Yorubaland has a very rich cultural values which is been considered as one of the best in the world, its tradition, mode of dressing, festivals , moral values and many others historically deep and meaningful . The rich cultural value of the region was at best display recently in Ila during the year 2013 annual celebration of Isinro a festibal which heralds new year for the people.
As it is in other lands so it is in Oke Ila , they woke up to the sound of booming gun, which to a stranger would have been fearsome but for the people, it was to alert them of the important of Friday 13th September 2013 and the need to put on their dancing shoes and best dress because it is a special day chosen by Ifa for Isinro Day Festival. It is also the day the people of Ila Orangun whose monarch Oba Wahab Kayode Oyedokun, Bibiire 1. were celebrating his 10th year on the throne of his fathers.
Ila Orangun is an ancient town, it holds prime place in the history of Yoruba. It is the headquarters of Ila Local Government. It lies to the north east of the State of Osun, closer to the border of Kwara State on 8° 1′North and longitude 04°54′East. It is the more populous sister-city (and sister-kingdom) of Òkè-Ìlá Òràngún located about 7.5 miles (12 km) to the northeast.
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| Olori Ogboni Agbaye, President General |
Oba Oyedokun cladded in a complete white expensive lace ( Agbada) and the senior olori who bear a hairstyle called “Olori marun “ decorated with fine bead. The other junior Olori were dressed exactly like the Benin queen which explains the links between the Ila and Benin and other Oranmiyan sons and daughters. The parade was long as the black convertible car which the Kabiesi and the Olori sat on was surrounded by chiefs and indigenes of the town who moved en mase with Kabiyesi in a procession round the town as part of the tradition during the festivals.
While the procession was going on, Kabiyesi got to the point which was believed to be the point where the Ila chiefs departed from Ayedu, a warrior who was said to have come with the intention of taking Ila into captivity during the ancient time. Many of his subjects brought gift for the King and he blessed them in return . Chief Ifatola, Olota of Ila Orangu explained that “ Isinro festival that we are celebrating today has been part of us here in Ila orangun since time immemorial , Isinro is one of the most important festival in Ila. We don’t just pick a date for celebration because it involves core traditions and the essence is to pray for good development, progress and ward off evils from the town. During our ancestors period, there is an Ifa called Owonriwonsa, there is this warrior called Ayedu, he was a great warrior who win every battle and he came to Ila with the intention of taking us into captivity. Orangun was a great warrior. It is also a tradition in Ila that nobody ever confronted Ila and succeeded. Then, Ayedu dares Ila in war and came to the town with the sole aim of conquering the town. Our great grandfathers consulted the oracles. They said he should be given food and they prepared pounded yam for him, and he was hypnotized after the consumption of pounded yam. After five days, he wanted to take his exit from the town, they consulted Ifa again and Ifa, the oracle instructed that they should give him clothes and let him go. Later he was escorted to the border of Ila , they prayed for a new life and life that is devoid of crisis, war, epidemics and other evils as he departed. That is the genesis of the celebration and what we are celebrating today.
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| Chief Ifatola |
Oba Adetoyese Abudu Olabimtan, Oluaye Oba Ogboni Agbaye and President General said that this particular festival called Isinro is a festival that we inherited from our fathers. It is believed to be one of the days when prayers are being answered by our ancestors. The barren will conceive ,more development will come into town and many good things will come into the community because of the blessings from the Kabiyesi while he moved around the ancient town today. Whoever see Oragun (the monarch) today sees our ancestors and it is a day our ancestors come with blessings for all. Indeed, it is a special day in our community.
Oba Adetoyese however appealed to government and all the stakeholders in the traditional institutions not to relent in their effort in reviving and promoting yoruba culture and tradition “We have to continue to work towards enhancement and promotion of our culture in Yorubaland”.
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| The women chiefs |
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| Igede masquerade and dancers |
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| Yeye Asa of Yorubalamd. |
The Yeye Asa of Ila Orangun, Chief Mrs Adeola Faleye stated that the Isinro day is to marked the grand finale of 17 days festival. She said, “ from historical antecedent , today being the grand finale of Isinro, our Kabiesi will come out visit several section of the large community, this afford the people to be able to see him life, and different age group, lineages, and others will come and pay homage to the monarch and give him gift and he shall responded through prayers. In the ancient times, that is the only day when the people see their kings face to face. Historically, the kabiyesi in the olden days used to stay in the palace and rarely make public appearances, but as you know, things are changing, and apart from the fact that things are changing, it is a day when Kabiyesi end the festival period with visitation to some sections of the community and bless the people”.
In a short interview with the Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Kayode Oyedokun , Bibiire 1st , the monarch who was visibly happy said “Isinro festival is a festival and a year of appreciation thanking people for their cooperation so far, at the end of the year. In our traditional calendar in Ila, we have 17 days forming a month. So when you have seventeen in seventeen places, you have completed a year and to end that year there should be what is called Isinro, thanking people and preparing for a new year ”
Speaking on his 10th year anniversary on the throne, Oba Oyedokun said “ it has been years of fulfillment and of course years of challenges. I want to thank my people for the love, the cooperation i received from them both from the spiritual ends, the Alfa, pastors and traditionalists, they cooperated with me in moving the town forward. So it is worth celebrating, having spent ten years on the throne is a thing of joy and we have to celebrate". Speaking further, he said, “ ascending the throne is not an easy task, you have some people who will be disgruntled, not satisfied with the outcome of the selection, i was challenged in the court of law. Till date, i still have some cases in court and you know when you have case in the court of law, litigation requires a lot of money. Those are part of the challenges that has draw me a little bit back, thank God that we are now getting over it " .
Oba Oyedokun while asked on the relationship between Ila and Oke Ila who also celebrate Isinro festival said, “The two communities are the same , its just a matter of location , Ila and Oke Ila, we are one community, we have the same Oba, my title here is Orangun of Ila, the title there is Orangun of Oke Ila, so we are brothers there is no separation , no difference at all. Same compound we have here, they also have in Oke Ila, all the name of the traditional chiefs we have here are the same we have in Oke Ila. We have the seven iwarefa here, the Oba nla, the Oba nle, the Elemona and so on , they are all in Oke Ila too. We celebrated egungun, the same way they celebrate over there , so there is no difference at all, rather it is what i can call two in one. I am from Arutu Oluokun lineage and the Orangun of Oke Ila is also from Arutu Oluokun lineage, is there any difference between us as sons of same father?"The monarch acknowledged and commended the effort of the government of the State of Osun in promoting culture and tradition said , “ the government of the State of Osun deserved to be commended for its position on the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition. I want to appeal to my people that they should see their town as theirs, a hundred years in foreign land is nothing, and they should come home and support us to develop the town together. We cannot do it alone, i cannot do it alone with my chiefs , all my children all over the world both at home and in the diaspora should come home and join me in taking Ila to a greater height”.
Others who spoke with us said, the ten years on throne of Oba Oyedokun has been remarkable with good development. A non indigene, Emeka Okafor said, "Kabiyesi has not only brought development to the town, his reign has also been peaceful"
The non Yoruba resident of Ila community shows appreciation to God and the Kabiyesi for extending hand of fellowship and love to them. The Igede community from Benue and Kogi state made a solid representation with their masquerade and traditional drums dancing and entertaining the people during the festival. One of the member of the community , Sunday Peter disclosed that, "Kabiyesi is accommodating , he take care of us as his children we come to him and he sees to our affairs, we come here to celebrate with him. Whenever we have festival like this and this is how we do every time, we feel at home here and we enjoy Ila very well".
