29/03/2022
THE HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF IJEBU JESA.
Ijebu Jesa which hitherto before now was known and called Ijebu Egboro is the ancient historic town in the east of Osun State, Nigeria occupies a strategic position in Ijesaland. In Ijesa division, it is the next most important town politically and in terms of history. Her Oba is the next to the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland.
The town is situated eight kilometers north of Ilesa and about 128 kilometers east of Ibadan. It lies approximately on latitude 7.45 degrees north within the rain forest belt and so offers opportunity for farming on a large scale. The people are the core of Ijesas and are noted for their dogged industry.
Ijebu jesa was founded by Oba Agigiri Egboroganlada (first Onijebu Egboro) – a son of Oodua Olofin Aiye who was also an elder brother of Owa Obokun Ajibogun. Agigiri means “the battle or war waves hot (A de k’ogun gbona girigiri)”. Ajibogun is interpreted as one who meets war (Ade ba ogun). Both Agigiri and Ajibogun were brought up by their grandmother known as Ijasin at Ilode in Ile Ife as twin brothers.
In about early 12th century, Agigiri and Ajibogun together left Ile Ife after procuring the sea water with which Oodua’s partial blindness was cured to found a kingdom of their own like other sons of Olofin. Before leaving Ile Ife, Oodua gave Owa Obokun a sword of conquest (Ida Ajasegun) and a bigger crown as the original procurer of the sea water. Oodua gave Onijebu – Egboro another crown for accompanying Owa to procure the sea water. He also gave Elegboro a calabash of mysterious juju objects in terms of spoken words of blessing or curse (Igba Ase), hence the Oriki – “Onijebu Egboro, Omo awure fase banu.” The two sons of Olofin later journeyed through the vast jungles conquering numerous settlers and subjecting the conquered territories under their control.
In the course of this, they conquered Igbadae, Ilowa, Ilemure and other smaller communities like Ijaregbe, Eesun, Oke ogun or Oke Aganun, Agbegan, Il
