The Origin Of Isanlu-Isin

ORIGIN OF ISANLU-ISIN

There are three versions of the traditions of origin of Isanlu-Isin. These two versions portrays the restive nature of man but underlining these restiveness is a desire to better the condition under which one live. Thus, in migrating from one place to another man hoped to attain a condition or environment better than previous. Engendering these migration, is the known fact that no matter where one want in pre-colonial Africa, great hospitality and accommodation was given to strangers. This makes one feel more at home away from home. In the main, the for migration as usual flimsy, but the migratuion was made in a desire to be independent.These fact can be seen clearly from the versions that led to founding of Isanlu-Isin.

The first version accredits the founding of Isanlu-Isin to a certion hunter named Laberindo. He was said to have from either Oyo or Ife. The reason for leaving his former abode is not clear. What is clear however is that he was instructed by Ifa to settle where he could find ‘Osan Ilu tree’ at this place also, he was to see a deer run away from him. In wherever these two conditions are fulfilled, there Ifa instructed him to reside. These were fulfilled at the present site of Isanlu-isin, hence, he founded the town there.

The second version says that Isanlu-Isin was founded by one Aina Orimadegun, from the Agbedegbede ruling house of Ile-Ife (one of Ife ruling house till date). He was said to have left Ife because he was refused to celebrate the Egungun festival. This he claimed Ifa had instructed him to do. For refusing his celebration of the egungun festival, Aina migrated from Ife. A source, however, added that Aina was already an Oba at Owa near Ife before his migration.

Other version say that Aina migrated from ife at the time of Universal dispersal of Princes to found their kingdoms, who were given emblems of royalty such as Crowns, Swords, Staff to mention but few. He left in a group of other obas, these were, the Ajero of Ijero, Alara of Ara, Elekole of Ikole, Orangun of Ila, Olupo of Ajasse-Ipo, Alaran of Arandun.

Specifically, On leaving Ife, Aina first settled with his relative the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, from there he migrated eastward and settled at Ade. While the Alaran led by Esikin Olomu, Who tradition possessed the magical club called Ogbo settled southeast of Olusin’s settlement in what is known as Omu-Aran until 1931 when Alaran departed Omu-Aran because of some misunderstanding to found Aradun. After a shortwhile, Olusin left Ade to Ajagbo. Once again left Ajagbo and migrated northward to Igbole. At Igbole, successive Olusin was said to have gone to Oyo for Investiture as an Oba with the title of Olusin (i.e the Olu of Isin). From Igbole, Olusin migrated upnorth to found a new settlement at Owa, he however moved northwards to a new settlement known as Oke-Agbon, which is a few Kilometers from the present site of Isanlu-Isin. He later moved finaly to the present site of Isanlu-Isin to head the conglomerate of villages who voluntarily chosen to come under Olusin’s hegemony.

A source which is widely accepted today states that Ologba was actually the first to arrive.For arriving first, the Olusin accorded the Ologba the position of the highest chief, next only to the Olusin. Soon However, the Ologba receive a message from Isehin his home town that his father was dead and that he has been chosen for investiture as the Oba of Iseyin. Prior to this time however, the Ologba had put to the family way, a daughter of the then Olusin, who was thought to be barren. This woman had children for the Ologba.

Thus Ologba set off to Iseyin with his wife and children. On his arrival, he was told that contrary to tradition, an Oba of Iseyin could not marry from outside the town. What was more, an Oba cannot have a first son born to him by such a woman. For this, he was not crowned as Oba.

With great anger, he left Iseyin. His brother Asanlu and his sister, left Iseyin in simpaty with hin to Isanlu. The trios are known oral tradaition, as ‘omo iya meta’ meaning 3 of the same mother.

On arrival, Olusin refused Ologba and his entourage a stay and encourage him to move northwards. This the Olusin did for two reasons; 1. His appearance terrified Olusin because he appear as a warrior and having experienced series of challenges on his way to Isanlu from Ile-ife by Nupe, Ibadan and Fulani warriors that Ologba may turn against him one day and  depose him. And 2, the aggression Ologba brought from Iseyin may be transfer to him if he allowed Ologba to stayed with him again. Ologba being a man of peaceful character departed from Olusin and settled at the present location of Isanlu-Isin. Further facts reveal that Laberindo case surfaced several years after Ologba have settled in present day Isanlu.

When Olusin eventually joined Ologba at the present Isanlu site, Ologba seeded to him the number one position and agreed to be Olusin’s subject. Asanlu’s intent was to return home (Iseyin) after this. But Ologba persuaded him to remain with him. Not desirous of leading his elder brother, Ologba relinquished his number two position to Asanlu, while he became number 3. Thus to this day, Ologba is regarded as the owner of Isanlu.

Asanlu on the other hand being the eldest of them all agreed that the title of Asanlu should be on rotational basis between his descendants on one side and the descendants of their sister who later married to Oke-Epa. The title of Ologba is being rotated between the 3 decendant of Ajayi (the first Ologba) i.e Akerepete, Ayokemoye and Owinni till this day.  

