{{Yoruba people
Orangun or Ọ̀ràngún is the title of the paramount ruler of one of the ancient Igbomina kingdoms, a sub group of the Yoruba people with its seat and capital located in Ila Orangun, central
Yorubaland
Yorubaland () is the homeland and cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin, and covers a total land area of 142,114 km2 or about 60% of the land area of Ghana. Of this ...
, presently in southwestern
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 ...
.
History
According to Yoruba
oral history
Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people wh ...
, the first Òràngún was the first grandson of
Odùduwà
Oduduwa was a Yoruba divine king. According to tradition, he was the holder of the title of the ''Olofin'' of Ile-Ife, the Yoruba holy city. He ruled briefly in Ife, and also served as the progenitor of a number of independent royal dynasties ...
, the mythical ancestor of the Yoruba, who was king at Ile-Ife in ancient times. Odùduwà’s first grandson, the oldest son of Oduduwa's only son Okanbi, was named Fagbamila and nicknamed Òràngún. The nickname is a contraction of Ọ̀ràn mí gún, meaning "my situation is perfect", although an alternative but implausible etymology exists.
Odùduwà is said to have given a crown to each of his grandsons (some accounts say 16) and sent them off to found their own kingdoms.
The first Òràngún was given a massive, curved cutlass called "Ogbo" by Odùduwà to clear his way in the forest but the main purpose of the "Ogbo" gift was the inherent power to lead the young prince to a suitable place to settle down and establish his own kingdom. This "Ogbo" is claimed by oral historians.
as the source of the name "
Igbomina
The Ìgbómìnà (also colloquially Igboona or Ogboona) are a subgroup of the Yoruba ethnic group, which originates from the north central and southwest Nigeria.
They speak a dialect also called Ìgbómìnà or Igbonna, classified among the Cent ...
" (from "Ogbo mi mo ona" or "Ogbo mo ona", a statement attributed to the original Òràngún, meaning "My Ogbo knows the way", or "The Ogbo knows the way"), which the Yoruba sub-ethnic of northeastern Yorubaland (of Òsun and
Kwara State
Kwara State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Kwárà), is a state in Western Nigeria, bordered to the east by Kogi State, to the north by Niger state, and to the south by Ekiti, Osun, and Oyo states, while its western border makes up part of the internation ...
s of Nigeria) are called.
This translation of Ogbo is only one interpretation; in standardized Yoruba, Ogbo in fact means Long Life, or Senior citizen, depending on where the accents are.see Chief Fama's Orisa dictionary, Kayode Fakinlede's Yoruba: moder practical dictionary, Wande Abimbola, Ifa an exposition of literary corpus, or any other reputable traditional Yoruba Ifa texts. Ada, is the yoruba word for cutlass, Ogbo mi mo ona would correctly translate to "My elder shows me the road".
Orangun of Ila and Oke Ila
In
Ila Orangun
Ìlá Òràngún (or Ila) is an ancient city in Osun State, Nigeria, that was capital of an ancient city-state of the same name in the Igbomina area of Yorubaland in south-western Nigeria. Ìlá Òràngún is the more populous sister-city (and si ...
, the historical capital of the Igbomina kingdom and Ila Local Government area of Osun State, the current Orangun is Oba Wahab Kayode Adedeji Oyedotun. He was crowned in 2003 following a five year long dispute between the princes eligiblefor the throne.
In
Oke-Ila
Òkè-Ìlá Òràngún (often abbreviated as Òkè-Ìlá) is an ancient city in southwestern Nigeria that was capital of the middle-age Igbomina-Yoruba city-state of the same name.
Òkè-Ìlá is a city in Ọṣun State, Nigeria. It is sit ...
Orangun, a breakaway town and capital of
Ifedayo
Ifedayo is one of the 30 local government areas of Osun State in southwestern Nigeria. It is one of the most recent local government areas to be created.
Its headquarters are in the town of Oke-Ila, Oke-Ila Orangun.
It has an area of 128 k ...
, the current Orangun is Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, of the Obasolo Ruling House, one of the four ruling houses among which the title rotates in Oke-Ila Orangun. He was installed on December 8, 2006.
For the first time in more than three centuries, the two Orangun reigning in both Oke-Ila and Ila are descendants of Arutu Oluokun, the younger prince who led the exodus of the youth from the united kingdom at Ila Yara about 500 years ago.