Ifẹ
Ilé-Ifẹ̀
Ifẹ̀ Oòyè | ||
---|---|---|
Ọọni Ojaja II | | |
• LGA Chairman, Ife Central | Oladosu Olubisi | |
• LGA Chairman, Ife North | Lanre Ogunyimika | |
• LGA Chairman, Ife South | Johnson Fayemi | |
• LGA Chairman, Ife East | Tajudeen Lawal | |
Area | ||
• Total | 1,791 km2 (692 sq mi) | |
Population (2006)[1] | ||
• Total | 509,035 | |
• Density | 280/km2 (740/sq mi) | |
National language | Yorùbá |
Total population | |
---|---|
~ 755,260 | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Osun State - 755,260 (2011) · Ife Central: 196,220 · Ife East: 221,340 · Ife South: 157,830 · Ife North: 179,870 |
Ifẹ̀ (Yoruba: Ifẹ̀, also Ilé-Ifẹ̀) is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria, founded in the 6th century.[2][3] The city is located in present-day Osun State.[4] Ifẹ̀ is about 218 kilometers northeast of Lagos[5] with a population of over 500,000 people, which is the highest in Osun State according to population census of 2006.[6]
According to the traditions of the
Ilé-Ifẹ̀ is famous worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze, stone and terracotta sculptures, dating back to between 1200 and 1400 CE.[10]
History
Origin of Ife: Creation of the world
According to
The usurpation of creation by Oduduwa, gave rise to an ever-lasting conflict between him and his contemporaneous rival Orisha, Obatala. This symbolic rivalry is still re-enacted in the modern era by the votary groups of the two divinities during the Itapa New Year festival.[12] On account of his creation of the world, Oduduwa became the ancestor of the first divine king of the Yoruba, while Obatala is believed to have created the first Yoruba people out of clay. The meaning of the word "ife" in Yoruba is "expansion"; "Ile-Ife" is therefore in reference to the myth of origin as "The Land of Expansion" (the word, Ile, as pronounced in modern Yoruba language, means house or home, which would make the name of the city mean "The Home of Expansion").
Origin of the regional states: Dispersal from the holy city
Traditional setting
House of Oduduwa | |
---|---|
heraldic symbol of Ife royalty | |
Parent house |
|
Current region | Yorubaland |
Founded | c.11th century |
Founder | Oduduwa (Olofin Adimula) |
Current head | Ojaja II |
Titles |
ÌHÀRẸ - Outer/Town chiefs (Àgbà Ifẹ̀):[16]
MỌDÉWÁ - Inner/Palace chiefs (Ẹmẹsẹ̀):
|
Style(s) | Kábíèsí Majesty Imperial Highness |
Members |
|
Connected families | Ife (4)
Outside Ife (Several)
|
The King (Ooni of Ile-Ife)
The
Cults of Divinities
Ife is well known as the city of 401 deities (also known as irumole or orishas). It is said that every day of the year the traditional worshippers celebrate a festival of one of these deities. Often the festivals extend over more than one day and they involve both priestly activities in the palace and theatrical dramatisations in the rest of the kingdom. Historically the King only appeared in public during the annual Olojo festival (celebration of the new dawn); other important festivals here include the Itapa festival for
Kings and gods were often depicted with large heads because the artists believed that the Ase was held in the head, the Ase being the inner power and energy of a person. Both historic figures of Ife and the offices associated with them are represented. One of the best documented among this is the early king Obalufon II who is said to have invented bronze casting and is honored in the form of a naturalistic copper life-size mask.[10]
The city was a settlement of substantial size between the 12th and 14th centuries, with houses featuring potsherd pavements. Ilé-Ifè is known worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze, stone and terracotta sculptures, which reached their peak of artistic expression between 1200 and 1400 CE In the period around 1300 CE the artists at Ife developed a refined and naturalistic sculptural tradition in terracotta, stone and copper alloy—copper, brass, and bronze—many of which appear to have been created under the patronage of King Obalufon II, the man who today is identified as the Yoruba patron deity of brass casting, weaving and regalia.[20] After this period, production declined as political and economic power shifted to the nearby kingdom of Benin which, like the Yoruba kingdom of Oyo, developed into a major empire.