ISANLU-ISIN (The Isin Giant)

Welcome to DISINGIANT  blogpost.

 The giant of all the communities in Isin land is Isanlu. Isanlu  is  situated in Isin LGA of Kwara Nigeria.Iits geographical coordinates are 8 14’ 0” North, 5 5’ 0” East and the original name (with diacritics) is Isanlu-Isin in Nigeria (generally refered to as ISANLUYEYE). The langusge spoken in this community is fervent Igbomina.

Isanlu-Isin is a major town among the towns that make up the Isin a sub group of the Yorubas Known as the Igbomina.  Igbominas are Yoruba people who speak a peculiar dialect of the Yoruba language. Underlining their culture also in that general Yoruba trait, that would make one look at the little variation that there is as inconsequential.

THE IGBOMINA

The Igbominas migrated majorly from Oyo and Ile-Ife in series (a group is also said to have migrated from Ketu in today’s Republic of Benin). The Igbominas which falls into the northwestern part of Yorubaland covers an area of about 9,000 to 15,000 sq. miles. This area before the advent of the Fulani, Stretches from Awton through Ilorin to Share in present kwara State.

The Ife group were the first to migrate into Igbomina. This was around the 16^th or 17^th Century. They settled in area “In an area probable bounded by the present day town of Offa, Ilorin, Share, Oke-Ode, Omu-Aran and Illa-Orogun in Osun State ”. However, it should be noted that they came in different groups and at different times.

The second group, the Oyo-Igbomina arrived into the same area already occupied by the by the Ife-Igbomina. Perhaps, due to the fact that the new arrivals were from a state with strong military tradition, they forced the Ife group to move from the area. This is especially noticeable around Ilorin and Offa. The Ife group in those area then migrated eastward, where the Tapas (Nupes) resisted their advancement. They thus, retreated southwards to areas bounded by “…..the towns of Omupo, Ajasse, Agbonda, Illa, Omu-Aran, Isanlu-Isin, Oro, Igbaja to mention but a couple”. However, isolated groups of Ife-Igbomina can still be found in areas of yaru and Share Yoruba. Oro-Ago is said to have migrated from Ketu into the region about this same time.

Importantly, it worth mentioning here also that initially, it was the LAND that they dwell and not the people that was called Igbomina. Orangun of Illa, a son of Okanbi the only son of Odududuwa, inherited the land from his grandfather. This was after he had founded the land, together with Esinkin Olomu. Esinkin Olomu, possessed an Ogbo (a cult object in the form of a club) which knows the way to the bank of the Niger, hence his appellation ‘Ologbo’ connotes ‘one who possessed Ogbo’ and the whole surroundings were made up of forest and bush which Yorubas called ‘Igbo’. When at crossroads, Esinkin Olomu will be contacted for direction who will consult the ‘Ogbo who knows the road’ (Ogbo lo mo ona or Ogbo mona). The word ‘Igbo’ and ‘Ogbo’ were used interchangeably and Igbomina was derived, used and accepted for the description of the land which Orangun had inherited. The Orangun of Illa therefore is the original inheritor from Ile-Ife of the land on which all the Igbominas latter settled. And the people that later settled in the land which Oragun inherited are today called the Igbominas.

Today the land belongs to the various Igbomina towns that settled in it. Under what circumstances the Orangun lost the land, cannot with the evidence at hand be known.

The origin Of Isin

THE ORIGIN OF ISIN

The Isin people are a stock of the Igbomina. Although the Yoruba language is spoken in Isin, their dialect concurs with major Igbominas. They also migrated from Ife and Oyo. However, there are some Isin Towns whose founders migrated from outside these two states. An example here is Owu. Even at the most of the towns in Isin are settled also by later migrants from other towns.

At the earliest time of Isin settlement, there were about 36 villages, but due to a series of external attack from the Nupes, Fulani and Ibadan, most of these villages have either been decimated or have fused with stronger and well fourtified ones. Today, notable towns in Isin are Isanlu, Ijara, Owu, Iwo, Oke-Aba, Oke-Onigbin, Alla, EDidi, Odo-Eku, Oba, Iji, Pamo, Oponda, Igbesi, Eleyin, Kudu-Owode, to mention but few. Collectively, these towns are today located in Isin Local Government area of kwara State. To the north of Isin are Igbajaland,Oraland and Ireland; to the west are Ajase-Ipo and Oro; to the east are Oro-Ago and Olla and Osi in Ekiti LG; while to the south are Apaland, Arandun and Omu-Aran.

Investigations unto how the area came to be called “Isin” have been carried out because for many villages with diverse origin as Isin nvillages to bear the all binding name “Isin”, tells a lot of the importance of the name. Variously, different sources have different versions of its derivation. Firstly,it is held that, the name was coined from “Igi Isin” (an akeapple tree). They said, it was so nbecause Isin people usually met under the akeapple tree to hold a general meeting of all villages.

