THE IDOKO PEOPLE OF ONDO KINGDOM
ABSTRACT
This research work investigates the
history of Idoko people in Ondo kingdom. It has revealed that Ifore, Oka and
the Idoko peoples’ are the early migrant to settle in Ondo kingdom. This study
discovered that Idoko people are Ondo indigene.
They also have a strong traditional believe which helped them to
overthrow Benin power over the Ondos.
The socio-political and cultural environment of Idoko people played a
greater role in the development and up liftment of Ondo kingdom.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
No
Title page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of
contents
CHAPTER ONE
Background of
the Study
Objective of the
Study
Statement of the
Problem
Significance of
the Study
Scope of the
Study
Methodology
Justification of
the Study
Limitation of
the Study
Organization of Chapters
CHAPTER TWO
Introduction
The Idoko People
The Idoko
Migration to Ondo Kingdom
CHAPTER THREE
The Political
Life of Idoko People
The Victory of
Idoko People Over Benin Overlord
CHAPTER FOUR
The
Socio-Economic Structure
The Market
Structure of Idoko People
Idoko Cultural
Influence on Ondo Kingdom
CHAPTER
FIVE
Summary
Conclusion
Recommendations
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
of the Study
The
towns and communities that made up the Ondo Kingdom was located among the
thickly forest plains that characterize southwestern Nigeria, About 300 kilometers
to the North – east of Lagos, Nigeria’s economic nerve and 45 kilometers west
of Akure, the Ondo State Capital.1
The
kingdom is easily reached by road from all parts of the country. The people are
one of the largest Yoruba sub-groups, situated in the eastern part of the
Yoruba speaking area of Nigeria. The weather elements that characterize the
region are those typifying the rain forest region of sub – sahara Africa.2
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 exist 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 the present day of Edo State.
There
seems to be some level of convergence on the other two accounts which trace the
origin of the Ondo people to Ife and Oyo respectively while an outright of any
historical account, as attributed to the Benin Kingdom Version, may be unlikely
the symmetry of the more widely held version of the origin of the people are
here in 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.3
The people of Idoko who were among the
early settlers of Ondo worshiped spirits and they hated twin whom they always
put to death. At one time Oduduwa sent twins children, one male and the other
female and their mothers away from the headquarters to the remote part of his
kingdom so that they might not be killed and they finally settled at Idoko.
The
history of the Idoko people shall be treated in details of their origin and
characteristics, the part they played in the cultural influence amongest the
Ondo and their socio-economic structure. Also it should be noted that the facts
abouts the history of the Idoko people are based mainly on oral tradition.
Objective
of the Study
The
objective of this research is to find out who are the Idoko people in Ondo
kingdom. It also examine the impact of Idoko people on the socio-cultural and
economic lives on the people of Ondo kingdom, the Idoko traditional polity
shall also be discussed.
Statement
of the Problem
The
argument about the exact origin of the Idoko people and whether they are truly
an Ondo Indigene or not. There was also the controversy amongst the local
historian such as Adeakin Olumatire, Johnson Fasekomi and the host of other
that people of Idoko had in those days Vassal or pay tax to either osemawe.
These form part of problems that thus research work should be tackled.
Significance
of the Study
This
research work on the Idoko people of Ondo kingdom is fashioned to eradicate
some historical fallacies that were often told by some local historians of the
Idoko people and Ondo kingdom. It would also help to disclose the relationship
between the Idoko and Ondo people. In the face of different account of
historical antecedent of the Idoko people, this research work has been equipped
with suitable historical ingredient and relevant information that is
sufficiently used as materials on the history of Idoko people.
This
project work also serves as an historical measure in general by enlighten
people within and outside Ondo State to learn about Idoko people and thus make
provision for infrastructural and human resources management.
Scope
of the Study
It would be much demanding to undertake a complete study of
Idoko people of Ondo kingdom. Most of the towns and settlement that form this
kingdom are scattered all over Ondo kingdom will be the major focus of the
study.
The
researcher will also touch some neighboring town in other to get accurate
information, in other way round, this research topic will not be able to cover
the entire Ondo kingdom due to financial and logistic problems on the part of
the researcher.
Finally,
it will also help us to compare socio-economic of each selected town in Ondo
State.
Methodology
To
search for source materials, I made use of Libraries and Internet source to
provide useful information on the subject matters such that the topic of the
research was not compromised.
In
the same vein, I travelled down to Idoko people in Ondo kingdom to make
interview with different people that are concern, while news agencies were also
consulted for the purpose of this research work.
Justification
of the Study
This
work is being justified based on the following assumptions:
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. Lamurudu held the title of
Olofin Adimula before he left mecca. This perhaps explains why most Yoruba Obas
are still referred to bear that title till today. 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 in Ondo kingdom.4
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
igbo-ijamo unsafe and therefore continued their journey east ward, until they
finally got to a place called EPE, not far from the present Ondo town.5
Limitation
of the Study
The
researcher encountered a few problems in the course of researching. Few of the
people are illiterate, due to this they are not willing to be interviewed by
the researcher, out of seven chief, the researcher met four of them and three
were unavoidably absent. Due to the pressure of time and financial constraint.
Organization
of Chapters
Chapter
one introduces the subject matter of the research work. It includes the
background of the study, objective of the study, scope of the study, statement
of the problem, significance of the study, methodology, justification of the
study and limitation of the study.
Chapter
two focuses on the literature review by giving historical explanation on the
migrants in Ondo, The Idoko migration to Ondo Kingdom.
Chapter
three examines the political life of Idoko people and the victory of Idoko people
over Benin overlord.
Chapter
four focuses on the socio-economic structure of Idoko people and their cultural
influence on Ondo Kingdom.
Chapter
five summarizes the study, also focus on conclusion and make some
recommendations.
END
NOTE
1. Iloeje (1965) A New Geography of
Nigeria, Longman. P. 159
2. Bada S.O (1940) Iwe Itan Ondo, Ondo,
Igbehin Adun Press P.79
3. Chief Adewole Adesina (Igbeba of Ondo
Kingdom) Age 54, No 24 Odosida Ondo. 26/03/2016.
4. Rev. Johnson (1921) History of the
Yoruba CSS Book Lagos.
5. Chief Damilola Oladimeji (Otunba) Age
72 Surveyor No Mosunmola Street Ondo 25/03/2016.
