Ekinrin-Adde

Ekinrin-Adde is a town located in

at an altitude of 523 metres above sea level. The town is a conglomerate of contiguous villages that amalgamated into one. The people trace their ancestry to language. [2]

History

According to oral tradition, The first settler was a hunter called “Akinrin” who was said to have migrated in the 12th century with his siblings from

during the reign of Ooni Aworokolokin. Ekinrin-Adde was separated from the present-day Ondo state by a very big mountain known as “Oluko”. Ekinrin people are the first settlers in the community, later the “Adde”. In 1865 the people of Adde began the resettlement of their villages in Ekinrin-Adde.People began to move from their settlement such as Ilafe, Ilaga, Abudo, Okedagba and so on to live with Ekinrin people and they all became one community and hence the name Ekinrin-Adde. History, written and oral, claim that the people of Adde group are descendants of Esein and Omoye (husband and wife), who were said to have left Ile-Ife on farming and hunting expeditions.

Ekinrin-Adde was very important in the economic activities of Okun^[3] land during the pre-colonial era. There existed some economic activities such as hunting, fishing, agriculture, trade and commerce.^[2]

Location

Ekinrin-Adde is located in

]

Culture

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The Ekinrin-Adde people are united by several practices such as Egungun (masquerade) festival. Masquerades usually parade during a particular season and also when an eminent person who holds or who is in a position of authority dies. Notable masquerades includes the Olori Owo or Iro masquerades (women are forbidden from seeing them) and it belongs to the Ekinrin aboriginals. Iro masquerade is as old as Ekinrin itself as it was created by Akinrin himself. There is also Oyoyo (comes out during the Emindin festival) and the Ajibele, Ajoriga masquerade. Other masquerades includes Onigabon, Inun Oko and Okura (Okura appear to have gone into extinction).

Another cultural festival usually carried out on the 20th day of June every year is the Emindin festival. The “Emindin” festival is usually called out by the Omo Agba people from Ona the royal clan.

Geography

The general nature of Ekinrin-Adde land is predominantly Savannah with undulating plains. There are deep hills, which marks the eastern and western edge. The soil is light brown, sandy and a little lateritic on the plain stony soil in the hills with rare patches of red earth. Due to the nature of the soil, most of the residents are farmers and common farm produce include yam, cassava, pepper, beans, cocoyam, melon and palm oil.^[4]

Natural resources and tourist attraction

Ekinrin-Adde is very rich in white marble. The marble deposit in Ekinrin-Adde, based on its chemical composition is a pure carbonate and a typical calcitic-type marble. The marble deposit in Ekinrin-Adde is suitable for the manufacture of cement, production of sodium alkalis (sodium carbonate, bicarbonate and hydroxide), pesticide, poultry feed, calcium ammonium nitrate fertilizer and as a refractory lime.^[5][6]

Notable tourist spots include the Akogba hill (1000m above sea level) and Oyi river.

The Akogba radio FM (88.3) residing near the Akogba Hill, is the first private community FM in Okun and serves the purpose of ensuring the people of Ijumu, parts of Kabba Bunu and even neighbouring states are well informed about happenings in Kogi, Nigeria and the world at large.^[7]

Festivals

Emidin Festival is the annual new yam festival of the Ekinrin people. Emidin festival is usually celebrated in June. In the very old days, barns of yams shows the wealth of a person, someone with a large collection of yams marked prestige. From planting till harvest, the process of farming yam is taken sacred by the Ekinrin-Adde's culture. Around June, the first yams are harvested and celebrated by the people. Men would dig up their first yams for display and the farmers with the biggest yams are often admired. After the celebration, the yams are cooked or roasted with the women guiding the procession.^[8]

This festival also serves as a period to thank the gods for a bountiful harvest and also to ask for abundant rains for the next planting season. It's a common practice for most indigenes of the town to return home to celebrate, meet their family members and also an age group reunion opportunity. According to tradition, it is unacceptable for the community member to eat new yam before the celebration.^[9][10]

Other festivals are Idi Festival,Okẹlẹkẹlẹ festival and a new festival for hiking the Akogba Mountain.^[11] The Akogba Mountain is one of the natural endowments of Ekinrin-Adde. A giant Monolith sitting in a pristine state in the north-west of the community overlooking the town as well as being the source of the mysterious Akogba Spring. Although it's not the only Mountain surrounding this beautiful community, it's arguably the most prominent at an alititude of about 3500 feet(1050m above sea level)^[11]

Education

Ekinrin-Adde has various primary and secondary schools. Most of the old ones were established through communal efforts and by collaboration with early missionaries. Among the very notable ones is Baptist High School, established by the community in conjunction with the missionary John B. Hill.^[12]

Kings and traditional rulers

Ekinrin-Adde is the only community in the entire

state with two first class Kings serving the community.

Below is the list of Obas that have ruled or ruling in Ekinrin land.

