🏛️Ancient Foundations

Òsi-Èkìtì is an ancient kingdom in Yorubaland. It is strategically located on a major route between the south and the north in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State. It shares boundaries with a number of other Ekiti towns, notably Ido, Igbole, Iropora, Ilogbo, Ijero, Epe, Esure and Araromi. Osi-Ekiti traces its history to Ile-Ife, the Source of the Yoruba race. The first Olosi, Olukoronfo, left Ile-Ife around 1242 AD during the wave of migration of other sons of Oduduwa. He and his followers first settled at a location near Ife called Osi-Sooko, the reason why the kingdom has the cognomen, Omo ameruko ude b'Oodua sagbe ale, that is, He who shares boundary with Oduduwa with a bronze hoe. Osi has sojourned in three places from its departure from Ife, the ancestral home of the Yoruba. The people migrated through Igbo-Olua (Osi-Isodu) the land presently bounded by Erin ljesha (Osun State), Igbara-Oke (Ondo State), Igbara-Odo, Ogotun and Ipole-lloro in Ekiti State. This area being a marshy and heavily forested land mass, emissaries were sent forward to look for a flat land area resulting in eventual settlement in the present site of Osi-Ekiti. All along, the Olosi carried his crowns, deities and royal paraphernalia with him. The people moved through several locations and later settled at a place around Ogotun-Ekiti before settling at Osi Emimu with Ogunmegbokanle as the leader. The present site is Osi Asise which Ogunmegbokanle moved to from Osi Emimu. There is still an Osi settlement near Ogotun up till today; it is called Isodu and their leader comes to Osi to receive authority. The first Olosi was a direct son of Obalufon, Oduduwa's successor on the throne of Ife. The Olosi is a first-class stool right from time immemorial and remains so both traditionally and officially. He shares the same rank and honour with other first-class monarchs in Ekiti and Yoruba land. All sources of history of the Yoruba confirm the Olosi as a first-class Oba and a member of the House of Oduduwa with his seat permanently at lle-lfe. According to the Government Gazette of 28th February, 1903, the Olosi of Osi- Ekiti was among the 21 Obas who received their crowns from Ife from the beginning of time. The list of the 21 Obas was given by the Ooni of Ife when he visited Lagos in 1903 at the invitation of the Governor, Sir William MacGregor to give his ruling to the Governor and the members of his Central Native Council (a body mainly representative of Lagos and the Colony) on the complaint of the Akarigbo of Ijebu Remo against the wearing of a crown by the Elepe, another ruler in Ijebu Remo. Sitting with his back to the Council, the Ooni stated that only the following Obas were entitled to the crowns with beaded fringes which were conferred by his predecessors at Ife and which usually denote membership of the House of Oduduwa. 1. Alake of Abeokuta 2. Olowu of Owu (Abeokuta) 3. Alaafin of Oyo 4. Oba of Ado (Benin) 5. Osemawe of Ondo 6. Awujale of ljebu Ode 7. Alara of Ara (Ekiti) 8. Ajero of ljero (Ekiti) 9. Orangun of Ila 10. Owa of liesha 11. Alaaye of Efon (Ekiti) 12. Olojudo of Ido (Ekiti) 13. Olosi of Osi (Ekiti) 14. Oore of Otun (Ekiti) 15. Akarigbo of ljebu Remo 16. Alaketu of Ketu 17. Elekole of Ikole (Ekiti) 18. Olowo of Owo 19. Ewi of Ado (Ekiti) 20. Oloko (or Oshile) of Oke (Abeokuta) 21. Alagura (or Agura) of Gbagura (Abeokuta). Reference: (i) Meeting of Central Native Council 24th February 1903. (ii) Government Gazette of 18th February, 1903. (iii) Hugo Marshall's Intelligence Report of Ekiti Division 16th March, 1946. HRM Oba (Barr.) Stephen Babatunde Adegboyega ALABI, Odundun Asodedero, Aminrinjoye, Arubiojo II, the current Olosi of Osi-Ekiti is the 30th to occupy the exalted royal seat. He and the Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti are the only two first-class monarchs in Ido/Osi Local Government Area. The Chairmanship of Ido/Osi Traditional Council is rotated between the two monarchs. He is also a permanent member of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers. Osi was constituted into a District Native Authority on the 22nd November, 1946 along with Ilawe, Igbara-Odo and Ido-Ajinare. Ref. Public Notice No. 17 of 1952 published in Western Region Gazette of No. 18 of 17th April, 