The name of the founder of Idofian was Igbonna Odofin, and the name Idofian emanated from an event that occurs to Odofin as settlement where Odofin got popular.
This happened when Alaafin was describing where Igbonna Odofin settled down. He first founded a town called Idi-Iroko, and for so long the town was not as populous as expected.
Consequently, he went back to Oyo–Ile to consult the oracle led by Ifa Priest called Ayomaya. There, he was told that if he wished to have a populous town, he would have to locate two rivers at where he be looking at one at the uptown and the second at the downtown then, he should establish his town in between the two rivers.
He founded his town in between the two rivers as instructed. The first river by name is Okinge and the second one is Kasan. Igbonna was an hunter that uses Akatanpo gun but the Ayomaya also told him to look for an hunter that uses black gun which by virtue of spirituality was more powerful than that of Igbonna Odofin’s gun.
During hunting he met Seode-bioro, a hunter and asked him if he could come and join him at his newly established town but he replied that his father would not accept. Igbonna asked about his father and he said his father was at Esiee, where he (Seode-bioro) used to come from, so; Igbonna followed him to his father. Fortunately, on getting there, the father blessed them and asked them to proceed on their journey but he also told them that they should not forget looking back home and so, Seode-bioro followed Igbonna to Idofian.
When Igbonna and Seode-bioro collectively founded a town called Idofian, Igbonna Odofin wife was at Oyo-Ile. However, on one fateful day, Seode-bioro went on hunting and when he came back home, he didn’t meet Igbonna at home; they have called him to come to Oyo because his wife was sick.
Consequently, Seode-bioro went further to check him at Oyo-Ile and on getting there, he met Igbonna’s wife on sick bed. Igbonna told him that he didn’t meet him at home due to his wife’s sickness. Therefore, Seode-bioro went back to where they both built huts and cleared everywhere, putting everything in normal order. When the wife later died and buried, Igbonna informed his friend and they both continued staying there.
Meanwhile, on getting there to see everywhere well arranged and organized, Igbonna told him that he is worthy to be called Atunluto (Re-arranger of a town).
Igbonna was the originator of the three spiritual pots (Odu) which were used to found the town called Idofian. The first Odu out of the three was situated for the population of the town; the second was to prevent external aggression (War) while the third was to prevent disease especially chicken pox (Igbonna) Orisanla ponsa. Igbonna brought it from Oyo- Ile.
The wife Igbonna later married after the demise of his first wife was by name Oyinlola, daughter of Alafin oyo.
However, when he said he was returning to his town, Oyinlola asked her father to give her something before going, her father said if he was to give her money, clothes, and other materials all will finish but he would give her what will last forever.
Alafin, her father, then ordered that Sango idol should be brought out bath him and bring out one powerful stone called Edun-Ara (Sango stone) from the Sango and should be given to his daughter, that she should take it to where they established to stay with her husband and put it in front of their house and whenever they see something scaring they should shout Sango rescue me (Sango gba mi) and the calamity would be calmed.
Following the establishment of their market, they uprooted the Odus and Sango and put them in the middle of the market but ever since then, it became a mantra of disaster for the people of Idofian that (Sango Oja gbaami ooo). This was how Sango entered Idofian.
The third persons after Igbonna were Makoya and Abashola, they both arrived on the same day. Makoya was a hunter and tribal mark writer while Abashola was a farmer, whenMakoya went for hunting and shot an elephant at the upper edge of the river, the elephant suffered the pains till it fell on the ground in front of Makoya’s house.
Consequently, he said where the elephant fell was where he would have many properties and settle down there.
The fourth person was Amuludun who was a drummer and entertainer; he came from Oyo-Ile. The fifth person was Odunola Isare who came from Erin-Ile, he was a Baba-Alawo (priest) who used to consult Opele. The sixth person was Lajolu, the owner of Sango magba, and also the owner of Orisa Oko. Parts of Lajolu’s people were the founders of Jaiyeoba’s compound and Ayikaka’s compound. The Seventh person was Opelade, the founder of Ogboye’s compound who came from Oyo-Ile. The eighth person to join them was Panlada.
All the kings under Alafin were crowned kings and it was Alafin himself that gave kingship to Igbonna Odofin who he endowed with the opportunity of choosing who to become king among his children. However, it was Alafin himself that named the king Olupo.
The first Igbonna son to be crowned as Olupo was Jolo from Mafoluku compound followed by Olupo Seje, Olupo Semu, Olupo Alelu, Olupo Tejumola, Olupo Erinbinla, Olupo Idowu, Olupo Akinniko, Olupo Adekola, Olupo Obinrin, and the last Olupo from Mafoluku compound was Olupo Obaigba, the 11thOlupo in Idofian before Olupo installation was stopped.
However, for the throne not to be left vacant, they chose one of Obaigba son by name Oyetunji Oyekuleyin. There was no family or compound that competes with Mafoluku on the throne.
Oyekuleyin was the 12th head in Idofian who reigned as Bale but after him there was no male child to take over the throne.
