history of ondo kingdom

The History of Ondo Kingdom – Ode Ondo

History of Ondo Kingdom

Ondo town is also known as Ondo kingdom and it has 2 local government areas: Ondo west and

Ondo east. It is a nice place to visit with good roads, water supply and electricity. There is also

the serene environment courtesy of the forests which are found around although this is

declining. Ondo is one of the best cocoa producing states. It also has the highest mountain in

Nigeria

There has been a lot of inaccuracy in lots of recorded accounts of Ondo kingdom history due to

this reason I have been able to carry out thorough research and ascertain the true history of

Ondo Land and this is what led to two corresponding accounts I give here one with dates and

the other without date.

Ondo Kingdom History without Date

Ode Ondo or Ondo City or Ondo Kingdom sat among the thickly forested planes that characterize

southwestern Nigeria are the towns and communities that make up the Ondo Kingdom. Located some

300kilometres to the north-east of Lagos, Nigeria's economic nerve centre and 45kilometres west of

Akure, the Ondo State capital, the Kingdom is easily reached by road from all parts of the country.

The Ondo people are one of the largest Yoruba subgroups, situated in the eastern part of the

Yoruba¬speaking area of Nigeria. The weather elements that characterize the region are those

typifying the rainforest region of Sub-Sahara Africa.

The descent of Ondo people, as well as the geography of the Kingdom does not reflect any significant

deviation from those of other towns and communities peopled by the Yoruba of south-western

Nigeria, who are virtually agreed on the common paternity of Oduduwa. However there exists still, as

in most historical collections, about three separate accounts that explain the origin of the Ondo people.

While the people of the Kingdom, almost in unison rejected a version that links its origin to the old

Benin Kingdom in present day Edo State, as being the invention of its proponents, there seems to be

some level of convergence on the other two accounts which trace the origin of the people to Ife and

Oyo respectively. While an outright invention of any historical account, as attributed to the Benin

Kingdom version, may be unlikely, the symmetry of the more widely held versions of the origin of

the people are herein reflected with the major dissonance being in the origin from either Oyo or Ife.

But on a broad outlook, the two accounts seem to point towards the same direction, as those in Oyo

originally migrated from Ife, the ultimate source of all Yoruba.

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Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba was one of the sons of Lamurudu, who was believed to have

migrated from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, after some sectarian disagreement. He held the title of Olofin

Adimula before he left Mecca. This perhaps explains why most Yoruba Obas are still referred to by

that title to date. Oranmiyan, one of the sixteen sons of Oduduwa who left Ile-Ife, probably out of

sheer ambition or mere adventure, was the first Alaafin of Oyo and the father of Oluaso, who gave

birth to Pupupu, the first paramount ruler of Ondo Kingdom.

Pupupu, a female, was one of the twin children of Oba Oluaso, who was said to have reigned in Oyo

in the 15th Century. The other twin, a male, was named Orere. Twin birth in those days was

considered an abomination and a strange phenomenon, esemawe, as a historical source interpreted it.

Conventionally, the twins and their mother were instantly put to death, to prevent the imminent bad

omen which was believed to be synonymous with their arrival. But because Olu, the mother of the

children was one of the favountes of the King, her life and those of the twins were spared. They were

however with an entourage of slaves under the guidance of a hunter called Ija, sent out of the palace

with a beaded crown and an Akoko tree, signifying their royalty. Those were to accord them the

dignity and the reverence due to royalty. Again, their father against the tradition of multi tribal marks

of Oyo, incised two long tribal marks, one on each side of the cheek. Oluaso was apparently

conscious of the fact that he may not set his eyes on the children for a long time, hence those facial

marks were incised on them, so that they would be recognisable any time they were seen or if they

came back home. This explains the origin of the tribal marks of Ondo to date.

The group wandered through the forest till they got to a place called Epin, near Gbere, whose

inhabitants were referred to as Ibariba. They were well received and catered for until the death of Oba

Oluaso in 1497. They headed back to Oyo when the succeeding king did not treat them fairly, but

Onigbogi, the reigning king had to send them back to a virgin land compassed about by Ife, Ijesa,

Ekiti, Ado(Benin) and Ijebu communities. They later got to Igbo Ijamo (the forest discovered by Ija).

The group apparently stayed in this place for some time. Eventually they found lgbo Ijamo unsafe and

therefore continued their journey eastward, until they finally got to a place called Epe, not far from the

present Ondo town.

They were in Epe for many years and as they~ journeyed on, they passed through a hill which is today

known as Oke Agunla and one of the communities that make up the present day Ondo Kingdom.

From this hill, they spotted some smoke and headed in its direction. There they met a man called Ekiri

one of the original inhabitants of the area. The Ifa oracle, as was the usual practice then, was

consulted on the prospects of the newly found location. The oracle instructed them to take along with

them a yam stake (edo), as their walking stick. They were to poke the stick into the ground as they

went along their way, and wherever the stick didn't bond with the land, they were to settle.

