin became the Olofin Adimula of Ife. Osangangan Obamakin reigned for a considerable number of years as Olofin Adimula. He had sons and daughters while on the throne. After his demise, Obalufon Makinde also known as Obalufon Ogbogbodirin succeeded him as the Olofin Adimula. Obalufon Makinde reigned for a very long time, according to some historians, he reigned for four hundred and eighty years, thus he was nicknamed” Obalufon Ogbogbodirin”  Ogbogbodirin meaning, ” he lived for a very long time to the extent that he transformed into a metal object.” 

While on the throne, he had a son Obalufon Alayemore by name. Obalufon Alayemore was a young dynamic and enterprising prince who established Iremo as the commercial nerve centre of Ife, (Iremo Oju Oja)the second market after EJIGBOMEKUN market established by his grandfather Oranfe. He invented the art of bead making, he was the first Oba to make and use beads, thus he got the appellation “Ajuwajuwa Ileke” He was also into brass casting, blacksmithing and this formed part of his eulogy, Omo alagbede ye o koko ro ki ero Lagere to rin, meaning, the blacksmith that rose early in the morning to start working before people going to Lagere came out, this shows how dutiful he was.

Iremo was made popular through buying and selling of so many goods, thus Ife praised him “oloja an ta abari, oja an ta ekuru, oja an ta koni gbo ede ,an ta ari gbede, oja an ta,ta,ta, an ta ikoko oni ni okoo, otosi ri owo ra, otosi ni owo lowo ki an wi an ra odidi oni ” meaning ” a market where all sorts of food items were sold, a market where slave trading is taking place.”

Also, he established a kind of co-operative society, where influential personalities in Ile-Ife do make contributions, making use of ILE- IPERO, shortened to ILERO, the first town hall in Yoruba land. The thrift was being done with honesty, thus; he was called, “elesu ilero ti o n be ebe ako kan yin, meaning “he who pleaded to be the last person to collect his contributions. In those days, there were no traveling bags. Obalufon Alayemore used a rope device known as EFURE in producing bags, ropes, clothing materials and other craft works.

Obalufon Alayemore involved his children in his business, making them to be so enterprising and prosperous. Alayemore established some compounds in Iremo where he settled his children. One of such compound is named after one of his son “IJARUN-IWA” meaning; rift destroys good character which was later shortened to “Ijaroa.”  Obalufon Alayemore had so many other children living in Ijaroa Onijara compound.

After the demise of Obalufon Ogbogbodirin, Ife wasted no time before deciding on making Obalufon Alayemore the Ooni-ile, literally meaning, one who has vested authority on land. Though a very wealthy and enterprising prince, Alayemore was very humble, he was the first Ooni to be adorned with the “AARE” crown as a symbol of authority and power. He administered Ile-Ife with dignity, knowing what to do, how and when to have it done. His method of administration is still in use till today in Ile-Ife and so many parts of Yoruba nation, most importantly, where his children had established kingdoms.

Oranmiyan, the youngest and arguably the most powerful son of Oduduwa, a giant who was said to have two colours was out of Ile-Ife on war expedition, his expedition led to the founding of Oyo-Ile but owing to the vacancy in ife, he installed his first son Dada, Ajaka or Ajuwon as the “Alaafin” (the lord of the palace). He returned ferociously to Ile-Ife while Obalufon Alayemore was on the throne as the Ooni-ile and he was hell bent on becoming the Ooni.

 After several persuasions and for three cogent reasons, Obalufon Alayemore agreed to vacate the throne. The first reason was that Oranmiyan was older than him and he, Oranmiyan, was an uncle to him. The second reason was that Obalufon Alayemore has invested so much in ife economy and he has a fairly large family which he must protect. Lastly, based on the prediction of “IFA ORACLE” that he will be successful wherever he went and that he will return back to the throne.

This is contrary to the belief that he fled ife. Obalufon Alayemore was not a weak leader at all, he may not be a war general but he had warriors and powerful medicine men around him, one of them was Aagberi-Oga, who later founded Aagberi town. Another warrior was Ogabieesun who descended into the ground at Obalufon shrine ilara in Ile-Ife (he is being venerated till today). Most importantly was AGIDANYIN a biological son of Obalufon Alayemore who was a renowned hunter with magical powers and a strong warrior of his time.  Hence, Obalufon Alayemore vacated the throne and departed Ile-Ife without engaging Oranmiyan, his uncle, in a fight.

THE FOUNDING OF ERINMO

Obalufon Alayemore left Ile-Ife with so many of his children, relatives, and dependents. One of his favourite children known as AGIDANYIN, a renowned hunter and warrior who was always beside his father and running errands for him left Ile-Ife with his father, Alayemore. When they got to a place which they named “ILOBI,” with the permission of his father, AGIDANYIN and some people settled down, while Obalufon  Alayemore proceeded to a virgin land where he established a town, just beside the present day Erinmo and named it after himself OBALUFON ALAYEMORE which was letter shortened to” EFON- ALAAYE.” EFON was coined from Obalufon while Alaaye was cut from Alayemore.

