HISTORY
history of IFAKI-EKITI

Then & Now with the Future in Perspective

Historically and contemporarily, Ifaki-Ekiti as a community and the indigenes are unique people. The uniqueness of Ifaki is exemplified in the composition of the four quarters with different ancestral links with some neighbouring Ekiti towns and communities, the traditional native administrative system, cultures, traditions, outstanding accomplishments of some of the exemplary indigenes who stood out in their respective callings and recorded firsts in Ekiti-State as well as the traditional festivals that give Ifaki her identity as a distinct community in the Yoruba nation.


The source of the majority of the historical facts quoted in this article is the book titled, “Ifaki- Ekiti: A Typical Yoruba Community, the documented historical research work of Chief D.O. Adetunmbi (1919- 1990). Ifaki community is essentially a conglomerate of diverse immigrants who mutually agreed to live together. Through consensus therefore, the people were mutually drawn together to become a solid entity, one compact and indivisible community. If this is literally translated into Yoruba it would mean Fafa-ki-po, which later transformed to the name Ifaki. No doubt, Ifaki had her humble beginnings like any other Yoruba community that had grown to become a big town or city today.

The Origin &

Background of Ifaki People

The documented history put it that the first group of Ifaki indigenes to arrive in the settlement, perhaps over 300 years ago is the Oniwere and his family. They came from Iwere a farm in Ado area and were from the royal family. In the olden days, Ewi had a ceremony to be performed in Iwere when he was to be newly installed and he stayed where Iwere is today.


The second group of early settlers is the Olokun Pepejisun and family. He came with his people from Igbara. They first settled at Oriekiti before moving to the present place to join the Iwere people and others that came thereafter.


The third set of people that followed is the Alao group that settled at Ilogbe quarter. The Oniwore family came from Itaji. The Atiba people came from Arigidi, ebi Ogarigi. The Ilero people came from Esure. The Ejemu group came from Ijumu and Ado. The Orieguru people are more likely to have come from Ijumu too.

The Ifaki Royal Family

The Olojaifaki/Olufaki family came from Ijero-Ekiti. In fact, there is an area called or a street named Ifaki in Ijero. The royal link with Ijero was recently rekindled with the exchanged visits to the palaces of Ajero and Olufaki in 2023 and 2024. Ifaki history put it that while Olojaifaki (Olufaki) was coming, the Olokun Pepejisun met him at the Eyeleyigbo stream. The Olokun then inquired from him where he and his people were going? The guest apparently told him where he was coming from and the host implored the royal family to stay and live with them in Ifaki community.


To further underscore the sincerity of Olokun, he offered him leadership position perhaps to appease him because of the chieftaincy dispute, which might have been one of the reasons responsible for the emigration from IjeroEkiti.

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    Up till the incumbent king as at the date of this publication, eleven monarchs have ruled over Ifaki-Ekiti. They are namely His Royal Highness (HRH) Olojaifaki Waraeyinyin 1; HRH Olojaifaki Ogbe-gbon-gbon-ran Tele Ogba; HRH Olojaifaki Akofaki Ojo; HRH Olojaifaki Ojo Aladegbami II, installed in 1910; HRH Olojaifaki Ageriye Akanle I, installed in 1914; HRH Olojaifaki Falore, Ajigbade II, installed in 1923; HRH Olojaifaki Agbelusi Akanle II, installed in 1935; HRH Olojaifaki Solomon Aina, Aladegbami III, January 6th 1939 to 1966; His Royal Majesty (HRM) Olufaki Josiah Adeoye Ojo, Akanle III, 3/2/71 to 22/12/78; HRM Olufaki Gabriel Agbaje, Aladegbami IV, 5/7/80 to 1/12/20 and HRM Olufaki Adegbenro John Falore, Ajigbade III, he was installed on 25/12/2021/

The Olokun Family

Ifaki oral and published history revealed that there was a kind ofmisunderstanding in Igbara and the Olokun clan came to settle in Ifaki. Some of them went to Osi-Ekiti near Ido. The Olokun family brought with them to Ifaki the Ogun festival. Theebora and orisa Ogiyan evolved in Ifaki. The chieftaincy titles from Igbara are Olokun, Elemo, Elejoka and Ajalugbo. The Olokun family still keeps to their longstanding traditions. There are documented eight Olokun that have been installed till date. The Olokuns who have reigned are High Chief (HC) Pepejisun; HC Dada Odu Okunlade, he reigned for 80 years; HC Osadogba, he spent 50 years on the throne, HC Okiki, HC Ijokanola, he reigned for 13 years; HC Momodu Dada; HC Amos Ajayi and HCT unji Olaiya, installed on the 26th of August, 2015. Chief Olokun is ranked second to Olufaki in the town. He is in the head of Enumo. In the Obalufon shrine, Olokun comes after the Elero.

