User:Omolebi/Erin-Oke

ERIN OKE is a commuter city with connections to Ondo and Ekiti States. The town is bisected into two by Ilesa/Akure Expressway, this makes her a sight to behold along the route and a point of call for every traveler from Eastern part of the country or people traveling to and fro Lagos, to have their meals after long ride.Erin-Oke is a Yoruba town located at the Oriade Local Government Area of the Ijesa North Federal Constituency in oriade local government area of osun state South-West of Nigeria. It is a native Ijesa (Ijesha) community and shares boundaries with other towns. Among the surroundings towns are Erin Ijesa,Ipetu-jesa,Iperindo,Odo and Omo. Erin Oke is an ancient town with Latitude. 7.5666667°, Longitude. 4.8833333°

Erin Oke which earlier in history, before now was known and called Irin-Itadogun ,(meaning seventh days trek from Ile-Ife) is the ancient historic town in the east of Osun State. The reigning king of the town is HRH Oba Adedeji Aladejobi,Alua Of Erin Oke,Orundemokun III. Quite number of villages that used to be mere farm settlements those days have now evolved to concentrated villages that now have their population in thousand. These settlements provided the alien settlers with accommodation to advance their farming occupation.

The town is highly aforested area which supports Cocoa, Cola-nut and Plantain.Few of these villages are,Akola,Ijisun,Alumo,Enigbo,Igbo-Aria,Oke-Aka,Igbo-Elerukuru,Ijugbin, Igbo-Olowu,Enigbo,Osooro,Oke-Oni,Aere-Poole,Alumo.All these villages have their village heads called Baale that report to the king,Oba Alua of Erin Oke.

The town has quarters called Ogbon, modern day -streets that span close to thirty(30),each of this with an head called Olori-Ojogbon or Oloriomo who administer their respective chambers and render their stewardship to the king.

The town has the apex traditional Council called Alua-In-Council. This comprises of the Paramount Chiefs and High Chiefs, who assist the Oba,in administering the town. Some of them sit with the Alua at the Customary Court of the town to dispel judgment on land, marital and other customary cases. The Alua-In-Council sees to day-to-day running of the town and foster cordial relationships among the subjects.

The town was also called Oketafa until it was shortened for ERIN. Erin Oke was the first town in old Oyo State and second to Efon-alaiye, to commence annual Celebration Day in entire Yorubaland. This is celebrated in funfare as a kind of re-union for her sons and daughters home and abroad until recent time that it stopped to be a festival!

The people of Erin-Oke were predominantly farmers who specialize in growing food crops such as Yam, Rice and so on as well as Cash crops such as Cocoa, Kola nut and plantain. However, They are peculiar traders in produce, textiles merchandise and their women engaged in mat-weaving which is almost in extinction. They have sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of endeavors.

The town produced, great diplomat like Dr Christopher Kolade,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Kolade Nigeria High Commissioner to the UK and First black to be the Managing Director and later, Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc. Also, Professor Ayodele Falase, formal Vice Chancellor, foremost prestigious University of Ibadan. A professor of Medicine. Alhaji Kareem Akintoye, foremost produce merchant in the western region of Nigeria.