By Ayo Fajana
Some couple of weeks ago, I hired tour guide of indigenes and local historians to carry out an expedition to Uta-Usaye, the gravesite of Eyemode, the legendary mother of the three Royal titans; Ewi, Elekole and Ajero in Ekiti State. The site in question is between Igbemo, irepodun Ifelodun Local government and Old Ikoyi in Ikole Local government area of the State. The site is a testament of the early claims of maternal relationship of the top three Pelupelu Obas.
We identified the spot, a potential archeological site of boulder with appearances of refuse dump and traces of cowry shells.
This gave explanation to the traditional opus that the burial of Eyemode was heralded with pomp and pageantry. History held it further that, Ewi, Oba Amodu Agunsoye Adewumi (1910-1936) found it expedient as he erected a canopy at this gravesite during his reign.
The major reason for this historical survey before it became absolutely a legend is not farfetched; the emergence of urbanism and the factors that give rise to it.
The history of Eyemode attracted attention, not only from Cultural historians but Philosophers and Archeologists.
The culture trip however generated questions, of weather the dwellers; Igbemo people are the original inhabitants or, the state of abandonment of the site was due to likelihood of spiritual activities, or worst still, the land dispute between Ikoyi Ikole and Igbemo people in the fifties.
We took Yes for answers to most questions as the curiosity of one of the interviewers further buttressed the fact that the site was the boundary point between Ewi and Elekole, the position that won the land dispute in favor of Igbemo community.
The forest consists of interconnected communal enclosures which elicit both mystery and curiosity.
Much attention and debate has centered around its existence,
Long series of ramparts camouflaged by patches of moss and partly concealed within the rain forest of the region; as the trail leads deep into the forest, we lost comfortable clothing, though, some were exceptions, two local hunters in the team clad in traditional regalia laced with Apuru were unruffled as they enjoyed the terrain.
The courage came on me as I remembered fool gladly jokes, juicy tales of hare brained schemes of my grandfather, a famous marksman.
The forest, still not on the radar of archaeological records but possible carbon-dating suggested the monument to be over 500 years ago.
This evidence has been desperate based on the assumption that Okiti Eyemode is a prehistoric monument since the close of 16th century.
Scientific and holistic investigations still require to be carried out, such aspirations that could assist in the listing of the site by UNESCO.
Faulkner reminds us that the past is never dead and buried, though Eyemode was interred but the collective success story of Ewi Gberubioya was to a pious end and directly touches with good radiance the entire Agbaun people upon which his son; Amujoye, established a guild system as he became Onigbemo since the close of the 16th century.
After my meeting with Kabiyesi Owa Ajero, Oba Joseph Adewole Arojojoye II on my desire for this culture trip to Okiti Eyemode, as he gave his nod, my memory woke up to our traditional lack of memory.
The Pelupelu has fell under the gravel of the Almighty government, the reason was simple, culture no longer remain our primary magistrate and for this, nobody cares. Our Royal fathers are mere political adventurers, they gave us a paradox, because the tradition was so relaxed, compromising and of course, history is on precarious balance.
Laughable enough, every Royal father now descended from Ile Ife. The time worn principle of equality has endowed all, and wanted to act like Eric Blair in his fictional world, that all are equal. Still, some Obas want to prove that they are more equal than others.
In this category were the top three of the sixteen Pelupelu Obas in Ekiti land.
Ado often averred in glib generalization and in the word of adoration.
Omiye lala o,
E soja kan ti r’ omiye ra
i.e., blood is thicker than water.
Of the Sixteen Obas; Ewi, Elekole and Ajero were said to be brothers of one mother- three royal kingdoms, though history also added that their kingdoms existed much more earlier before the episode of their angel mother,
Eyemode in the 16th century.
The trio, trying to universalize their jurisdiction; my jurisdiction is bigger and better than yours, this explains why Ewi Obaleyakin, a grandson of Eyemode in a slap on the wrist mocks the tradition and advanced far beyond his territory to Ijero kingdom; he hibernated quite alright. It is the vulgar version of what we call two fighting but in this one, the clash of the royal titans.
The question now raised and agreed. Why? The trios of Ewi, Ajero and Elekole held private royal opinions but the fact still remains that the history of Eyemode brought them into rough alignment- one mother- three royal Kingdom.
It was a long story precipitated by Ewi Gberubioya who ascended the throne around 1630. He succeeded Oba Afigbogborasoju who had died earlier in the year. As a brave Oba, Gberubioya raised security threats to his royal brothers. He reflected the instincts of an Emperor; blessed with so many children as he made many of them rulers of vassal lands.
For example, Okunsusi became Onigede, Adubieninu was made Alawo, Orisafunfun Afin was installed Onijan, Amujoye was seconded to Igbemo where he placated the Agbahun people. Gberubioya’s mother, Olori Oluyori was equally on hot pursuit of the extraordinary, she left the Palace and founded Oke-Ilawe (Uyin).
Ado kingdom has a fertile political history, traceable to this time. The Oba magnanimously dispersed Princes and Princesses from 1640 AD to set up various towns and villages while he retained his authority over the vast kingdom.
He achieved unprecedented strides until 1696 as he conferred a total of 400 chieftaincy titles on deserving men and women including his children, aides and siblings.
The Oba annexed Ora people (Oke-Ila) having initiated into the cult of Ereju, with such mutual respect, he enjoyed their exploits. No sooner than Gberubioya learnt of Elekole’s most beautiful wife (Eyemode), he staged a quarrel; in the ensued counter reactions,
Elekole in offensive could not ward off the threat till Olora Akanle Okuta invaded Ikole and brought two of Elekole Akayegbekun’s wives for Ewi as war ransom.
Eyemode was exceedingly beautiful and had a child; Okinbaloye Arutawekun for Ewi after her first child in ikole
It was sad to note that Eyemode escaped in 1696 to Ijero having the fear of been buried along with Gberubioya.
She lost very little of her beauty and eventually fell into the hands of Ajero for whom she also had a child.
Ewi Okinbaloye was first to be made an Oba and later fought for the installation of his brother as Elekole while the duo assisted their junior brother to become the Ajero.
History is most interesting when it has much to say about wars and conflicts. They battled quite alright for the remains of Eyemode until the cadaver was deposited at Uta-Usaye, old Ikoyi Igbemo.
At the death of Eyemode in Ado, emissaries were sent to the two brother Obas; Elekole and Ajero. The unprepared Ewi Okinbaloye was thrown off balance as joint war machineries of Elekole and Ajero were driven to Ado-Ekiti to retrieve the body.
The Palace garrison in defensive responded with vigor as the corpse was being carted away. Unfortunately, Okiti Origbo became the first battlefield but the unrelenting Elekole was more ruthless in his pursuit as he advanced further.
Ewi eventually subdued all the belligerent at Uta Usaye where the corpse was ruptured. The trio, in soul-subduing ejaculation of emotions therefore came to an agreement to bury their mother.
The more aggressive Ewi insisted that the corpse should become a tripod and requested the position of the head to be directed to Ado kingdom while one of the limbs to Ijero and the other to Ikole.
After the historic burial rites, there was a grand finale witnessed by a large gathering of Ekiti kingdom at Uta Usaye later referred to as Okiti Eyemode.
Igbemo people averred;
Ugbo ko soro l’ U ta usaye,
agba Igbemo an ranse sori Ewi.
This epithet is a rich depth to the quality of the historical relationship that hitherto exists.
BY AYO FAJANA
DIRECTOR CENTER FOR CULTURE RENAISSANCE AND CEO SPECIAL DUTIES TO THE FOUNDER AND CHANCELLOR, AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY, ADO-EKITI.