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The group left Epe and proceeded as instructed by the oracle until they got to a place where the yam

stake did not penetrate the ground. The group chorused in surprise Edo du do, (The yam stake would

not stick in). According to oral history, the word Ondo is a contraction of the sentence "Edo du do".

When the group arrived in Ondo, they met the Ifore, the Idoko and the Oka people. These indigenous

inhabitants recognized the royalty of the new arrivals and readily ceded to them the authority to rule

over the territory. And in due course, the original inhabitants of Ondo were assimilated into the

culture of the new comers. It remains a reference point however that the Idoko and Ifore settlers still

maintain a kind of separate political structure which is akin, in many respects, to that of the larger

Ondo community. As time went on, the people spread to form other settlements like lgbindo, lgbado,

llu-nla, Odigbo, Ajue. Igunsin, etc.

By and large, the Ondo people still regard Epe, a relatively small town, seven miles from Ondo, on

the Oke-lgbo road, as their original town (Orisun), from where they migrated to their present location.

Up until now, many Ondo festival and rituals have Epe as their source. Pilgrimages are sometimes

made to Epe for some of the festivals. Historical account also has it that at the demise of the

Osemawe, his head was usually buried in Epe while the remaining part of his body was in Ondo.

It is also worthy of note that a historical account holds that Olu, the twin brother of Pupupu, actually

settled down in Ile-Oluji and became its first traditional ruler. This may also explain the close link

between Ondo and Ile-Oluji, who are actually descendants from siblings of sameparentage.

To date, forty three Obas have reigned in Ondo after Pupupu, the first Osemawe.

The History with Date

The history of Ondo-Ekimogun, Ondo Kingdom sprang from the Palace of Alaafin of Oyo in the

ancient city of Oyo when the wife of Alaafin Oba Oluaso bore him twins a male called Orere and a

female also called Olu which is forbidden in the palace of every Oba in Yoruba land. The then Alafin

of Oyo love the twins mother called Olori OLu so much and on hearing the news of the twins he

lamented that this is a mysterious child "ese-omo-re" which later transform to Osemawe as Oba's title

in Ondo kingdom.

The Alafin Oba Oluaso ordered that the twins and their mother be taken out of Oyo, he also gave

instruction that one stroke of facial mark should be cut on each cheek of the twins as kese or ibaramu

mark will cause agony for them on their journey. The single facial stroke mark became an established

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custom in Ondo town till today. Olori Olu and the twins were accompanied by the Alafin of Oyo

warrior's leader called "ija" or " Uja" to a place called Epin in the then Fulani kingdom. They later

return to Oyo after the death of Alafin Oba Oluaso in 1497 AD. The new Alafin Oba Onigbogi also

ordered them out of Oyo in 1498 AD with Alaafin warrior leader to the direction of Ile-Ife. They

continue the journey until they reached a place called "Ita Ijama" from where they also arrived at Epe

where Iyanghede of Epe received them with joy. This is how Ondo are referred today as "Ekimogun

ara ita ijama, a fi ide agogo m'omi".

After a brief stay at Epe they desire to look for a permanent settlement. As they left Epe they arrived

at a place which is today called Ile Oluji. Where Olori Olu Alafin wife slept for days and did not wake

up " Ile ti Olu sun ti ko ji". After another short stay Olori Olu and Princess Olu the female twins left

the town with one Ogunja from Epe leaving Prince Orere behind in Ile oluji and continue a journey

until it ended at the foot of a hill known in Ondo up to the present day as "Oke Agunla." This is also

how Ondo are referred today as "Opon inu odi Ogunja." At the hill they spotted a smoke rising from

below, they followed in that direction down the hill and met a man whose named was Ekiri neither

farmer or a hunter. Ekiri later lead them to a place called Oriden where they tried to stick their yam

stick unto the ground prove futile as instructed by an Ifa Oracle before they left Epe. They were happy

and exclaimed "Edo du do to Edo do to Idi edo" and finally transform to Ondo in 1510 AD. Princess

Olu the female twins finally became first Oba Pupupu of Ondo in 1516 AD while Prince Orere the

male twins became the first Jegun of Ile Oluji.

The other historical facial marks are cut unto the right breast of the descendant of past Osemawes

from the male lineage and the rights to Otunba title are from both lineages. All Otunbas title bearers in

Ondo are headed by the Olotu Omo-Oba in Oke-Otunba quarters in Ondo kingdom. The Ondos are

known to be Traders, farmers or produce merchants, their staple food is Iyan made from yam and they

have their own peculiar dialect and very hard working. It must be noted however that Ondo emigrants

settlers also founded towns like Igbado, Igbindo, Ajue, Igburowo, Odigbo, Oro, Imorun, Ilu Nla,

Erinla, Igunshin, Araromi, Araromi Obu, Ajebandele, Agbabu, Oboto, Bolorunduro, Fagbo, Tekuile,

Owena, Oke-Opa, Aiyesan, Laje, Oka, Oke-igbo and etc. The Ondo warriors of that time are Ago,

Taagba and Jomu-Nla known as High Chief Jomu till today and that chieftaincy title are family

hereditary.

