Ancient Igbomina kingdom
Ìsèdó (Ìsẹ̀dó or Ìsẹ̀dó-Olúmọ̀) is an ancient
Ọ̀bà
civilization in northeastern Yorubaland.
Foundation and development
in one of the areas of his frequent hunting expeditions.
Recent archaeological research results (and published works of
Ọ̀bà refugees probably fleeing from both internal dissension in their Òbà kingdom as well as the cyclic conflicts of their Ọ̀bà kingdom with the neighbouring kingdoms, perhaps including the
Nupe to the north.
At its
clans, some of which were later "consolidants" into the
Obalumo's kingdom at Ìsèdó and were not of the ancient Oba origin.
New arrivals
Some oral-historians indicate that at the request of an arriving faction from
Ila-Odo
closer to Isedo, which subsists as the modern Ìlá Òràngún.
Consolidation and accommodation
An annual celebration called "Ìmárúgbó" (or "Òkùnrìn") festival was instituted between the two city-states during which the King Ọ̀ràngún leaves his palace with his chiefs to pay a day-long homage to his primogenitor, the King Ọba'lúmọ̀ in his (the Ọba'lúmọ̀'s) palace. This is in symbolic tribute to Ọba'lúmọ̀'s land grant and precedence of him in the region, in appreciation of Ọba'lúmọ̀'s hosting of the Òràngún's elderly mother who could not continue with the immigrant party to the location of their allocated land. The Ọ̀ràngún's mother died in the palace of the Ọba'lúmọ̀ and was buried at Ìsèdó. So the Ọ̀ràngún also visits her grave as part of this festival.
While it has maintained the royal title of Oba'lúmò, the kingdom of Ìsẹ̀dó has in modern times been virtually engulfed by the present-day
Oke-Ila
.
In this five-centuries-old quasi-consolidation treaty to help found with the new
Oke-Ila Orangun state, the Ìsẹ̀dó immigrants "of the hilltop" (Isedo Oke or Isedo Ori Oke)were retained their royal title of Ọba'lúmọ̀, and subsequently were accorded a new recognition (possibly for their foremost contribution to the establishment of the new kingdom), awarding their clan the title of
Ọbaálá ("mighty king" or "senior king"), a title next in rank to the
Ọ̀ràngún of Oke-Ila the paramount king. The Ọbaálá is also designated as the automatic regent upon the demise of any reigning Ọ̀ràngún.
Heritage and diaspora
The Ìsẹ̀dó
oratures to their ancestry from Ìsẹ̀dó and the ancient Ọ̀bà kingdom, and citing their descent from King Ọba'lúmọ̀ of Ìsẹ̀dó and King
Olunlakin of Ọ̀bà as well as nostalgically referring to themselves as "children of the great wealth" of Ọ̀bà.
Other examples of Igbomina and non-Igbomina towns (in
, Rorẹ, Ọyan, Inisha, Ipee, Oke-Ode, Babanla, Ajasẹ-Ipo, Omupo, Esiẹ, Oro, Ijomu-Oro, Iddo-Oro, Idofin, Ado-Eku, Oreke, Sanmora, and Pamo.
The Ìsẹ̀dó
Ọ̀bà Diaspora' that purposefully set out and founded a surviving kingdom ruled by the king
Ọba'lumọ. Subsequent Ọ̀bà-derivative kingdoms and diasporas appear to have resulted solely from refugee flights from wars and slave raids.
Ìsẹ̀dó communities resulting from the diaspora of such wars exist in
Ipoti-Ekiti, and other
Igbomina and
Ekiti towns as well as Omido (
Kwara State) and other towns in Kwara State.
Isedo and Oba diaspora tourism
The legends of origin and of emigrations of the Isedo from Oba has been a major effort of
clans
and ancient kingdoms.
References