S/No	Names	Family	Dates	Clan
1	Akinrin of Ekinrin	12th Century-1345	-	-
2	Elewa ti Agbada	1346-1383	37 Yrs.	Ona
3	Elewa Adigogo Digun Jalu	1384-1413	27 Yrs.	Otun
4	Elewa Fufu	1414-1448	34 Yrs.	Ohi
5	Elewa Saro Imotan	1449-1514	65 Yrs.	Otun
6	Onare Odun Alo	1516-1535	19 Yrs.	Otun
7	Onare Awole Babalona	1536-1557	21 Yrs.	Ona
8	Elewa Meseru Amasegbojo	1558-1597	39 Yrs.	Otun
9	Onare Aworinde	1598-1630	32 Yrs.	Ona
10	Elewa Oludoyi	1633-1677	44 Yrs.	Ohi
11	Onare Orisaleke(Babalohi)	1681-1721	40 Yrs.	Ohi
12	Onare Ifamihin Inuepin	1725-1763	38 Yrs.	Otun
13	Onare Oyanihi Ogan	1767-1809	42 Yrs.	Ona
15	Onare Lewuta	1811-1845	34 Yrs.	Ona
16	Onare Atidimogun	1846-1876	30 Yrs.	Otun
17	Elewa Ifanihi Meseru	1877-1907	30 Yrs.	Ohi
18	Elewa Oniemola	1909-1939	30 Yrs.	Otun
19	Memo(Adele Oba)	1939-1942	3 Yrs.	Ona
20	Onare Balogun Aribido	1943-1971	28 Yrs.	Ohi
21	Onare Medaiyese	1974-1983	9 Yrs.	Otun
22	Elewa Otitoju	1984-1998	14 Yrs.	Ona
23	Akinrin J.T Oni	2002-2004	2 Yrs.	Ohi
24	Akinrin S.A Faleke	2005-2021	16 Yrs.	Otun
25	Akinrin Johnson Kolade Otitoju	2021-to date		Ona

List of Obas (including Regents ) that have ruled in Adde from 1694-To Date)

S/No	Names	Family	Clan
1	Olu Itaye Esein Omo Olokemekankan	1694-1699	Ona
2	Olu Gboingboin Bioke Esein Omo OLokemekankan	1699-1709	Ona
3	Olu Ajinjin Pako Bi Ose	1709-1719	Otun
4	Olu Aparo Meta Lori Idaba Esein Omo Ogomalade	1719-1733	Otun
5	Olu Aseje Esein Omo Oso	1733-1741	Ohi
6	Olu Agbaru	1741-1753	Ona
7	Olu Imotan	1753-1763	Ona
8	Olu Gogun	1763-1783	Ona
9	Olu Aroke	1783-1803	Ohi
10	Olu Meje Odundun	1803-1804	Ona
11	Olu Agbarun Gbala-Gbala	1804-1805	Ohi
12	Olu Igiogun	1805-1806	Ohi
13	Olu Ararabori	1806-1807	Ohi
14	Olu Asipatete-Tele Odaheregirieje	1807-1808	Ohi
15	Olu Omumuturumu	1808-1809	Ohi
16	Olu Igbadakakaramaya	1809-1810	Ohi
17	Olu Keke	1810-1830	Ohi
18	Olu Akuko	1830-1842	Ona
19	Olu Agbonada	1842-1865	Otun
20	Olu Alia Odundun	1865-1880	Otun
21	Olu Agbaluju Lowo Idagba	1880-1900	Ona
22	Olu Arotile	1900-1912	Ona
23	Olu Olugbami	1912-1924	Ona
24	Olu Agbonada	1924-1926	Otun
25	Olu Olobaniyi(Ayidina)	1926-1948	Ona
26	Olu Ajibulu	1948-1974	Ona
27	Olu Aiyeniko	1974-1996	Ohi
28	Olu Babalola	1996-2002	Otun
29	Chief D.A Olumoko	2002-2014	Ohi
30	Olu S.I Hambolu	2014-2016	Ona
31	Chief Joshua Jaiye	2014-2016	Ona
32	Olu A.B Idowu	2016-to date	Ohi

Notable people

Some prominent sons and daughters of Ekinrin-Adde are:

1. Abiodun Faleke - Politician and a member of Nigeria's House of Representatives of Lagos

2. Professor Olayemi Akinwunmi - Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja

3.

4. Folashade Joseph - Managing Director, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Scheme.

5.Rt Honourable Justice JA Fabiyi (JSC Rtd)^{[13][circular reference]}

6. General J.O.S Oshanupin (The Asiwaju of Ekinrin-Adde).^[14]

7. Rt Hon. Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye.^[15]

8.Navy Commander LMA Fabiyi (Rtd).^[16]

References

7°50′00″N 5°52′06″E / 7.83333°N 5.86833°E / 7.83333; 5.86833