The first Osemawe palace was built by Oba Airo first son of Oba Pupupu who became Oba in 1530

AD. Oba Adeuga Fidipote 11 built the first modern palace in Ondo when he became Oba in 1935 AD

while Oba Festus Ibidapo Adesanoye - Osungbedelola 11 built the best recent Oba's palace in Ondo

when he became the 43rd Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom in 1992. The Ondo chieftaincy title are The

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Iwarefa, Ekule, Elegbe, Otu headed by the His Highness Osemawe while Upoji female chiefs headed

by the Her Highness Olobun Oba Obirin in Ondo Kingdom. Popular festivals in Ondo are as follows,

Odun Oba, Odun Ogun, Odun Oramfe, Odun Moko, Obiton and etc.

The Ondos embrace Roman Catholic Christianity in 1875 under the CMS Missionary worker Rev.

Bishop Phillips and accepted by Oba Ayibikitiwodi while Oba Jimekun accepted the CMS Anglican

Communion in 1884 and Islam in 1888. The first Ondo Rev. Father John Akinwale was ordained in

1947 while the first Ondo Anglican Bishop was Rev. D.O. Awosika and Rev. T.O. Olufosoye was the

first Archbishop of the Anglican communion of Nigeria while Alhaji Muhammed Alimi was installed

the first Imam of Ondo in 1888. In conclusion The Ondos are known for a pride, proud of what they

represent and very stubborn.

Ondo KingdomTerrain

The Ondo Kingdom, in it's pre-colonial setting, comprised the area which lies on latitude 7°6' north,

and 4°50' (7 degree, 6minutes and four degree, fifty minutes) east, in the tropical rain forest belt of

Nigeria. It was bounded in the north by the modern Akure and Obokun Local Government Areas; in

the south by Ilaje/Eseodo Local Government Areas, and part of Ijebu in Ogun State; while in the east

it is bounded by Owena River, beyond which is the Ifedore Local Government Area, and in the west

by "Ooni River". In the south the land is low-lying

and borders on the creek area of the Ilaje/eseodo, but rises gradually towards the north, Ode-Ondo

itself being 290 meters above sea level. The kingdom covers an area of 4,060 km² and the population

is (1991 Census) of which a large majority live in Ode-Ondo the capital of the

kingdom.

Ondo lies in the humid tropic with tropical rain forest and the south-easterly wind throughout most of

the year. During the months of December, January, February, the cooler dry continental air from the

north prevails. The rainy season proper lasts from March or April until December.

The kingdom is covered with forest and contains valuable timber, mostly Mahogany, Opepe, Afara,

Obeche, Olofun, etc. with a big forest reserve of over 1000 square kilometres. An annual average of

timber extraction is almost 23 x 105 cubic metres. The whole area is cut up by a number of clear

streams running into four rivers - Owena, Ufara, Oluwa and Ooni, which flow southwards into the

creeks. In the north, there are considerable granite outcrops said to be of volcanic origin. The Ondo

are keen farmers, raising food crops, such as yams, cassava, maize, cocoyam, rice and beans, among

others. Cash crops include cocoa (the

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most important of all, covering a large portion of arable land), rubber, coffee, kolanuts and palm

produce. There has been a decline in food production following the expansion of cocoa plantation in

the kingdom. The effect of this is that the Ondo have had to depend to a large extent on their

neighbours for foodstuffs. An extensive timber extraction from the forest was a source of wealth to

the people. Local industries and crafts include blacksmithery, gold- and silver-smithery, bricklaying,

carpentry and shoe making. The people also trade in merchandise.

At the inception of colonial rule, Ondo Kingdom comprised thirty-three towns, villages and hamlets

with capital at Ode-Ondo. Most of them were large towns before they were scattered by internecine

wars.

The Ishan Town

After many years of settlement at Ode-Ondo, the people had spread out, probably as a result of

population pressure on the land available or as a means of satisfying the adventurous spirit of some of

them. In this way, new towns were founded, and the same type of administrative system which

operated at Ode-Ondo was introduced in each of the towns. The towns founded in the first wave of

emigration from Ode-Ondo are referred to as Ishan (emigrants). They are Odigbo, Igbindo, Oro,

Igbado, Igburowo, Ilunla, Ajue and Araromi. All these towns and villages bear similarities to Ode-

Ondo in their customs, chieftaincy titles and

tribal marks. It is significant to note that, in the colonial period, when they were struggling for

autonomy, some of the towns denied historical link with Ode-Ondo, claiming to have come directly

from Ile-Ife. Of more recent foundation were Oke-Igbo and Aiyesan.