The Composition of Ifaki Community

Four Traditional Administrative Quarters

The early settlers constituted the people who are made up of the present four main quarters in Ifaki namely; Ilero, Iwore, Ilogbe and Egun. Each quarter has its traditional head – Oluwore, Elero, Olulogbe and Elegun. Customarily, the affairs of each quarter is administered by accredited and installed head of each section of the community.

  • Iwore Quarter:

    Iwore quarter is composed of several compounds. Iwore community is generally accepted as the largest quarter in Ifaki. It is composed of two parts under two prominent chiefs, the Oluwore and Esiba. The Oluwore is the senior chief who rules over the quarter. The prominent family compounds into which Iwore is divided are: Iwere, Oluwo, Oluwore, Ogidigbiri, Esiba and Akususun. The Iwere and Esiba formed the Esiba clan while the Oluwo, Oluwore, Ogidigbiri and Akususun constitute the Oluwore clan. The Oluwore family is made-up of many compounds. The Oluwo compound was the first of the compounds. The Oluwore family which is the head of the first half of the whole Iwore quarter came from Itaji and met the Oluwo family in Iwore. They first stayed in Ilado in Onikoto's compound. Their ancestor was the first herbalist of the town. Nine Oluwore have reigned till date. The documented high chiefs are Oluwore Atakun- moju- orun, Oluwore Atile- kaki- rora- jeta, Oluwore Ajigbide Otako-gba-ona-latan, Oluwore Owaoloko Ajaka, Oluwore Onaoro Kotila, Oluwore Familoye, Oluwore Ayiti, Oluwore Ogundana and Oluwore Samuel Ojo Familoye.

  • Ilogbe Quarter:

    The Ejelu clan came from Ijelu and had also settled in Ilogbe with the Alao. The Olojaifaki was settled in the middle of the settlers on Ejelu land. The Olojua house of Ilao came from Ido-Ekiti. Seven heads of quarter have reigned till date.

  • Ilero Quarter:

    The Elero clan had an ancestral l ink with Esure- Ekiti, the village next to Ifaki. The Olokun family resides in Ilero quarter and brought with them to Ifaki the Ogun festival. The ebora and orisa Ogiyan evolved in Ifaki. The chieftaincy titles traceable to Igbara are Olokun, Elemo, Elejoka and Ajalugbo. The Olokun family still keeps to most of their longstanding traditions till date. Thirteen Eleros have reigned till date. The documented High Chiefsare: Elero Ofikanrikasaso, Elero Abuleokowo, Elero Alakanwaye, Elero Amudiowugbejegi, Elero Ojo Asekunsagba, Elero Awopegba, Elero Akerele, Elero Ajimoko, Elero Alfred Ojo, Elero David Ogunlade (Died in February 1972), Elero Jeremiah Akerele (Died in 1987), Elero Gabriel Ajala (died in 2019) and Elero Abayomi Sunday Adeyemi who was installed on 17/9/20.

  • Egun Quarter:

    Elegun family came from Orin-Ekiti after leaving a place called IjebuOde. They came to Ifaki on adventure and was the first to arrive to settle in Egun. Another set of Egun people were from Osin-Ekiti. They first stayed at Alasinmosin forest. The Odo Egun people in Ajile house came from Ado and the chieftaincy title of Edemo came with them. There was Saade Chieftaincy title in their family but it was changed to Edemo. The homesteads of the early Egun settlers include Oke Igbo Olofin, Alasinmosin, Oburu Kurejereje The documented seven Eleguns who have reigned in Ifaki are: An Elegun from Elegun Odo ruling house, Elegun Opanpalada, Elegun Fagboyo, Elegun Ademilua, Elegun Aburewa, Elegun Adewumi Ale and Elegun Moses Ojo Olofinjana who passed on in September 2024.

Ifaki Traditional Council & The Community Governing Structure

There are three executive councils in the town. These are the Enumos, Ikegbes and the Isares. The Enumos are the supreme Amoru Chiefs in which Olufaki is a member and the Olokun is the head of the conclave. Each quarter has its enumo chiefs. A new entrant into enumo must pass through the senior enumos in his quarter before he is introduced and inducted to the entire Ifaki enumos. Usually, Iwore and Ilero have joint responsibilities for their enumos as well as Egun and Ilogbe.