Furthermore, another source still using the akeapple tree as the source of the name, states that Olupo of Ajase-Ipo and Aina the founder of Isanlu-Isin were cured of certain decease by a deviner, who used the bark of the akeapple tree to treat them. It was out of gratitude that Aina named Isin after the magic tree. A third version says that when Aina got to Ade after a tedious journey, he rested under the akeapple tree (Igi Isin), for the relieve which the tree gave him, he named the area “Isin”.

Moreover, there is a version that says Isin meant ‘escort’. It holds, that it was named so because the founders of all Isin villages came together. Others states that the area was called Isin after Esinkin Onigbonigbo a great warrior of Isanlu. He conguered many villages for Isanlu.In gratitude for this, the Olusin named the whole area Isin after him.Yet another source says that Isin was coined out from the cult, Agbasin. It is held that the area of influence of the god. Agbasin, was named Isin, because the god’s original name was Agba-Isin.

A last source says that it was because Aina found rest in the area, which occasioned his naming the area as ‘Isin’. To clarify this, the source said that Aina the founder of isanlu, had troubles right from his original home in Ile-Ife. It is said that he left Ife to find peace, but met several attack on the way by the Nupes, Ibadan, Oyo and the Fulanis.  When finally he got to Odo-Owa (pronounced re do-do do), he found that he had escaped all attacks  for finally he named Odo-Owa and all his acquired land around, Ile-Isimi (the land of rest). Subsequently, others who also were escaping Nupe’s onslaught came to join him at Ile-Isimi, which was later corrupted to Isin.

Among these versions, the one which seam probable is that which states that Isin was coined from the word “Ile-Isinmi” (land of rest) because Aina did experience unrest before he finally got to Igbole at Odo-Owa.

ISANLU-ISIN (The Isin Giant)

THE ISIN GIANT

Welcome to DISINGIANT  blogpost.

 The giant of all the communities in Isin land is Isanlu. Isanlu  is  situated in Isin LGA of Kwara Nigeria.Iits geographical coordinates are 8 14’ 0” North, 5 5’ 0” East and the original name (with diacritics) is Isanlu-Isin in Nigeria (generally refered to as ISANLUYEYE). The langusge spoken in this community is fervent Igbomina.

Isanlu-Isin is a major town among the towns that make up the Isin a sub group of the Yorubas Known as the Igbomina.  Igbominas are Yoruba people who speak a peculiar dialect of the Yoruba language. Underlining their culture also in that general Yoruba trait, that would make one look at the little variation that there is as inconsequential.

THE IGBOMINA

The Igbominas migrated majorly from Oyo and Ile-Ife in series (a group is also said to have migrated from Ketu in today’s Republic of Benin). The Igbominas which falls into the northwestern part of Yorubaland covers an area of about 9,000 to 15,000 sq. miles. This area before the advent of the Fulani, Stretches from Awton through Ilorin to Share in present kwara State.

The Ife group were the first to migrate into Igbomina. This was around the 16^th or 17^th Century. They settled in area “In an area probable bounded by the present day town of Offa, Ilorin, Share, Oke-Ode, Omu-Aran and Illa-Orogun in Osun State ”. However, it should be noted that they came in different groups and at different times.

The second group, the Oyo-Igbomina arrived into the same area already occupied by the by the Ife-Igbomina. Perhaps, due to the fact that the new arrivals were from a state with strong military tradition, they forced the Ife group to move from the area. This is especially noticeable around Ilorin and Offa. The Ife group in those area then migrated eastward, where the Tapas (Nupes) resisted their advancement. They thus, retreated southwards to areas bounded by “…..the towns of Omupo, Ajasse, Agbonda, Illa, Omu-Aran, Isanlu-Isin, Oro, Igbaja to mention but a couple”. However, isolated groups of Ife-Igbomina can still be found in areas of yaru and Share Yoruba. Oro-Ago is said to have migrated from Ketu into the region about this same time.

Importantly, it worth mentioning here also that initially, it was the LAND that they dwell and not the people that was called Igbomina. Orangun of Illa, a son of Okanbi the only son of Odududuwa, inherited the land from his grandfather. This was after he had founded the land, together with Esinkin Olomu. Esinkin Olomu, possessed an Ogbo (a cult object in the form of a club) which knows the way to the bank of the Niger, hence his appellation ‘Ologbo’ connotes ‘one who possessed Ogbo’ and the whole surroundings were made up of forest and bush which Yorubas called ‘Igbo’. When at crossroads, Esinkin Olomu will be contacted for direction who will consult the ‘Ogbo who knows the road’ (Ogbo lo mo ona or Ogbo mona). The word ‘Igbo’ and ‘Ogbo’ were used interchangeably and Igbomina was derived, used and accepted for the description of the land which Orangun had inherited. The Orangun of Illa therefore is the original inheritor from Ile-Ife of the land on which all the Igbominas latter settled. And the people that later settled in the land which Oragun inherited are today called the Igbominas.

Today the land belongs to the various Igbomina towns that settled in it. Under what circumstances the Orangun lost the land, cannot with the evidence at hand be known.