Oke-Igbo was a product of internal strife between Osemawe Arilekolasi and the Ondo people in the

middle of the nineteenth century. Following his tyrannical rule, Osemawe Arilekolasi was told to "go

and sleep" (that is, to commit suicide), but before he died, the Oba sent for his chief slave, a man

called Ago who stationed near Oni River, an outpost of the Oba on the road to Ile-Ife, and told him to

attack the people and avenge his death. Ago recruited warriors from Ile-Ife, and with support of other

slaves at Ode-Ondo laid waste the kingdom. He drove the new Osemawe, his chiefs and the people

into exile. In the meantime, the Ifes

who fought with Ago had settled at the outpost near Oni River where they founded Oke-Igbo. But by

the 1870s, during the reign of Oba Jimekun a message was received from Governor Glover who was

then the Governor of Lagos, to the effect that people who had fled the town during the war with Ago

should return. Oba Jimekun must have subsequently re-established his authority over the whole

kingdom including Oke-Igbo.

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Ondo Kingdom Landmarks

1510 Ondo town founded.

1516 Pupupu, the first Osemawe of Ondo (a lady), was installed.

1528 Oba AIRO the first male Osemawe and the first Son of Oba Pupupu was installed.

1590 Township development scheme began with the creation of two quarters, namely: Olurowo

and Aruwa, by Oba Okuta.

1731 Oba Aganmide established Losare and Sokoti quarters.

1768 Jogunde was banished to Akure. He returned to Ondo in 1770.

1770 Oba Terere introduced the 'Eku' festival.

1866 Oke-Igbo founded by Ago (a slave of Oba Aritekolasi).

1870 A civil disturbance broke out. Oba Aritekolasi (A.D. 1861) was very oppressive and not liked

by the Ondo. He died without repenting or resolving the unpleasant situation he created. The

atmosphere of Ondo was still saturated with trouble and chaos when Oba Osungbedelola

ascended the throne (A.D. 1870). Unfortunately, the trouble which had loomed for so long

broke into the open, and as a result the grave disorder and strife that followed, the Ondo fled

the town and sought shelter and peace in places like Igbado, Erinla, Ajue, Oke-Opa, etc.

1875 The beginning of Christian missionary work in Ondo by Rev. (later Bishop) Phillips; and

Ondo entered history in its finest hour. (March 25)

1880 The civil disorder which broke out in 1870 ended completely. Ago, with his rebel followers,

had constituted himself an implacable enemy of Ondo. No sooner Oba Afaidunjoye ascended

the throne (A.D. 1876), than a vigorous campaign was mounted by Ondo army and they

succeeded in capturing Ago at Oke-Igbo. A string of 200 cowries was tied round his neck by

his captors who finally got rid of him by casting him into the Oni river where he died in 1881.

1881 The people of Ondo, who had deserted the town following the outbreak of the hostility of

1880, returned home on the intervention of Capt. Glover and Mr. Abayomi from Lagos.

1906 Bishop Phillips died (December 26)

1908 Eleyinsakele (a highly notorious gangster) was killed.

1909 High Chief Sasere Ayotilerewa Awosika died (April 9)

1915 Rev. Fathers Matthew Wouters and Freburger (Catholic Missionaries) arrived in Ondo to start

missionary work. (February 25)

1919 The Ondo Boys' High School was founded by the Rev. Canon Moses Craig Akinpelu

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Adeyemi. (January 13)

The Ondo Boys High School was, easily the first Community Grammar School "from Sierra

Leone down to Nigeria here". It started as C. M. S. Grammar School in Stephens' Vicarage,

Ondo, on January 13, 1919. Twenty-six students were enrolled that day. The Late Mr.(later

Bishop) D. O. Awosika and the Late Mr. S. R. Fadase - both of them sons of the soil, were

the first tutors. Mrs. V. O. Akinrele (nee Akinkugbe) and Mrs. T. Osho (nee Ojojo) joined the

staff in 1921 and taught in the kindergarten classes attached to the school.

Work progressed satisfactorily and later, the school was renamed Ondo Boys Public High

School, and the Osemawe of Ondo appointed as its Proprietor. The Late Chief Sara Oladapo,

a famous moslem leader, gave up his house at Alo Street to be used as classrooms. The late

High Chief Sasere Ayodeji handled over his house to accommodate the Founder and (first)

Principal, Rev. M. C. Adeyemi.

The School first moved out of the Vicarage to an old Bookshop building at Oke Otunba,

where it spent only a term; and later settled at Alo Street until 1923, when it arrived at its

present site, a 90-acre piece of land given by Oba Jisomosun II, the Osemawe, and Proprietor.

The Osemawe also awarded the first scholarship of £20 (then N40) a year for three years,

1919-1922.

Rev. Adeyemi gave his strength to the work of the School. The curriculum included Greek,

Latin, Shorthand, Logic, etc. He introduced Scouting in 1920; established the OBHS Press in

1928 and suggested the formation of the Aionian Brotherhood of Secondary Schools in 1929.

The school has passed through a long and unbroken period of successes. In September 1968,

it became coeducational and comprehensive.

Top civil servants, professionals and business men, University Dons, Diplomats, first class

educationists, among them, Canon J. A. Iluyomade - Head of the International School,

University of Ibadan - and Church Leaders are a few eminent Nigerians the School has

produced.

March 4: The first conference of the District Church Council of the C. M. S. held.

