The people of EkanMejeKingdom, in OkeEro Local
Government of Kwara State recently consolidated their history when leaders of
the community led by the paramount ruler, Oba Michael Adeyemi visited Ile-Ife,
Osun State to pay homage to the Ooni, Oba EnitanOgunwusi.
EkanMeje located at the border between Kwara, Ekiti and
Osun State was founded some centuries ago when their ancestors left Ile-Ife,
regarded as the cradle of the Yoruba race and civilization.
An elated Oba Adeyemi explained to journalists at the
palace that the visit was a great home coming for his people who have been looking
forward to a great day like this. He thanked the Oonifor the warm reception and
the community leaders for the logistics of the trip.
The Ooni, who took the visitors to the ancestral site
of their forefathers before the migration, thanked the delegation for the
historic visit and promised to visit Ekan very soon. He also took the visiting Oba
round his palace and some important sites around the palace.
Tradition has it that theElekan and his uncle,Oore of
Otun emerged from the OkunMoba (Moba Sea) in the present coastal area of Lagos
with a Calabash containing water in his hand, beads around his neck and a
beaded crown on his head.
Some of the places they passed through after Ile-Ife
included Akure, OkeOlodun, and Ipole before moving to the present site over 400
years ago.
It is also
recorded by tradition that the migration of Oore, Elekan and their people from one location to the
other as stated above were not due to conquest at war or threat to internal
security of his people. In fact, Otun and Ekan were never conquered by any
community or subjugated under any kingdom of old.
Otun and Ekan were neither under the old Oyo Empire nor
under Benin Kingdom. It was never under the control of Ibadan warrior who
dominated most of the areas in the present South West of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the people of Ekan-Meje have renewed their appealed to the state
governor, DrAbdulfatah Ahmed to elevate the Elekan of Eka-Meje to a first Class
Oba.
The National President of Ekan Development Association,
Professor AdebayoOmotoshowho made the
appeal on behalf of the community
maintained that the Elekan has
been most senior Oba in the history of the present Oke-Ero Local Government.
According to Ilorin Province
Gazetter,OtunEkiti undertook some critical actions separatingtheir activities
from Ilorin division from the early 1900 to 1936.
A partition scheme was later introduced which granted
Ekan-meje, Ilofa local autonomy under the direct administration of the Emir of
Ilorin. These change left Otun with eleven villages under its governance.
Ekan and four other villages were thereafter subjected under the Elekan of Ekan while OloboIlofa was
independent in charge of his territory
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Politics