1952. It was merged with Ido District Native Authority to form the Ido/Osi District Council on the 15th April, 1955 with the Olosi and Olojudo as President of the Council in annual rotation. Ref. No W. R. L. N. 8 of 1955. MILITARY, POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF OSI EKITI KINGDOM The military, political and administrative structure of Osi-Ekiti Kingdom revolves around the Olosi who is the head of the entire structure. He is the Alase Ekeji Orisa, superseded only by God. Below him are Civil and Military Chieftaincy titles, each possessing Senior and Junior segments. The most senior of the civil chieftaincy titles is IARE MERIN, made up of the four most senior chiefs who are also kingmakers, the High Chief Odofin who is Second-in- Command to the Olosi, the High Chief Eisa, the High Chief Aro and the High Chief Ejemu. Next are the ENUMO, the Council of Elders which is also known as the Olosi-in-Council. The Iare Merin are naturally members of the Enumo. Below the Enumo are the IJOYE Council of Chiefs. This is the junior segment of the civil chiefs made up of chiefs who represent the various segments of the kingdom. The Enumo hold meetings with the Olosi in his palace every nine days. The Eisa attends the meeting not as an Enumo but as the President of the Ijoye Council such that three days later, when the cyclic Ijoye meeting comes up, he is able to relate the major issues in the Enumo meeting to the Ijoyes. In the Enumo Council, the members deliberate on issues affecting the town and take decisions with the King. Such decisions are passed down the line to the whole community. The military Chiefs are grouped into three distinct orders of which the most senior is the Ikan Order. Its most senior Chief is the Olookan, the next Chief in rank is the Eisa-Ikan and the third is the Oloebe. These three Chiefs of the senior segment of the Military Order are called the Ikan Meta and are members of the Executive Council but alternates its meetings with the Elegbe Meta. The Ikan Council usually hold its meetings in a special hall in the palace called Owa-Ikan. It is the Olosi who presides over their meeting with the Olookan as the Vice President. The next order below the Ikan Order is the Elegbe Order. The Senior Chiefs of this Order in their descending order of rank are the Elemikan, the Eruku, and the Ajalugbo. These three chiefs are called the Elegbe Meta. The three of them join with the Iare Merin to form the Body of Kingmakers known as OSI MEJE. The last and most junior segment of the Military Order is the Jogun Order. Chief Eruku, one of the Elegbe Meta, is its President. The last Order is the Esa and Egiri Orders. The former is presided over by Eleesa and the latter by Elegiri. In the past, the combined forces of the two were responsible for manual labour in the town particularly, the building and repair of the palace and the major roads and brooks in the town and in supplying communal labour to the King. The Female sector of the Chieftaincy Order goes as follows for a complete control and involvement of both sexes in the administrate system of the town. There is IARE MERIN for the women which is headed by ESEMUE and consists of OJUMU, EYEGUN and ONIYARA. These are the most senior of the women Civil Chiefs. They head the EGBOGIS and usually convene their cyclic nine-day meetings at the Eyesemue's residence. Other sectors include the ISARE headed by OLOOSARE and the IKOJU headed by OLOOKOJU. The Female Iare Merin usually meets with Olosi-in-Council to discuss important matters in terms of formulation of set rules for the subjects, taking decision on important traditional matters and meting out punitive measures for any citizen that runs foul of the law. Besides, the female Chiefs help to maintain law, order and dignity of womanhood amongst the women. From: HRM OBA (BARR.) SIR STEPHEN BABATUNDE ADEGBOYEGA ALABI, ODUNDUN ASODEDERO, ARUBIOJO II, LLB, BL, LLM, KSM on 20thOctober, 2025.

The town's strategic location in the heart of Ekiti land made it a significant center for trade, agriculture, and cultural exchange. Over the centuries, Osi-Ekiti has been home to notable traditional rulers, scholars, and community leaders who have contributed to the development of not just the local community, but the entire Ekiti region.