1921 Motor vehicle reached Ondo town for the first time (in the reign of Oba Jisomosun II).

Henceforth, the simple commodities of life - the wares of Birmingham and Manchester -

hitherto unknown to us were brought to our door-steps and became our new treasures in space

of time. Special tribute is to the memory of Mr. Jacob Adeniyi Fawehinmi, popularly known

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as 'OWIWA' in his days \, for it was he who drove in the first automobile from Lagos.

1923 Chief Sasere Bombata installed (December 12)

1925 March 29: Fifty years (Golden Jubilee) of C. M. S. works in Ondo celebrated. June 6:

Oba Jisomosun II exiled to Ile-Ife.

1926 November 28: Women, for the first time, demonstrated openly against an old-age tradition

which confined them indoors on the 'imuko' festival day. Muko festival was brought to Ondo

from Ife by Adegbonmilo a Son of Oni of Ife who later became Oloja of Udoko.

December 13: Rev. E. M. Lijadu died.

For a long time, Rev. Lijadu will be remembered for his historic service. Immediately after

the first Session of the Anglican Synod, held in Abeokuta in May, 1908, Rev. Lijadu went on

to England specially to pass the Revised Version of the Yoruba Bible for the Press.

1927 August 11: Telegraphic service introduced for the first time.

November 7: White merchants (the Portuguese) opened trading stores/shops in Ondo.

1928 The first printing press was established.

Originally, the press was established to train the students of Ondo Boys High School in the

printing trade. Time wore on, however, and there was reason to change the name to

'IGBEHIN ADUN PRINTING WORKS" and full control and management had to be transfer

to Mr. Ola Awosika, himself, an old boy of the OBHS, who had extensive training in printing

in Lagos.

U. A. C. was established at Ondo on November 7.

1931 A Middle School at Odosida was formally opened by Capt. Montomorrency (April 21).

Oloja Udoko was baptised.

1936 Chief Sara Kadiri Oladapo died (December 30)

1942 The Rev. Canon M. C. Adeyemi died (December 3). A permanent halt was called a most

brilliant and useful life of a first-class citizen.

1943 The Rev. Thomas Hughes was consecrated Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese (May 9).

1948 Telephone service opened(May 26).

1952 February 25, The Rt. Rev. S. O. Odutola became first Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Ondo-

Benin.

1953 The Ondo Town Hall was opened on 24th February.

1954 The Ondo General Hospital was opened.

St. Louis Girls Secondary School was established.

1955 St. Joseph's College was established.

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St. Monica's Anglican Girls Grammar School was established.

1959 The Ondo Anglican Boys Grammar School was established.

1961 Public Electricity and Water supplies were both commissioned.

1964 Adeyemi College of Education was established.

1974 January 7, The Osemawe, Oba Rufus Adesokeji Aderele, Tewogboye II, died. (January 1974

- December 1975: Second period of interregnum in the history of Ondo. First interregnum:

1896 - when no suitable prince could be selected immediately to succeed Oba Jilo Ajiboro

who died in that year).

1975 May 12: High Chief Lisa Fawehinmi (Emmanuel Adesuyi) died.

1976 February 3, creation of Ondo state with Akure as Administrative Headquarters, was

announced by the Federal Government.

April 3, The staff and instrument of office was presented to the new Osemawe, Oba

Adekolurejo, at a colourful ceremony at the sports stadium by the then State Governor, Wing

Commander I. D . Ikpeme.

1980 The Most Rev. T. O. Olufosoye (an Ondo indigene) became the first African to be

consecrated Arch-Bishop of Nigeria and Metropolitan.

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List of the 44 past and present Obas of Ondo Kingdom

Descent, Inheritance and Succession

Ondo kinship ideology today is highly bilateral with an emphasis on patrilineality. Unlike other

Yoruba kingdoms, however, the Ondo possess a strong tendency toward matrifocality. This is

expressed in the kinship term, Omiye mi, which simply means “my maternal kin,” but which is a

household word and constitutes a fundamental tenet of the ideology of the ancient Ondo society. A

female progenitor was quite common for many lineages among the Ondo.

What then is the importance of this for Ondo myths and rituals? The palace coup d’etat in which the

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woman Oba was replaced by a male line in the Ondo myth of origin must have had an impact on the

way Ondo populace view their descent system and perhaps also on other aspects of the social

structure. Airo, the name of the male king that succeeded Pupupu, the female king, means, “a

substitute.” The Lobun, who is considered a king in her own right, emphasized this fact by saying:

“afi paro ni” (We make him replace someone). Thus the Ondo myth of origin may indicate that at

some point in the distant past Ondo women played a powerful political role, the remnants of which

are still preserved in the Lobun institution, one of the most revered titles in Ondo today. It is a

daughter of the Lobun or a woman within the lineage that succeeds her. That an institution of such

crucial ritual importance to the state has survived (for without the Lobun, no king can be enthroned)

suggests the importance of women in the past and may represent a sort of compensation for women’s

lost power.