  • Enumo

    When a chief is of the caliber of the enumo group, he is expected to make a feast as an entry and induction requirement together with the payment of stipulated money before he can be initiated into the cult. Palm wine and kolanuts are to be provided too. During the initiation ceremony, the person would go to Oke Ifaki i.e. Oba's Palace. He would be required to stand or kneel by the orun of the Enumos and embarks on the swearing ceremony into the cult. Kolanuts are split and eaten together as a sign of one bond, one faith and sincerity to one another. The Enumo among the Ifaki traditional heads and chiefs include the following: Ilero - Olokun, Elero, Ejemu, Elemo and Aro of Ilero; Iwore - Oluwore, Esiba, Oniwere, Orunto, Aoroeku and Asa; Egun - Olufaki, Odofin and Edemo, Elegun and Elebi; Ilogbe -Ejelu, Ajaofin, Alao, Elejisu, Elemiko, Apele, Olooro and Amuju.

Traditional Festivals & Conventional Ceremonies In Ifaki

Each quarter of the Ifaki community has its peculiar traditional festivals or orisas. Okorobo remains the most popular traditional festival in Ifaki. In 2024, Ekiti State government formally associated with the festival through the state's tourism agency.


The different indigenous events in each quarter are stated thus: Iwore Quarter celebrates Okorobo, Ogun Osuwaju (Isaju), Ayiroro; Ogun Abagi, Aregun; Ogidigbiri: Olomujo/Osokoroso – Egigun; Orisa Onifon; Orisa Imila – aro inu ojo soro; Orisala; Orisa Ere; Alaodi; Osanyin and Orisa Igede. The typical hierarchy of the chiefs in the ugbomole/shrine is in the following order: The Oluwore, Aoroeku, Esiba, Oniwere and Orunto.


Ilero Quarter celebrates oro Olofin; Obalufon; Orisa Ikete; Orisa Ojuna Oke Ilado; Orisa Gbonna Orieguru; Olumose – Egigun; Ogun Olokun; Osun Ilero. Ile Elemofin: Arinlawe; Ile Oshodi: Orisala; Ile Elero: Osanyin, Jalejoyebu and orisa Aadodo, Ile Ejemu. Ilogbe Quarter celebrates among others Ikosun; Orisanisan; Ayiyan Oro Elejisu; Orisa Inike; esi Agbaludi andOrisa Oloke Ile Elejisu Egun Quarter celebrates Okorobo, Agbamolaba, Oro Olofin and Eleruku Among others. Alaodi Iwore.

Christianity and Islamic Religion in Ifaki

Introduction of Christian religion to Ifaki community was attributed to Mr. Daniel Ojo Ibitoye, an ex-soldier, who lived in Ilesha. According to Jacob Ale, Mr. Ojo was abducted at Oriekiti on his way to the farm and sold to Dahomey land. He eventually found his way back to Ifaki as a pensioner having served as a soldier and clerk. 


He was an Ilero man who lived in Esiba's compound. He got some Iwore sons that included Solomon (Omira) Agbeluyi, Gabriel Esan Sapokeso one-time Babaisale of St Michael's Anglican Church, Ifaki and Pa Adedeji to join him. Othe early converts were Gabriel Oni of Iwore, Ajimoko Obeja, Ojo from Ajaofin's house in Ilogbe, Asoiroko Ojo of Ilogbe, Ezekiel Ale Orimogunje, Abiraoko Jacob, Abraham Ojo of Atiba, Adanaoja, Emmanuel Ajimoko, Joseph Oni Olokere, Ibon-ko-bejalomi, Adedeji Atekolobo-soran-Ija, Esuso Itepe Ile Ejemu, Onijingin Ojo son of Sajuku Egun, and Daniel Ojo who was the first Baba- Egbe of St . Michael' s Anglican Church, I faki. 


The incumbent elders of the community when Christianity came to Ifaki include the Olojaifaki Aladegbami, Oluwore Kotila, Olokun Akute, Adaluge, Ejelu Alao the father of Alayode, Onigemo Erin, Eburu the father of Onipede. The Methodist Church in Ifaki is what Anglican Communion is to Ado-Ekiti. In 1906 some men from Ifaki, and these were later known as the trio of David Adelusi, Ojo Abudu and Moses Ajiboro, had gone to Ijebu (Ago Iwoye) to work as labourers (alagbaro) on the farms there. They heard the gospel and were converted to Christianity. A small boy by the name of Moses Dada taught them to read the Bible .On their return home, the three of them took bibles, hymn books and a church bell.


According to the records of I faki Muslims, the man who brought Islamic religion to Ifaki in the early 20th century was Alfa Muhamadu Ige from Ona-oja area of Ifaki-Ekiti. He travelled to Minna and came back to start Islam. The man was also the first Imam of the Islamic sect in Ifaki community. The first mosque was under igi odan where the central mosque is built today. 