-
Ife, 12th to 16th century
-
A sculpture of an Ife king or dignitary in the collection of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin
Shrines, altars, and temples
Igbo Olokun: Igbo Olokun used to be a forested, sacred grove (igbo) that housed shrines at which the goddess Olokun was worshipped. Igbo Olokun in the city of Ile-Ife, in south-western Nigeria, was said to have a history of glass makers with unique manufacturing techniques in West Africa. The recovery of glass beads and associated production materials were found there during excavation. Analysis of the composition of the artefacts and preliminary dating of the site, which puts the main timing of glass-working between the 11th and 15th centuries AD. The results of these studies suggest that glass bead manufacture at this site was largely independent of glass-making traditions documented farther afield, and that Igbo Olokun may represent one of the earliest known glass-production workshops in West Africa. The location is not divulged except on request and permission of the keepers of the shrine because it is a sacred grove.[21]
Oduduwa Shrine and Grove: The shrine of the progenitor of the Yoruba race. Worshippers and initiates flood the place seeking blessings and pay obeisance to the originator of their civilization.[22]
Agbonniregun Temple: The grove of Ọrunmila an Orisha. He is the Orisha of wisdom, knowledge, and divination. This source of knowledge is believed to have a keen understanding of the human form and of purity, and is therefore praised as often being more effective than other remedies.[23]
Archaeology
Burnt pipes (or
Iron smelting occurred in the Ife region.[24] The yield and efficiency were quite high as the iron smelting process yielded ore grade near 80 percent iron oxide, lean slag possessed less than 60 percent iron oxide, and no greater than the required amount of iron oxide in the slag was left for slag formation.[24] While more excavation is needed to produce a more accurate estimate for the age of the smelting site, it can be approximated to likely being precolonial, during the Late Iron Age.[24]
Igbo Olokun, also known as Olokun Grove,
In Osun Grove, the distinct glassmaking technology produced by the Yoruba persisted into the seventeenth century.[29]
Government
The main city of Ife is divided into two local government areas: Ife East, headquartered at Oke-ogbo and Ife central at Ajebandele area of the city. Both local governments are composed of a total of 21 political wards. The city has an estimated population of 355,813 people.[30]
Geography
Latitudes 7°28′N and 7°45′N and longitudes 4°30′E and 4°34′E. Ile-Ife is a rural area with settlements where agriculture is occupied by most. Ife has an undulating terrain underlain by metamorphic rocks and characterized by two types of soils, deep clay soils on the upper slopes and sandy soils on the lower parts. Within the tropical savanna climate zone of West Africa. It has average rainfall of 1,000–1,250 mm (39–49 in) usually from March to October and a mean relative humidity of 75% to 100%. Ife is east of the city of Ibadan and connected to it through the Ife-Ibadan highway; Ife is also 40 km (25 mi) from Osogbo and has road networks to other cities such as Ede, Ondo and Ilesha. There is the Opa river and reservoir, that serves as a water treatment facility for OAU college.[citation needed]
Climate
In Ifé, the
Temperature
From January 22 to April 4, the hot season, with an average daily high
August is the
Cloud cover
The average proportion of sky covered by clouds at Ife varies significantly seasonally throughout the year.[40][41][32][31][35][34][33]
Ile-Ife experiences 2.9 months of clearer weather, which starts about November 17 and ends around February 13.[42][39][33][32][31][35][34] December is the clearest month of the year, with a 50% average percentage of clear, mostly clear, or partly overcast skies.[43][42][40][32][31][33][34] Around February 13 of each year, the cloudier period starts, lasts for 9.1 months, and ends around November 17.[32][31][35][34][33][36][37] April is the month with the most cloud cover; on average, 86% of the town has overcast or mainly cloudy skies during this month.[44]
Precipitation
A day is considered to be wet if there has been at least 0.04 inches of liquid or liquid-equivalent precipitation. In Ifé, the likelihood of rainy days varies a great deal from season to season.[45][32][31][34][33][35][37][36]
The 6.6-month wetter season, which runs from April 7 to October 27, has a more than 45% chance of precipitation on any one day. In Ifé, September has an average of 25.4 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation, making it the month with the most rainy days.[31][35][33][37][39][41]
From late October to early April, a period of about 5.4 months, is the dry season. December has an average of 1.4 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation, making it the month with the fewest wet days in Ifé.[33][31][32][38][37][36][39] With an average of 25.4 days, September is the month in Ifé with the most rainy days. According to this classification, rain alone has the highest probability of all types of precipitation, peaking at 86% on September 22.[34][31][33][36][40][35]
Economy
Ife contains attractions like the Natural History Museum of Nigeria. Ife is home to a regional agricultural center with an area that produces vegetables, grain cocoa, tobacco, and cotton. Ife has a few open markets, such as Oja Titun or Odo-gbe market with about 1,500 shops.[46]
In terms of development, the Ife central area of Ilé Ifè is more developed. The areas include Parakin, Eleyele, Modomo, Damico, and Crown Estate Area. These areas are characterized by modern houses, good road network, constant electricity and security.