Even today the Ondo live with the paradox of suppressed female political power. Lobun is still

referred to as “Oba Obinrin” (the woman’s king). This paradox is further demonstrated in the all-

night “Opepee festival’, “a ritual of reversal” when the society’s suppressed urges are brought into the

open. Such rituals always end up by reinforcing the stability of the status quo. The young men and

women take to the street and sing “Oba wa N (referring to the personal name of the incumbent king)

Se duo ku di Lobunje” (Our king N, die and let us elect a Lobun).

Edili (Lineage) Uli (Family) Pattern

The most significant social unit among the Ondo is the lineage group, or edili. This is a corporate

descent group consisting of members who trace their origin to a common male founder (Baba Nla)

through a line of male descendants. Reference to the primacy of lineage abounds in the vocabulary of

Ondo people, especially in the naming system. For example, Ediliola, literally, “a wealthy lineage,”

she is an example of the ideal to which many Ondo families aspire. The lineage can be broken down

into family units or uli. An uli is a compound family unit consisting of a father, his wives, children,

and immediate relations. Membership in the family is by birth and a child born into an uli

automatically becomes a member of the larger lineage, thereby obtaining access to its rights and

privileges. The oldest living member of the lineage (Baba Agba) in principle becomes the lineage

head (Olori Edili). He is the sole guardian of the lineage, the one who holds intact the tie of kinship

(Okun ebi). The genealogical bond (ajobi) existing between members of the lineage represents the

central link of trust within the lineage and quite often people will swear or pray in the name of their

ajobi in order to give validity to a statement or a point. The decline in the traditional lineage structure

today and the emergence of new social ties outside the lineage structure is vividly portrayed by the

Yoruba proverb, Ko si alajobi mo, alajogbe lo ku (“there is no longer a kinship bond, what is left is

co-residence bond”). This is in reference to the new pattern of relationships and neolocal residency

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that is common in most Yoruba urban areas today.

Residence

Residence is patrilocal in traditional Ondo society. A male child born into an uli remains there until

death. A female sibling, however, upon marriage, leaves the residence and joins the uli of her

husband. Children born of the marriage are born to her husband’s lineage or edili. However, residence

in Ondo society today is patterned differently. Each male child upon marriage aims at establishing his

own household and will move out of the family residence once his house is completed. However, it is

noteworthy that the first born male children remain permanently in the family house even when they

have built their own personal houses somewhere else in the town.

There are three reasons for this type of residence pattern:

(1) The notions of residence and home have a mythical character so that the idea is to keep

the spirit of the lineage alive by maintaining continuity with the departed ancestor.

(2) All ceremonies and activities pertaining to any member of the lineage, such as the rites of

passage (marriages, naming ceremonies, etc.) are by convention performed in the ancestral

home. Such houses have a niche (Ojubo) usually marked with three cowries and stuck into

the floor, as observed in Sora’s (the priest of Oramfe) house in Ondo.

(3) The Yoruba generally cannot conceive of a home without a male head member. A house

without a male head is thought of as virtually empty, as suggested in the saying Baale Ile ku

lie di ahoro (“the death of the head of a home turns it into an empty one”). Therefore, the first

born male child is referred to as Opo mule ro (the pillar of the house), and it is more

appropriate for him to stay in the home permanently.

Marriage Arrangement

The Ondo marriage pattern is exogamous. A man may not marry within his edili (lineage) but can

marry within the town. There is(was) a general distaste for marriages contracted outside the town,

though there was never a rule against it. Polygyny was the custom in former days and there was no

limit to the number of wives a man could take. Generally, a marriage is contracted once the

traditional puberty rites (Obitun for girls, Apon for boys) are completed. (However, Obitun is the

equivalent of Christian baptism and that there was no need for it today, since Christianity has taken

root.) Apart from this standard type of marriage, another form of marriage quite common among

traditional Ondo is the levirate, vestiges of which are still to be found. The two kinds of levirate

practices are anticipatory levirate and posthumous junior levirate. The practices are described as

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follows:

When a man dies the children of the deceased, if of tender years, remain with their respective mothers

under the guardianship of the deceased’s next younger brother. If, however, the deceased is a man of

position with many wives (such as a traditional chief), his brothers and sons, if grown up, will have

already in all probability paired with one or other of the wives of the deceased while he was still

alive. (The Ondo-Yoruba terms used to express this relationship translate literally as ‘playing with’.)

In this case each relative will take one wife together with her children. The remaining wives and

children will come under the guardianship of the younger brother of the deceased, who will marry

them or not, as the case may be. On the other hand, if any of the wives wish to marry again outside

the family they are at liberty to do so. Their new husband will pay a dowry to the younger brother of

the deceased. The children of wives that do so will remain with the family of the deceased.

