Without any iota of doubt, Aale, a Nupe Hunter, was the first to settle at a place called Okelerin (literarily meaning a place where elephant resides or a high place where elephants were found in abundance) before 1614.
According to Ayo Adelowo, Aale was using arrows to kill elephants at Okelerin.
The second in the series of early arrivals was Ohunsile, an Egba man (of Awori extraction) who left Ota as a result of a succession dispute and settled down in Ijeru quarters. It is said that Alaafin Abipa gave Ohunsile a daughter in marriage.
The third man among their earliest settlers was Orisatolu. Orisatolu was a skillful hunter but more importantly an Ifa oracle diviner who combined herbal medicine to cure women and children’s ailments. Orisalu settled down at Isapa.
The fourth in the series of the earliest settlers was Akandie who settled in Isale Afon, coinciding with that of Orisatolu whose settlement date is out as 1640.
It should be remembered that up till this time, Ogbomoso had not gained much size more had it come into the limelight. The last in the series of the five early arrivals to complete the settlement configuration of founding Ogbomoso is the arrival of Ogunlola Ogundiran (Aisa Agbe) who is said to arrive in 1650.
There are written Evidence and oral versions of accounts of the arrival of Soun Ogunlola who settled in his place of Ajagbon Area.
One oral version says that many thought he was a great hunter on a hunting expedition but was also actually in search of his elder brother and sojourned both in Igbon and Aresa territories before settling down at Ajagbon area of Igbo Igbale.
Needless to say that five distinct discernible areas in the abode to be known as Ogbomoso had been inhabited or settled, namely: Okelerin, Ijeru, Isapa, Isale Afon and Ajagbon (Igbo Igbale), where Ogunlola Ogundiran settled.
Unlike many Yorùbá towns, which are founded by one individual and are of Yorùbá stock, as Oyo was founded by Oranmiyan or Ede by Timi Agbale Olofa ina or Ilaro by Aro, Ogbomoso was founded by five contemporaneous of original settlers of which each was on his own adventure.
If it is said or argued that old Oyo became known to the outside world in the 1600 and Ogbomoso as being discussed was established in that century, Ogbomoso can also be said to have begun from the beginning of “Oyo-Ile” (Old Oyo Empire).
It is said that probably Ogunlola Ogundiran who was the last to settle in the area noticed smoke oozing from other locations and settlements probably took courage and approached the other four settlers, thus the five settlers formed “Egbe Alongo” (Alongo Society).
“Egbe Alongo” (Alongo Society) became a sort of military pact to ward off any attacker or for defence against Sunmomi (or slave raiders) that was growing at this time. Ogunlola Ogundiran stood up against the slave traders and defeated them for good.
Ogunlola Ogundiran was also lucky to have a wife named Lorungbekun Esuola. Lorungbekun Esuola, the wife of Ogunlola Ogundiran, was equally found not to be only enterprising in terms of preparing good meals or food and drinks (of sekete wine) prepared from sorghum or millet or guinea corn but also very accommodating to those who visited her husband, Ogunlola Ogundiran (Soun)
One is not sure but it is likely that because Ogunlola provided some leadership quality, the Alongo society and indeed other later arrivals began to recognize his leadership style and suzerainty, or maybe because of his wife’s skills of selfless hospitality that used to compel people to gather at Ogunlola Ogundiran’s place to settle eat, drink and settled disputes, or was there a consensus agreement to make him assume leadership roles?
At any rate, what became obvious and certain was that he was recognized as their leader and probably because he married Aresa’s daughter and gave birth to a baby, Aresa sent his emissary to Igbo-Igbale, his son-in-law’s place with the message: “Ile gbogbo, Ile Owo ni, Awa o ma sehin, ki eyin ma se ohun” meaning “Anywhere you stay is okay. You take care or to take charge of the place and we shall take care of this place.”
To a large extent, this was the beginning of the turning point of favourable development to favour Soun. Thus from the onset of Soun’s arrival, historical development began to turn to his side.
“…ki eyin ma se ohun” meaning “You take care or to take charge of the place” would later become Soun.
Credit: Facebook