Education
Ife has several universities that are well-known both in Nigeria and internationally; such as the Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly University of Ife), and Oduduwa University.
It is also home to the Seventh Day Adventist Grammar School, Ile-Ife
Notable people
- Tunde Odunlade (born 1954), artist and musician[47]
- Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀[48]
- Femi Fani-Kayode (born 1960), Nigerian politician, essayist, poet and lawyer
- Iyiola Omisore (born 1957), Nigerian businessman, engineer and politician
- CON
- Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀[49]
See also
Notes
- ^ "FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA : 2006 Population Census" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "Ife (from ca. 6th Century)". Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ Cartwright, Mark. "Ife". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "The Descendants of Ife". dakingsman.com. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ "World: Africa Arrests after Nigerian cult killings". BBC News. Monday July 12, 1999, Retrieved on October 31, 2011.
- ^ Nigeria, Guardian (2019-04-27). "Ile-Ife, the city of culture". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ a b Bascom, Yoruba, p. 10; Stride, Ifeka: "Peoples and Empires", p. 290.
- ^ a b Akinjogbin, I. A. (Hg.): The Cradle of a Race: Ife from the Beginning to 1980, Lagos 1992 (The book also has chapters on the present religious situation in the town).
- ^ a b Olupona, 201 Gods, 94.
- ^ S2CID 18837520. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- ^ Bazylinska, Karolina; University, Cleveland State. "Afewonro Park - The Heart of Creation". Bright Continent. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ Olupona, 201 Gods, 144-173; Lange, Ancient Kingdoms, 347–366; idem., "Preservation", 130-1.
- ISBN 978-981-13-9817-9. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "Oyo empire | History, Definition, Map, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ISBN 978-3-89754-115-3. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Okelola, Olubayo (2001). Political History of Ile-Ife (cradle of Yoruba Race) 1900-1980. Lichfield. p. 4. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ISBN 978-3-8258-6980-9. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ Cheikh Anta Diop's Precolonial Black Africa, pg. 203
- ^ Walsh, "Edi festival", 231-8; Bascom, "Olojo", 64-72; Lange, Ancient Kingdoms, 358-366; Olupona, 201 Gods.
- ^ ISBN 978-1107021662.
- .
- ^ "A brief walk into the life and final resting place of Oòdua". Pulse.
- ^ Utor, Florence (25 September 2016). "Olojo festival unveils logo". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Ige, Akin; Rehren, Thilo (January 2003). "Black sand and iron stone:iron smelting in Modakeke, Ife, south western Nigeria". Institute for Archaeo-Metallurgical Studies.
- ^ S2CID 151455909.
- .
- ^ .
- doi:10.4000/aaa.545.
- S2CID 142207743.
- ^ YOADE, Adewale Olufunlola. "PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CORE AREA OF ILE-IFE, NIGERIA." Annals Of The University Of Oradea, Geography Series / Analele Universitatii Din Oradea, Seria Geografie 25, no. 2 (December 2015): 137-147. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 32, 2016)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Ile-Ife Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Nigeria) - Weather Spark". weatherspark.com. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Ife climate: Temperature Ife & Weather By Month - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Climate Change and Increased Outbreak of Diseases - THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Ile-Ife weather and climate ☀️ Best time to visit 🌡️ Temperature". www.besttravelmonths.com. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Ile-Ife, Nigeria weather in August: average temperature & climate". Wanderlog. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Weather in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria | Tomorrow.io". Tomorrow.io Weather. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e f "Ife, Nigeria - Yearly & Monthly weather forecast". Weather Atlas. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b c https://www.accuweather.com/en/ng/ife/255020/weather-forecast/255020[bare URL]
- ^ a b c d "Ife Central weather forecast for today". justweather.org. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ S2CID 204907590.