The junior brother of a deceased man by rule becomes the surrogate father and provider for the

children and widow of his deceased brother. The marriage system is not primarily for the purpose of

having a relationship, but rather a means of ensuring the support of the deceased’s offspring. That is

part of the reason why older women with grown up children are excluded from it. It has been asked

how the levirate institution could be sustained in a society where age seniority plays an important part

in social relations. To put it in a different way, when a levirate wife is older than the surrogate

husband, is that not a conflict in itself, especially when it is assumed that the wife had to obey her

husband? This problem is easily resolved in the pattern of the Ondo kinship terminology. When a

woman gets married she refers to her brothers-in-law (i.e., husband’s male siblings) as ‘my

husbands’, Oko mi, or my senior brother, egin mi. Whenever levirate occurs, she assumes such

positions in the real sense without much friction. Concubinage (ale) is not an unusual practice among

the Ondo, but concubines are not included among legitimately acquired wives, since the husband

neither pays a dowry nor performs the formal wedding ceremony, both of which are considered

essential in Ondo.

The organization of the day-to-day activities in the Ondo home is quite simple. The wives prepare the

husband’s food in rotation, usually on a weekly basis. The sleeping pattern is on the same weekly

basis. The husband sleeps in rotation with the wives. The senior wife takes a prime place in the home.

She is highly respected by her co-wives, who refer to her as lyale (mother at home). As the husband

marries more wives she practically withdraws from household duties, including the periodic sleeping

with and food preparation for the husband, until she becomes a kind of ‘wife emerita’.

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Inheritance

The property of a deceased man is inherited by both his siblings and his children. Upon the death of

an individual, the next of kin (usually the maternal cousin) becomes the overseer of his properties.

Three people are appointed by the edili. The executor gathers together all the movable goods of the

deceased and takes an inventory of all his immovable property. A sizeable portion of the goods is

distributed among the deceased’s junior siblings. Elder brothers and the widow(s) of the deceased are

forbidden to inherit his property. The rest is divided into the number of wives he had, each wife and

her children representing a stock (idi). The senior wife’s children have the rights to a higher

proportion of the property. Certain private immovable properties such as farmlands and the

deceased’s domicile are never distributed but corporately owned by all the children. These are kept

under the care of the first born male child. If the deceased happens to be the head of his lineage,

properties held in trust for the edili are automatically taken over by his successor, usually the next

oldest man in the lineage. While the above is generally applied to all of the Ondo-Yoruba,. there may

be minor variations from one town to another. When a woman dies, her properties are divided among

her children and relations.

Kinship Terminology

The Ondo make a distinction between two sets of consanguinal relations:

(1) Omiba, the paternal relations and

(2) Omiye, the maternal relations, though the former word is rarely used. In spite of the fact

that Ondo is ideologically patrilineal today, maternal kin occupy an equally important

position in the life of the Ondo individual as do paternal kin.

A child calls his or her father and any adult male around his father’s age and above, bai (my father).

This is purely a sign of respect and an indication of the place age plays in the social system. An Ondo

boy refers to his grandfather as Bamagba (my older father). A similar greeting pattern of kee o is

expressed towards both. His senior siblings are designated egin. This title is, however, often joined to

the name of the referent; for example egin Omololu, would mean, my senior brother Omololu. Egin

could equally apply to cousins and other unrelated senior males. It appears that egin is in use mainly

in Ondo township. It is interesting that in far distant places like Ibadan and Lagos, Ondo people are

generally jokingly referred to as egin, distinguishing them from other Yoruba groups.

An individual refers to his or her mother as yei (my mother), and as is the case of a boy’s father, yei

could equally be used to designate any female adult of the ego‘s mother’s age group or older. As a

result of the polygynous nature of Ondo marriage system, a separate terminology is reserved for the

senior wife as a sign of respect. The senior wife is referred to as yei or mama, and one of the wives is

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referred to even by her own children as anti, the English kin term for aunt. However, it is in daily

greetings that the degree of affinity between two individuals is better shown. When an Ondo child

meets and greets an elderly relation (either a paternal or maternal relation), the individual greeted

responds with the child’s or his family’s praise names, or he may simply say wo lani o (may today be

good for you), assuming the individual who has greeted the elderly person is only slightly known by

the latter. He may improvise very detailed response. Ondo chiefs are greeted in the praise names

associated with their position. The individual stands in front of the chief, stretches forth his fists three

times while simultaneously calling the chief’s title praise names.

Socialisation and Culturisation

Socialisation and Culturisation in Ekimogun land takes place within four age groups with families

serving as the principal agents of socialisation and culturisation. These age groups are: 0-4, 5--9, 1O--

16, 17+.

The first age group marks the age of total dependence of any child in Ekimogun land. This period

encompasses the time the child is given a name, usually when the child is 8 days old. In actual sense,

the names given, just like other areas in Yoruba land, usually reflects the circumstances surrounding

the birth of the child or events, and incidences preceding the child’s birth. Here deep within the child

subconscious culturation takes place, but to the old ones witnessing it, culturation takes pIace

consciously and they are the one to make the transmission i.e. socilisation.

Furthermore, during this age group, the mother pacifies, breast-feeds and clothes the child. It is also

within this group that circumcision and the traditional tribal marks take place.

