Alara () is the royal title of the king of

Ilara-Mokin Ilara-Mokin () is an Ekiti town located in a central part of Ifedore local government of Ondo State. Ilara-Mokin is about 12 km from Ondo state capital, and has Ipogun, Ipinsa, Ikota, Ibule-Soro and Ero as neighbouring towns. History ...

land in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. The Alara may be addressed as Oba, like rulers in other Yoruba kingdoms, or as

His Royal Majesty Imperial and Royal Majesty (abbreviation, abbreviated as HI&RM) was the style (manner of address), style used by King-Emperors and their consorts as heads of imperial dynasties that were simultaneously Royal family, royal. The style was notably us ...

. Alara is also known to be unquestionable (), with an authority that is said to be next to the gods ().

History

The first Alárá of Ilara-Mokin was Ọbalúfọ̀n Modulua Olutipin, who was also known as Obalufon Alayemore (some sources identify the Ọbàlùfọ̀n here as

Obalufon Ogbogbodirin Obalufon Ogbogbodirin was the 4th Ooni of Ife, a paramount traditional ruler of Ile Ife, the ancestral home of the Yorubas The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The are ...

. According to oral history, Ọbàlùfọ̀n fled from Ilé-Ìfẹ̀ called Ará (meaning family or relative) (hence why Ilara is named Ilara, "The one who has many relatives") along with other people and fellow leaders such as Ajígun Ọlọ́fin after being deposed by Oranmiyan. There, Ọbalufon established many settlements and towns in what is now the Ekiti region. Among those towns were Ìlárá. Upon Obalufon's departure, he placed his son Àyájọ́ on the throne as the second Alárá. The name Alárá comes from the phrase, "oní ará," meaning, "The leader of the family," referring to the original place where the people of Ìlárá-Mọ̀kín originated from. Kings of other towns in the Ekiti and surrounding regions also founded by Ọbalufon also use the title Alárá, such as Alárá of Arámọkọ-Èkìtì, Alárá of Ará (in

Osun State Osun State (; yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Ọ̀ṣun), occasionally known as the State of Osun by the state government, is a state in southwestern Nigeria; bounded to the east by Ekiti and Ondo states, to the north by Kwara State, to the south by Ogun S ...

). Because Ilara-Mokin was a part of the

Akure Kingdom The Akure Kingdom is a traditional state with headquarters in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. It is the successor to an ancient Yoruba city state of the same name. The ruler bears the title "Deji of Akure". Location Akure is located in southweste ...

, the Alara answered to the Déjì of Akure and had to pay homage, tribute, and was not permitted to wear a crown. He was regarded as a, "baálẹ̀." This continued into the absorption of Ilara into

Colonial Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain a ...

. When Nigeria gained independence, the Alara was elevated to a monarch ( Ọba), and beginning with Alara Ojopagogo, the Alara was allowed to wear a crown.

Ruling Houses

Ilara-Mokin has two royal houses, Agbekorun and Afunbiokin ( houses, whom were originally one royal dynasty before being split by the descendants of Alara Agbekorun, Iyata I and Alara Afunbiokin, Agbesa I, who were likely brothers. The Kingship thus alternates between the two houses. The current monarch is a member of the Agbekorun House, and is a direct descendant of Oba Agbekorun.

Accession Process

A council of 9 or 12 chiefs called the Kingmakers, "Afọbajẹ," headed by the Lisa of Ilara-Mokin, have the traditional power to enthrone the king, with the aid of the

Ifa IFA or Ifa may refer to: Organisations Economics * Independent financial adviser, a type of financial services professional in the UK * Index Fund Advisors * Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, representing actuaries in the UK * Institute of Ac ...

. The Lisa or another Chief Ifa priest often performs the Ifa rituals needed to consult the god Ọ̀rúnmìlà regarding who was the best candidate to become King. The royal house that is due to rule presents a series of princes who become candidates to the throne. Once the Kingmakers select the King, he is put through a series of rituals based on the Ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion of the Yoruba people, before he is presented to the people and crowned.

Today

His Royal Highness, Oba Abiodun Aderemi Adefehinti is the king of

, he ascended the throne on 17 July 1998.

List of Alaras

History of Akure by Olugbenga Fadeyi

References