After some time, there were reasons for them to relocate to a better place, after consultations, Ifa oracle directed them to continue going until they see palm fronds “EERI IMO” in large numbers. This they did, while on their journey until they got to the present site where they saw palm fronds, “IMO.” So EERI IMO was shortened to “ERINMO” till today. On the seventeenth day of their settlement in Erinmo, some other children of Obalufon Alayemore left owing to some disagreements and continued till they established a town called ERIN-ILE, now in Kwara State.  From Erin-Ile, another set of Obalufon Alayemore descendants under a prince called ODUMASA left to found Odumasa town. Other descendants and followers left Erinmo also to found several other Erins and towns.  

Another angle to the name Erinmo is that while running, when it seemed that his family and warriors were getting tired, he will encourage them with the words “Erin” “Erin” “Erin” meaning “Walk” “Walk” “Walk”. They decided to stop and relax after some time. Here they used palm fronds called “Imo” in Yoruba to make houses hence the name Erin- Imo which is now known as the present day Erinmo.

The great progenitor of Erinmo was AGIDANYIN son of Obalufon Alayemore. Agidanyin was a great fearless warrior who participated actively in several wars, especially the numerous inter-tribal wars at that time. After Obalufon Alayemore installed his son Agidanyinmosa as the ruler of Erinmo – Ijesa, it is known today as the ELERINMO.  Obalufon Alayemore continued his journey and founded Efon and installed another son as Alaaye of Efon before returning to Ile-Ife to ascend the throne for the second time as the fifth Ooni of Ife.

According to Oral history, the present-day people of Erinmo initially settled at Ita araye before migrating to Ilobi a place very near Odo, Iponle and Mogbara initially. But they had to move because of the constant quarrel that erupted between Agidanyin and his brother Owari due to their incompatibility, especially because Agidanyin was a more powerful, stronger warrior equipped with very potent charms, zealous and very charismatic. It was said that the two brothers Agidanyin and Owari were constantly at loggerheads and after several failed attempts to kill Agidanyin, Owari eventually poisoned the stream being used by the people leading to a lot of deaths among Agidanyin’s people. After consulting the Ifa oracle it was revealed that the stream had been poisoned and Agidanyin had no option but to lead his people out of Ilobi to a “promised land”. (Some story even has it that Erinmo got its name from what the people experienced in Ilobi. It was said that when an Ifa oracle revealed the cause of deaths in Ilobi, the people were amazed and were saying among themselves “Emimo re” meaning “unusual things had happened”. Claiming it is this “Emimo” that gave birth to Erinmo.

Wondering how they will know where the people will finally settle, ifa oracle told them that a spiritually powerful dog will guide them. They will set this dog before the people and follow his movement till he stops. A great multitude of the people then began the exodus from Ilobi using the dog as compass and guide till the dog got to a place where he made scratches, there they performed rituals as directed by the ifa oracle and planted a tree there. (The place is located within the present day Odo – Oja quarter of Erinmo around Elerinmo’s palace). After several exploits in the war front and as a powerful leader, Agidanyin is believed to have disappeared into the bowels of the earth and was succeeded by his son Alula. Alula himself was a fierce warrior who fought and survived several battles.

It should be noted that it is here in Erinmo that all Erins first settled and migrated after 17 days, hence we are brothers, which explains the close knit relationship between all the towns.

PRESENT DAY ERINMO

The present day Erinmo had three quarters namely; Oke Ode, Odo Oja, and Igbajo – erinmo (in 2014 the Elerinmo granted partial autonomy to the Igbajo Erinmo people who are migrants in Erinmo from Igbo- Irayo as their prescribed authority under the Aringbajo of Igbajo Erinmo hitherto known as loja Igbajo-Erinmo). This was after the payment of a prescribed levy of One hundred thousand naira (N100,000:00) and a white ram. We have lived peacefully ever since with lots of inter marriages and family relationships.

Today what used to be just three quarters has now expanded to become six different quarters under Olori Omos (Mayors) appointed by Kabiyesi Elerinmo.

These six quarters are: OKE ODE; ODO OJA; ODI OLOWO; TEMIDIRE; IDINMI and IMOGUN.

Erinmo has many villages under it that include ARAROMI; AYEGUNLE; AJEBANDELE; MEDAYESE; ORISUNMBARE; ORE-EGBA; EDEJU. All these villages are administered by the Elerinmo who in certain cases appoints a Baale whose loyalty and allegiance is to the Elerinmo to carry out his instructions.

