The town and the stool

ORA is one of the two major towns that make up the Ifedayo Local Government Council, Osun State. It occupied at strategic site at the extreme North-East boundary of the state. The town share its present borders with Aran Orin, Ilale and Arandun (in Kwara State); Osan Ekiti and Odo-Owa Ekiti ( both in Ondo State); and Oke Ila and Ila ( in Oyo State). The town is strictly and traditionally ruled by the Asaooni. The town now called Ora was originally known as Kosagbe (or Kesagbe in Igbomina dialect). This change of name has a long and well-documented history behind it as it will be found below.

II. THE NAME ASAOONI

Following the death in quick succession of three Oonis at Ile-Ife, (Geesi, Olojo and Aribiwoso), the next candidate in the line of succession, Prince Okese Oloja, fled his quarters, Okerewe, for fear that he might suffer the same fate as his predecessors. With his Crown and a large number of his followers (and aided by an intrepid hunter from Oke Igbo, the Ologu, who was staying in his quarter at that time) Prince Okese Oloja eventually settled on a virgil land lying between Iressi to the west and Mobaland to the East after fleeing from Ile-Ife. Here, he ruled over his people and adopted the title ASAOONI (i.e. One who fled from the stool of Ooni). This migration and settlement took place during the 17th Century A.D. Ever since, there has always been a strong link between the Asaooni and his origin at Okerewe in Ile-Ife as well as with Ooni ruling houses in Ile-Ife in fact, an Asaooni designate has, tradition to go to Ile Ife in order to perform traditional rites with the Ooni of lfe before his Installation.

III. SETTLEMENT EVOLUTION

The site where prince Okese Oloja, the first Asaooni and his people settled was named Kosagbe (in standard Yoruba) or Kesagbe (in Igbomina dialect) i.e. He had not fled (Ife) in vain- an indication that the settlement apparently enjoyed a prosperous start. The settlement derived its name from the statement or message taken back to Ile-Ife by emissaries who were sent to go and bring back prince Okese Oloja to come and ascend the throne of his fathers, as the Ooni of lfe. The message taken back to Ife was that Prince Okese Oloja was now the Oba of a prosperous settlement in order return to Ile-Ife. The apparent affluence of the first Asaooni and his settlement Convinced the emissaries that the Asaooni had not run away in vain (Kosagbe) and that he should be left alone in his new settlement.
The Benin War of 1 810-1815 occurred during the reign of the 10th Asaooni by name Ado Baba ( See Appendix I, Asaooni Succession List). This war sacked and razed Kosagbe to the ground. The survivor of the war move to resettle on a new site about 2.3 kilometers east ward and named the settlement Oke Ewu (after Okerewe, Ile Ife, the original home of Prince Ökese Oloja, the founder of Kosagbe). Oke Ewu subsequently developed both sides of a stream called Iwo. Asaooni Ado Baba who was the reigning Asaooni at Kosagbe before its. sack continued to reign at the settlement Oke-Ewu, and was buried at Kosagbe at the site of the first palace, by tradition, after his death. All succeeding Asaooni up till today are buried at Kosagbe in conformity with this aged tradition. Their graves can each be identified and are there for verification if the need arises. Besides the said traditional kingly burial of demised Asaooni at Kosagbe, the people are still in physical and effective possession by farming around the original palace there. While at Oke Ewu, the Asaooni ruled over 164 hamlets including Igbode, Igboroko, Edunde, Alajue etc.
In the neighborhood: hence our appellation f'Omo erin-le logojo ilu, ori odan ni won ti ilu agogo ide (meaning 'Songs and daughters of the rulers of l64 towns who ring the town crier's brass bell on the top of Odan tree). The rulers of Oke Ewu was at that time the greatest potentate in Igbomina land and was the respected unifying force in the area. In confirmation of this in 1858; Daniel J. May', second master, R.N. of the Niger expedition, who was sent on an economic mission to the Yoruba and Nupe countries, visited Illa on June 22, 1858. Reporting to the Right Honourable the Earl of Malmesbury from Fernando Poi on Nov. 13, 1858 include the following “About 1 p.m. I entered: Illa now the principal town of lgbomina district, and after visiting the Ajele was duly installed lodgings. : This district is small in extent and rich in the product of cotton: the principal chief in it was he of Ewu (Oke Ewu) north - eastwards from this, but recently he has become eclipsed by the chief of Ila.
The cause of that 'eclipse' occurred during the reign of the, 12th Asaooni Oyinbo Elekan, 1841 - 1845 Oke Ewu, then the focal centre of Igbomina district was besiege by the Ibadan warriors from 1843 to 1845. After a very stiff resistance, Oke Ewu succumbed and was almost completely destroyed. The survivors fled and took refuge neighbouring towns such as ljero, Otun, Okemesi, Ila and Aiyegunle Ekiti. Certain members of the ruling family fled northwards to settle at a place given by the Oloro of Oro land later called Ora or A o ra tan. (we have not all perished'). That pl ace is still called Ora to this day and it is the site of Esie -Iludun Grammar School. In the meantime, peace had returned to Oke-Ewu. Gradually, the survivors of the 1 843 - 1845 Ibadan wars, under the leadership of Oba Aremu Oyedun (The 13th Asaooni) returned home (Oke Ewu) to resettle soon, after, refugees started to arrive in the town to seek protection of the powerful Oba Asaooni. As an insurance against future external invasions of the resettled Oke Ewu, a large moat was dug round a high wall built round the settlement which embraced the built-up quarters of both the, original settlers of the town as well as the newly arrived refugees. Relics of the moat and the wall and their real extent are still available today for inspection.
In 1878, during the famous Jalumi War, Oke-Ewu was; again sacked. The town was deserted by both the original settlers and the refugee groups. Asaooni Awoyemi Orolotimoyewa fled to take refuge at Igbaja in present day Kwara State... By 1879, however, peace had again returned to Oke-Ewu. Consequently, Asaooni Awoyemi Orolotimoye returned home with his people to resettle, to the east of Iwo stream after consulting the lfa, oracle. But because of the small size of those who returned, with him, the name Oke Ewu was changed to Ora or A o ra tan (i.e. we hake not all perished). It will be recalled that this name was, first given to the settlement founded in Oro land following the first sack of Oke Ewu, in 1843 -1845. Ever since this time of resettlement the name Ora has remained unchanged.