Chief Imam Ige died on 5th of May 1925. His first son, Alfa Bello Ige who later became the Ladan was 13 years old when his father died.

Introduction of Christian religion to Ifaki community was attributed to Mr. Daniel Ojo Ibitoye, an ex-soldier, who lived in Ilesha. According to Jacob Ale, Mr. Ojo was abducted at Oriekiti on his way to the farm and sold to Dahomey land. He eventually found his way back to Ifaki as a pensioner having served as a soldier and clerk. 


He was an Ilero man who lived in Esiba's compound. He got some Iwore sons that included Solomon (Omira) Agbeluyi, Gabriel Esan Sapokeso one-time Babaisale of St Michael's Anglican Church, Ifaki and Pa Adedeji to join him. Othe early converts were Gabriel Oni of Iwore, Ajimoko Obeja, Ojo from Ajaofin's house in Ilogbe, Asoiroko Ojo of Ilogbe, Ezekiel Ale Orimogunje, Abiraoko Jacob, Abraham Ojo of Atiba, Adanaoja, Emmanuel Ajimoko, Joseph Oni Olokere, Ibon-ko-bejalomi, Adedeji Atekolobo-soran-Ija, Esuso Itepe Ile Ejemu, Onijingin Ojo son of Sajuku Egun, and Daniel Ojo who was the first Baba- Egbe of St . Michael' s Anglican Church, I faki. 


The incumbent elders of the community when Christianity came to Ifaki include the Olojaifaki Aladegbami, Oluwore Kotila, Olokun Akute, Adaluge, Ejelu Alao the father of Alayode, Onigemo Erin, Eburu the father of Onipede. The Methodist Church in Ifaki is what Anglican Communion is to Ado-Ekiti. In 1906 some men from Ifaki, and these were later known as the trio of David Adelusi, Ojo Abudu and Moses Ajiboro, had gone to Ijebu (Ago Iwoye) to work as labourers (alagbaro) on the farms there. They heard the gospel and were converted to Christianity. A small boy by the name of Moses Dada taught them to read the Bible .On their return home, the three of them took bibles, hymn books and a church bell.

According to the records of I faki Muslims, the man who brought Islamic religion to Ifaki in the early 20th century was Alfa Muhamadu Ige from Ona-oja area of Ifaki-Ekiti. He travelled to Minna and came back to start Islam. The man was also the first Imam of the Islamic sect in Ifaki community. The first mosque was under igi odan where the central mosque is built today. 


Chief Imam Ige died on 5th of May 1925. His first son, Alfa Bello Ige who later became the Ladan was 13 years old when his father died.

What The Future Holds for Ifaki Community

This historical essay is about putting into perspective where we were coming from and where we are now. Apparently, it is the culture and traditions that are in tune with the continuously changing sociology of the people that will endure. However, this article abridgedly brought into perspective how our forefathers did it and managed their affairs. Not that their method or approach was perfect, yet there was an order. They were orderly, every chief knew his/her rank; likewise, every indigene and respective age groups understood their responsibilities to the community.


If there is need to accommodate changes, let it be a matter of a collective resolve for the progress of Ifaki community and not for any sect to force its way or views on the rest of the larger community. Essentially it is expected that discerning indigenes will learn from the experiences of the past for their benefit now and in future. My humble charge to Ifaki elites is to be more proactive, positively on the matters concerning the progress of the community. They should imbibe the principle of Ifakipanupo initiative whereby we look out for one another and empower ourselves for the benefit of the majority.


The philosophy of Ifakipanupo is ure mi, ure re; ure re, ure mi; ure Ifaki, ure kete ra; ure kete ra, ure Ifaki. (Every good thing or success associated with one is to the glory of everyone).

Having consideration for others is a virtue worthy of being inculcated. The political class must not put personal interest over the community interest. Ifaki is growing beyond a small enclave of primordial interests. The implication of this is to be dynamic in our political thinking. A positive visionary community leadership that will rank permanent Ifaki interest over any ephemeral political party politics. The political strategy of Ifaki and guiding principle as an entity should be how the community will have their wards with considerable influence in every government of the day at the state and federal levels.


The charge to the politicians is to go about their partisanship without hurting one another fatally. Let everyone deploy legitimate means to attract development and progress to Ifaki town irrespective of their creeds and political leanings. Ifaki eggheads should come together and develop a masterplan for the town. What conscious efforts are we making to get the youths to be gainfully employed? How about repackaging the famous Okorobo festival such that it can develop into a state carnival that it will attract tourists all over the world? Ifaki should have a think-tank that will be looking into the affairs of the community on a continuous note. The community must play its politics with tact and must not fall into the trap of self-serving elites and politicians pursuing narrow agenda.

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