RIVERS IN ERINMO

Erinmo is blessed and surrounded by several rivers which all possess healing powers and provide a refreshing succor for household and personal purposes. These rivers are 15 in number and they include Rivers ABOKE; IROKIN; AKOLA; OMI OBA; AKEJI; ATUNRUN; EGUDU; ONIPAKUN; ILODA; ARIOYUN; AIYA; AROOLO; OMIFUNFUN and ERESI.

TRADITIONAL ADMINISTRATION OF ERINMO

Erinmo is administered under the Elerinmo who heads a council with over 52 chiefs some of whom are high chiefs also known as Iwarafa mefa.

ERINMO KING MAKERS: In Erinmo, There are six high chiefs that consist of the king makers. They are RISA; LOGUNDE; ARO; RISIKIN; ODOFIN and LODIFI. There are chiefs who sit to the right of the Elerinmo referred to as ONA ELEGBE, and those who sit to the left of the Elerinmo are referred to as ONA OBA, there are those who are EMESES.

Most of these chieftaincy titles are sectored by families who must recommend an acceptable candidate for the Elerinmo to install if he deems them suitable, fit and loyal. Being very hospitable people, Erinmo has a lot of non indigenes some of whom were born here and have been engaged in gainful farming occupations and other trades, these includes the Oyo people under the headship of a chief appointed by the Elerinmo and known as “Alakoso Oyo”, the Igedes under the headship of a chief known as “Alakoso Igede” and the Urhobos under the headship of a chief known as “Alakoso Urhobo, Idomas under a chief known as Alakoso Idoma, the Ekitis under a chief known as Alakoso Ekiti. All these people have been contributing to the well being of Erinmo in their respective ways.

THE ELERINMO AS A PARAMOUNT RULER

As the Yoruba tradition demands, Erinmo is under the traditional and government approved headship of a paramount ruler. The Elerinmo of Erinmo is the traditional, administrative, spiritual and legal head of the town who looks after his people’s welfare working with chiefs appointed by him for the fair, just and peaceful administration of the town.

Elerinmo is a senior member of the Oriade Chieftaincy Committee, an Executive Committee member of the Ijesa North Traditional Council and a Permanent member of the Osun State Council of Obas. The Elerinmo is selected through age long traditional means from the four ruling houses of Erinmo nominated and proposed by the ruling house, confirmed and accepted by the kingmakers and finally approved and endorsed by the state Government.

These four ruling houses in Erinmo are: the Arowotawaya Ruling House: Ajeranbialate/Opakunrin Ruling House; Oboye-Leikan Ruling House and Osupa Idimi Ruling House. It is to be noted that the present Elerinmo of Erinmo, His Royal Majesty Oba Dr. Michael Odunayo Adeagbo Olumide AJAYI is from the Arowotawaya Ruling House.

Below is the comprehensive list of all the past and present Elerinmos from Agidanyin the great ancestor till date:

1. AGIDANYIN the Great Ancestor

2. OBA ALULA

3. OBA ALAJALAMOTAYEGUN

4. OBA ODUNDUN

5. OBA EBIRE

6. OBA OTUIKOKOALAPA OBIJE

7. OBA ONILUKOFEKOTU

8. OBA OORU

9. OLATUNMOGUN

10. OKANLEBIOGBO

11. OBA ADARAMODU

12. OBA OSA EBE

13. OBA OSAMOYEDE – OSUPA IDIMI I (1894 – 1900)

14. OBA AROWOTAWAYA I (1900 – 1922)

15. OBA OPAKUNRIN– AJERANBIALATE II (1922 – 1947)

16. OBA JOB OYEYEMI – OBOYE LEIKAN II (1954 – 1991)

17. OBA TAIWO ADENIYI – OSUPA IDIMI II (1992 – 2010)

18. OBA (DR.) MICHAEL ODUNAYO AJAYI – AROWOTAWAYA II

ERINMO’S POSITION AMONG OTHER TOWNS

The exalted position of Erinmo within the State of Osun cannot be under estimated right from inception. When Ijesa Northern District Traditional Council was created in the year 1967, the local Government was divided into nine committees for the purpose of administrative convenience. The area committees were:  Ipetu – Ijesa;  Ijebu – Jesa;  Ibokun; Osun –Ijesa;  Ifelodun;  Ayepeju;  Esa-Oke;  Erin – Ijesa and Imesi – Ile.

The AYEPEJU area committee comprises the following towns and villages: – Erinmo, Ijeda, Iloko, Oke-Ana, Iwaraja, Ijimo and Omo-Ijesa with Erinmo as Headquarters, being the largest town amongst them and the Elerinmo as the Chairman of the area committee. Elerinmo was also made the President of the Ayepeju Grade C Customary Court when it was established in 1980.

