Omi-Ọṣun, literally meaning "
Ọṣun's waters", is the northernmost source tributary of the
Ọṣun River in southwestern
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, NaìjÃrÃyà , yo, Nà ìjÃrÃà , 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 Omi-Ọṣun tributary rises from the eastern sector of the
Yoruba hills and flows westwards into the
Òyì River which subsequently flows southward along two deep gorges within the
Oke-Ila quartzite ridges, (adjacent to
Oke-Ila Orangun), before its confluence with other rivers to form the main
Osun.
Ruins of an ancient settlement called
Omi-Ọṣun also exists along the Omi-Ọṣun river. This settlement was a former location of the Oke-Ila Orangun kingdom during the migrations of earlier centuries following the departure of the Oke-Ila and
Ila factions from their ancient kingdom and mother city of
Ila-Yara
Òkè-Ìlá Òrà ngún (often abbreviated as Òkè-Ìlá) is an ancient city in southwestern Nigeria that was capital of the middle-age Igbomina-Yoruba people, Yoruba city-state of the same name.
Ã’kè-ÃŒlá is a city in Osun State, Ọṣun ...
.
The name Omi-Ọṣun is attributed to the realization that the tributary feeds the
Ọṣun River, as well as its subsequent dedication in ancient times to Ọṣun worship.
References
{{coord missing, Nigeria
Rivers of Nigeria
Rivers of Yorubaland