IV. REFUGEE OR IMMIGRANT GROUPS

The first group of refugees or immigrants came during the reign of Oba Olasankale, the 14th Asaooni, who reigned sometime between 1845 - 1859 to seek refuge and protection of the Asaooni Oba Olasankale who succeeded Oba Asaooni Aremu Oyedun: the latter being the one who resettled the sacked Oke Ewu. settlement after the 1843 - 1845 Ibadan wars. Because of the arrival of the refugees in quick succession, the Asaooni thought it fit to put one of his chiefs, Chief Oloogu, a descendant of the original Oloogu, the Hunter, to be in charge of the settlement of the refugees. His main duties were to allocate land to these refugees for both building and farming on a site earlier earmarked for that purpose by the Asaooni. He was also to ensure that traditional and customary homages expected of tenants were paid to the Asaooni as the ruler of the town and owner of the land, These homages were paid in terms of farm produce: principally yams, palm oil, palm wine, kolanuts etc. Part of the homages also included regular calls at the Aafin of the Asaooni by the leaders of the refugees to pay traditional greetings to the Asaooni.
During the reign of Asaooni Awoyemi Orolotimoye, 1860 - 1901, the Obanla and the Akinja groups of immigrants came to settle in the town (see Appendix II for a list of refugee groups and their origins). Some of these refugees who came with chieftaincy titles were allowed to retain such titles In conformity with the Yoruba traditional practice then. This, in part., is the basis for the multiplicity of some titles in Ora and examples are to be found in some other Yoruba towns. The present duplication of some chieftaincies in Ora arose from these early concessions granted the refugees on arrival by the Asaooni. The concession was possible at that time because the chieftaincies involved were of little or no significance: in the administration of the town at that point in time.

Christianity came to Ora-Igbomina in 1896 through Pa Samuel Olasehinde(of blessed memory) who established the St. Stephen Anglican Church Ora-Igbomina in 1896.The first church in the entire Igbomina land and formal education started in 1912 when St Stephen Anglican Primary school was established