As per all the population censuses carried out since 1963 juxtaposed till present day, Erinmo is the third biggest town in Oriade Local Government area after Ijebu – Jesa and Ipetu – Ijesa.

RELIGION

Erinmo is a peaceful and very religiously inclined community with enormous advantage to be the food basket of the state as well as spiritual Jerusalem of Nigeria considering the huge attractions to the spiritually sacred holy mountains of Erinmo which has attracted visitors from all over the world seeking and finding solutions to various problems. 

Aside this before the advent of Christianity and Islam, several gods were recognized and worshipped like the Obalufon, Agidanyin, Osere, Ogun, Elemilale, Edimo, Yeye Atunrun and Irokin. There are several traditional festivals celebrated in the town annually like the Odun Agidanyin; Odun Osunita; Odun Ogun; Odun Sango; Odun Elebiripo; Odun Obalufon; Odun Olookun and Odun Ijesu (new yam). Our great progenitor Agidanyin is remembered from time to time during which prayers are offered for peace and progress of Erinmo.

ISLAM in Erinmo

With the advent of modernisation many of the people have changed from idol worshipping to either Christianity or Islam. Islam was said to have been brought to Erinmo after the Kiriji war by captives from Ibadan who constituted themselves into a praying band and started the Islamic religion, today a central mosque has been erected adjacent to the Elerinmo’s Palace in Erinmo.

CHRISTIANITY in Erinmo

Majority of Erinmo indigenes are Christians with the Anglican missionaries being the first to arrive Erinmo on the wave of Portuguese exploration of West Africa. The Anglicans arrived during the reign of Arowotawaya I in or about 1908 and it is recorded that he gave the first parcel of land that the Anglican Communion used at the time.  Today there are different churches which have sprung up with huge followership like the Anglican Communion – the first church established in Erinmo during the reign of Oba Arowotawaya the first on or about 1908

• Christ Apostolic Church – initially established as a prayer group from the family house Pa Job Ajayi Grandfather of the current Elerinmo , Oba Odunayo Ajayi, Arowotawaya II

• Cherubim & Seraphim Church

• The Apostolic Church

• Deeper Life Bible Church

• Redeem Christian Church of God

• Winners Chapel

• Jesus City Pentecostal Church

• Celestial Church of Christ

• Trumpeter Church

• First Baptist Church

• Calvary Mountain Church

• Christ Presence Church   

It is important to note that virtually all the various Christian denominations have well attended early morning services daily. As at today, there are five world acclaimed and spiritually potent mountains (ori oke) in Erinmo to which ardent worshippers’ troop from all over the world to pray.

These spiritual mountains include ORI OKE OTITO; ORI OKE AGBARA; ORI OKE KOSEUNTI; ORI OKE ANU and ORI OKE MABERU

CONCLUSION

Erinmo is an agrarian community due to the tropical nature of the climate which favours the growth of a variety of food crops ranging from rice, cocoa, palm fruits, cassava and many more.  Erinmo boasts of some of the best quality cocoa and rice in Nigeria. The first school in Erinmo was the St Peter’s Anglican Primary School established in or about 1927.

Erinmo people are hardworking, peaceful, warm, hospitable, and receptive hence investors are welcome to avail themselves of the huge potentials in Erinmo. Erinmo is blossoming to become a cosmopolitan town with good roads, steady electricity, clean pipe borne water and fertile land. The roads besides, through and around Erinmo are all tarred and in fact there is a newly constructed Federal Government road through Erinmo which is a short cut to the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

Oba Arowotawaya II – 2022

Bibliography

1 I. A. Akinjogbi  and I. Olomola  “The cradle of a race  ” Ife before Oduduwa” pp 55

2.  Saka Opeloye ‘Paper presentation on Ijaroa Onijara Obalufon compound Ile-Ife “

3. Oral interview with chief Badiru Oyediran. Baale Ile Ilara Obalufon 13th Dec 2000

4. Oral interview with Alh Idris Opeloye, chief Imam of ife  4th January 2001

5. Oral interview Prince J. O. Odunlade “Baale Ile Ijaroa Onijara Obalufon, Ile-Ife Jan 12th 1993

6. Oral interview Prince Tunde Olasoji,loogun Ijaroa Onijara Obalufon compound Ile-Ife

7. Biodun Adediran – the early beginning of ife state pp 91

8. Chief Fasogbon – Administration of ancient ife pp 37

9. Obalara of ife ” oral interview 13th Dec 2001

10. Oral interview – His Royal Majesty Oba (Dr) Michael Odunayo  Ajayi, Arowotawaya II, the Elerinmo of Erinmo 13th May 2022

11. Oral interview – madam Lydia Bamgboye (aged 116) 25th May 2022

 12. Oral interview Alhaji Ibrahim Olowu, chief Imam of Erinmo

13.paper presentation on History of Odumasa town