Therefore, they called Iranloye to come and fill the vacant stool; she is a female and a daughter of Obaigba and sister to Oyekuleyin. Iranloye married at Sanmora and one of her son that was born at Sanmora was Oyedokun. But when her husband died at Sanmora, she returned to Idofian, her father’s town. Her father built a house for her and she became an elder in the town. The house is what we call Oloyi today.
However, when her son Oyedokun was lonely at Sanmora, he also returned to join his mother at Idofian, when he was young at and there were no more grown male child to become the head from Mafoluku compound, they called Iranloye to come and take over her father’s throne till her young ones grow up but she replied that a woman do not become a king and they said she should give it to her son to keep it for her brothers and return it back when they are old enough.
Unfortunately, when Iranloye and her son died, their family refused to return the throne back, therefore the leaders in the town and family heads said it was because of circumstance that made the throne to come to their family but they refused to return it back.
Consequently, one of the messengers of Mafoluku compound called Keji said that if the female side refused to return the power back to the owner, then, he would also become the head of Idofian. Because he suffered a lot under Iranloye’s father and the leaders in Idofian (Olori balebale) were against his wish and Keji was said to be a very powerful person, he forcefully installed himself as the head of the town.
The people then said that they do not want war in the town, wondering howa stool that belongs to a single family now became that of three families. Therefore, they decided that the three families should be rotating it among themselves. The said keji was living at where Mafoluku built for him but he packed to Agbalaya’s compound after he forcefully installed himself. That was how Agbalaya also claimed to be a royal family. After the demise of Keji, Mafoluku still came out based on rotational agreement that they are the next to be the town head, some part supported Mafoluku while some followed Agbalaya, but at the end, Laojo from Mafoluku compound was picked by the kingmakers.
Consequently, within a period of fifteen days, the matter turned to crises between the two parties. And the supporters of Agbalaya installed Omikunle in Agbalaya’s compound. After that, another crisis began again as the people said they should give the power to the person chosen by the Oracle which lead to the evacuation of Omikunle from the town, ever since then, the town has become so peaceful.
After then, Laojo re-established the market and situated the three pots (Odu) and Sango in the market, till today every sacrificial item belongs to the Mafoluku compound. It was after Laojo that they picked among Oyedokun’s sons to become the king from Oloyi compound and the person’s name was Oyesoro. Oloyi family hails from Sanmora but it was their mother, Iranloye that is the original daughter of Idofian from Mafoluku compound. After Oyesoro I, we then have another town head from Agbalaya family.
The son of Keji by name Atoyebi. Keji, Omikunle and Atoyebi making three town heads from Agbalaya, it was Mafoluku turn before Oba Agboola Oyesoro II in 1965 through election won over the candidate nominee by name Amosa Folayan from Mafoluku compound.
THE THEN KING MAKERS OF IDOFIAN AND THEIR COMPOUNDS
1. Elemosho Ile Agidigbasu
2. Oniluofeotu Ile Ojuoja,
3. Esipo Ile Esipo
4. Odofin Ile Panlada
5. Bale Agbe Ile Jide
6. Balogun Ile Gberuko
7.Èniju Ile Kegbeyale
These are the following Olupos that rule and reigned in Idofian all from Mafoluku compound
1. OLUPO JOLOLOLA was the first Oba in Idofian
2. Olupo Seje 6. Olupo Erinbinla
3. Olupo Semu 7. Olupo Idowu
4. Olupo Alaelu 8. Olupo Akinniko
5. Olupo Tejumolà 9. Olupo Adekola
10. Olupo Obinrin 11. Olupo Obaigbà
All the Olupos that ruled and reigned from Mafoluku compound in Idofian reigned between 1400 A.D to 1700 A.D. After all the Olupos before we change to Bale. The following are the combined chiefs (Town heads), their time and compounds.
Oyetunji Oyekuleyin was the 1st town head of Idofian from Mafoluku. He ruled and reigned in Idofian from 1775 to 1830 a period of fifty five (55) years.
Oyedokun Oloyi was the 2nd head of Idofian from Oloyi compound. He ruled and reigned from 1830 to 1865 a period of thirty five (35) years.
Moronkeji Agbalaya was the 3rd head of Idofian from Agbalaya compound. He ruled and reigned from 1865 to 1893 a period of twenty eight (28) years.
Laojo Mafoluku was the 4th head of Idofian from Mafoluku compound. He ruled and reigned from 1894 to 1906 a period of twelve (12) years.
Oyesoro Oloyi was the 5th head of Idofian from Oloyi compound. He ruled and reigned from 1907 to 1948 a period of forty one (41) years.
Atoyebi Agbalaya was the 6th head of Idofian from Agbalaya compound. He ruled and reigned from 1948 to 1964 a period of sixteen (16) years.
Oba Subairu Agboola Oyesoro II reigned as the 7th head of Idofian from Oloyi compound in the year 1965 before he was upgraded to the 5th class king in Igbomina during the Ministry Governor of Kwara State Lt. Colonel D.L. Bamigboye (retired) on the 1st of August 1970, Oba Agboola Oyesoro II died on the grading of 2nd class king in Ifelodun and Igbomina land. Oyesoro ruled and reigned from 1965 to 2021 a period of fifty six (56) years.
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