User:Prince Ademola

BY PRINCE OYEDOKUN ADEMOLA Orolu is another name for the ancient City of Ifon in Osun State of Nigeria. The name Orolu is interchangeably used for Ifon. Sometime, it is called Ifon Osun because it is located in Osun Division of South West of Nigeria, now Osun State. The history of the ancient City is that of greatness as its evolution grew simultaneously with the history of Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yourubas.

Oduduwa, the famous father of the Yoruba Nation overthrew Obatala in Ile-Ife and Obatala went into exile in Ilofi, a place still in existence for tourists in Ile-Ife now. Oduduwa reigned as the Olufe (the Head of Ife[Yourubas]) Oduduwa had only Okanbi who also had seven children among which are Olowu of Owu, Orangun of Ila, Owa Obokun of Ijesa, etc and the famous Oranmiyan the Ruler of Benin Kingdom and founder of Oyo Empire. Upon the demise of Oduduwa, Obatala came back to Ile-Ife and reigned as the second Olufe because all Oduduwa's grandchildren had gone to establish their own kingdoms. Upon his(Obatala)death, some of his children contested the throne after him, they are OLAOSA ALADIKUN a.k.a Akogun Erujeje, Obalufon Alayemore among others. Of all these contestants,Obalufon Alayemore succeeded their father and others had to go establish their own kingdom.

Olaosa Aladikun consulted Ifa for prophesy of his exodus, he was directed to establish a kingdom wherever he saw plenty weaver birds on a tree with mushroom underneath. Couched in Yoruba Language, 'ibi ti olu ati eye eega fon si' 'where mushroom and weaver birds spread' thus we have the short name 'Olu fon', 'mushroom spread' which is now the Title of the King of Ifon i.e. the Olufon of Ifon. Ifon can be simply interpreted as 'The Spread'.

The term OLU (mushroom) though a weak and fragile plant signifies prominence, achievement, primus inter pare in Yoruba language. When used as a prefix to a noun, it signifies first among equals, thus, Olu of Ibadan (Olubadan)means the King of Ibadan, Olu Omo means the best of Children etc. Thus Olufon (the Ruler of Ifon) has traditional prominence over and above all other Obas in Yorubaland.

Olufon is a crowned ruler. Once being in possession of both Ade Ire(Ire Crown) and Ade Sese-Efun (White Coral Bead Crown), Olufon was reputed to have crowned the Alaafin of Oyo with Ire Crown to elevate Alaafin's status to that of Oba as against a Baale (a mere district head). That is why Olufon has always been a permanent member of Council of Chiefs since the period of Colonial Government.

THE MEANING OF OROLU

Orolu is another alias for Olaosa Aladikun a.k.a Akogun Erujeje (the founder of Orolu/Ifon Orolu Kingdom). He got this alias 'Orolu' later after establishing the Kingdom. Oral tradition has it that the Father of Orolu once had a favorite among his numerous wives and other senior wives were so jealous of the youngest wife. The wife was pregnant while the husband went to a war. When the young wife was in labour, other senior wife decided to punish her out of jealous and they maltreated her. They lied to her that when they had a baby, 'we would always sleep on spear grass instead of mats', 'we would cook our soup without salt or palm oil', 'we would walk naked to the bath enclosure'. The senior wives enforced this wicked none-existent tradition against the wife for six days after giving birth. If she asked them why they were doing that to her, they would say: 'Oro ilu wa ni' meaning: 'Tradition of our town it is' 'Oro ilu' 'town's tradition' and when written with abbreviation,it reads; Oro'lu, thus, it is commonly pronounced Orolu.

When the Akogun returned on the seventh day and met his favourite wife with frowning countenance, he asked what the problem was. The woman narrated her ordeal,and Olaosa decreed that that shall be the tradition for all his wives that may put to bed. Since then, it has been the tradition of every woman that put to bed in the Olufon of Ifon Royal family.

THE TRADITIONAL RELIGION OF IFON PEOPLE

Being a direct descendant of Obatala, Olufon worships Olodumare (Almighty God through the medium of Obatala, or Orisanla, otherwise known as Orisa Olufon. Olufon has the original Obatala symbol and the Diety is worshiped with Snail, pounded yam, melon soup cooked without red oil. Olufon remains the spiritual head of Obatala worshipers word wide. This religion is popular in Nigeria, Brazil, Cuba, and South America.

OROLU'S RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES

In the evolution of Orolu Kingdom, so many other towns have grown out of Orolu Kingdom, such as Ifon Omima  the Headquarters of Ose Local Government in Ondo state of Nigeria, Ilobu, Osun state which is also a neighbour being a descendant of Olufon Orisafi's daughter ASAKE, Ifon Sepeteri in Oke- Ogun area of Oyo State of Nigeria among others.