- ^ ISBN 978-3-319-93336-8, retrieved 2023-07-19
- ^ a b "Weather in Ife today". GISMETEO.COM. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ BusinessDay (2023-02-12). "Why continuous deforestation, maiming of farmers, forest guards by illicit lumber/timber traders in ile-ife?". Businessday NG. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
{{cite web}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ www.premiumtimesng.com https://www.premiumtimesng.com/agriculture/agric-data-and-infographics/467703-infographics-how-women-farmers-are-responding-to-climate-change-in-a-nigerian-state.html?tztc=1. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Babarinsa, Olusola (2023-06-27). "OAU Ife Ecology Institute@40: Solving Nigeria's environmental challenges". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ I.A. Akinjogbin, The Cradle of a Race: Ife from the Beginning to 1980 (Port Harcourt [Nigeria]:Sunray Publishers, 1992); William Bascom, The Yoruba of South-western Nigeria (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1969); Frank Willett, Ife in the History of West African Sculpture (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967); http://www.oauife.edu.ng/; http://www.historywiz.org/ife.htm; BBC: Ife and Benin; http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/4chapter7.shtml.
- ^ "ODUNLADE, Tunde". Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. 2017-04-06. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- OCLC 959259140.
- OCLC 12987528, retrieved 2021-10-05
References
- Akinjogbin, I. A. (Hg.): The Cradle of a Race: Ife from the Beginning to 1980, Lagos 1992. The book also has chapters on the present religious situation in the town.
- Bascom, William: The Yoruba of south-western Nigeria, New York 1969. The book mainly deals with Ife.
- Bascom, William "The Olojo festival at Ife, 1937", in: A. Falassi (ed.), Time out of Time: Essays on the Festival, Albuquerque, 1987, 62–73.
- Blier, Suzanne Preston. Art and Risk in Ancient Yoruba: Ife History, Power, and Identity c.1300, Cambridge University Press 2015. ISBN 978-1107021662.
- Blier, Suzanne Preston. http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/blier/files/blier.pdf "Art in Ancient Ife Birthplace of the Yoruba"]. African Arts 2012
- Frobenius, Leo, The Voice of Africa, London 1913 (Frobenius stayed for nearly two months in Ife, in 1910–11).
- Johnson, Samuel: History of the Yorubas, London 1921.
- Lange, Dierk: "The dying and the rising God in the New Year Festival of Ife", in: Lange, Ancient Kingdoms of West Africa, Dettelbach 2004, pp. 343–376.
- Lange, Dierk: "Preservation of Canaanite creation culture in Ife", in: H.-P. Hahn and G. Spittler (eds.), Between Resistance and Expansion, Münster 2004, 125–158.
- Lange, Dierk: "Origin of the Yoruba and 'Lost Tribes of Israel'", Anthropos, 106, 2011, 579–595.
- Olubunmi, A. O. The Rise and Fall of the Yoruba Race 10,000 BC–1960 AD, The 199 Publishing Palace ISBN 978-2457-38-8
- Olubunmi, A. O. On Ijesa Racial Purity, The 199 Publishing Palace ISBN 978-2458-17-1
- Ogunyemi, Yemi D. (Yemi D. Prince), The Oral Traditions in Ile-Ife, , 2009, Palo Alto, USA.
- Ogunyemi, Yemi D. (Yemi D. Prince): The Aura of Yoruba Philosophy, Religion and Literature, ISBN 0-9652860-4-5, Diaspora Press of America, 2003, Boston, USA.
- Ogunyemi, Yemi D. (Yemi D. Prince): Introduction to Yoruba Philosophy, Religion and Literature, ISBN 1-890157-14-7, Athelia Henrietta Press, 1998, New York, USA.
- Ogunyemi, Yemi D. (Yemi D. Prince): The Covenant of the Earth--Yoruba Religious & Philosophical Narratives, ISBN 1-890157-15-5, Athelia Henrietta Press, 1998, New York, USA.
- Olupona, Jacob K.: City of 201 Gods: Ile-Ife in Time, Space and Imagination, Berkeley 2011.
- Stride, G. T. and C. Ifeka: "Peoples and Empires of West Africa: West Africa in History 1000–1800", New York 1971.
- Walsh, M. J., "The Edi festival at Ile Ife", African Affairs, 47 (1948), 231–8.
- Willett, Frank: Ife in the History of West African Sculpture, London, 1967. The book also deals with some oral traditions of Ile-Ife.
- Wyndham, John: "The creation", Man, 19 (1919), 107–8.