At about seven months, the child is allowed to crawl, seat, erect and allowed to touch everything

except harmful objects. Between 12—18 months, the Ekimogun child is trained to use toilet most

especially to draw the attention of the mother if he or she wants to answer the call of nature. Before

the end of the third year, the child is trained to walk by holding his or her hands and it is also this

period that weaning takes place. At the end of the fourth year, many culturisation consciously or

unconsciously take place but expression still lags.

The second age-group i.e. 5—8 typifies the semi-independent stage. Some inquisitive ones ask

questions concerning the rationale behind some traditional things performed such as the tribal marks.

It is the duty of the parents to tell him or her. Here an element of socialisation and culturisation has

taken place.

And this stage, constant supervision is minimised. The child is allowed to fetch water on his or own.

He or she is taught many domestic activities such as how to cook, feed, wash clothes, sweep and so

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on. The value of mutual dependence norms, of reciprocity are also taught.

Furthermore, emphasis is also placed on obedience to elders, etiquette. The child is taught on how to

retaliate and defend him or herself. However, contrary to the general belief, aggressiveness,

unnecessary stubbornness on and strong headedness is discouraged but not when an Ekimogun child

is being cheated. He or she is made to believe that cheating in all ramifications should be vehemently

opposed. This, the child learns, and transmits to the coming children and the process continues like

that.

Further socialisation and aculturisation that take place among Ekimogun children within this second

age group include among other things, the teaching of some forbidden things in the town. For

example, it is this stage that it becomes known that eating Big rat is forbidden. It is also at this stage,

the children are taught the importance of exogamy. The rationale behind tribal marks and other

important socio-traditional dispensation in the town are learned for onward transmission to their

unborn children.

9—16 stage marks a period of higher independence. The child is taught the essence of comradeship.

Daily instruction on how to cook, sweep etc. are given most especially to the girls.

The stage of 17+ is considered in Ondo to be the major step to adulthood where a child is

intellectually and emotionally mature and could get married anytime. Proper orientation is given to

the ladies on how to behave at their husband’s house. The males are taught the proper things to do to

their in-laws. He also acquires the skill of fatherhood, how to work on the farm most especially

during the primitive stage. However, in recent times, dynamism has crawled into the culture of Ondo.

For example, instead of having the total means of their existence based on farming, education has

greatly assumed a wider dimension in their lives. Therefore, many culturisation at this stage take

place at school. In actual sense, it is also at this stage an Ekirnogun child learns new traits, norms and

beliefs outside his or her home e.g. school, church, streets and so on.

Though, culture in its universal sense is dynamic this dynamism of culture has not affected the

Ekimoguns in the sense of losing any of their cultural traits. No matter the level of an Ekimogun’s

education, status, influence in the society, he does not forget his root most especially his dialect,.

various traditional festivals and the current “ASUN” culture.

Perhaps, the point mentioned above is responsible for cultural relativity which the Ekimoguns have

attached to their tribal marks despite the condemnation which tribal marks in Yorubaland are being

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attracted.

To the Ekimoguns, all their cultural traits are meaningful and they have stuck to them but this does

not mean conservatism. May be this is all the more reason why absolute unity prevails in Ondo town.

To the newly born Ekimogun, I say welcome to the culture of your father land. Please, prepare your

lesson note for culturisation and get ready for its ultimate socialisation.

Religion: majority of Ondo Descents are Christians with a sizeable number of Muslims and Idol

worshipers.

Festival: Ondo has some festivals that attract people from far and near. Some of these are the Ogun

festival, Odun Oba,

Culture & Tradition: Ondo as an ancient enclave with cultural affinity with the Yoruba race is an

embodiment of culture and tradition. The us of several traditional dresses such as Aso-Oke, Smiyan,

Etu, Alaari among others is still in vogue. Similarly the celebration of traditional festivals numbering

fifty three of which are Odun-Oba and Ogun Festivals play prominence has taken the town to lime

light, Oramfe and the hugely popular Ekimogun Day celebration organized annually by the Ondo

Development Committee (ODC).

Politics: Although in the past, it appears the people of Ondo devotes little time to politics, the advent

of democracy and the need for active participation has made the people change their perceptions. In

demonstration of this change of attitude, almost all the political parties registered by INEC have been

embraced by the people. Similarly several indigenes of the town now hold political post at local state

and federal level. Consequently, political participations in Ondo Town have served several functions

which include balance of leverage, management peaceful co-existence of all.

Food and Local Delicacies: Ondo people are unique when it comes to food. Despite the prominence

which some food items like rice, macaroni, meat pie among other is gaining in the contemporary

society, Ondo people still give recognition to Local food delicacies like pounded yam, eba, puupuu ( a

starchy food item obtained from cassava) and these could be obtained in some Food Joints in the town

which also prepared local soup like okro, ‘gbanunu’, vegetable to mention a few.

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Ondo Kingdom history is voluminous and cannot be contain in this few pages it’s a whole book of

history of mystery so adventurous, interesting, and a discovery for those who cares to know or explore

the history of the Ode Ondo.

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history of ondo kingdom

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