In August, Osun State clocked 30. Quite expectedly, it was a festival of sorts in Osogbo as residents, indigenes and government functionaries took out time to celebrate the state of the living spring. There were gongs, there were chants, and there were theatrical performances. Of course, the people rejoiced across the state.
Osun, like Oyo, has a special place in Yoruba cosmology: the state is central to Yoruba peoples’ civilization, both in terms of history and geography.
An inland state in south-western Nigeria, Osun has its capital situated strategically in Osogbo. And due to its centrality, it is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east partly by Ekiti State and by Ondo State, in the south by Ogun State, and in the west by Oyo State. So central is Osun that it is without doubt the only state around whose territory other Yoruba-speaking states revolve.
The modern Osun State was created in 1991 from part of the old Oyo State. The state’s name is derived from the River Osun, the venerated natural spring that is the manifestation of the Yoruba goddess, Osun.
Osun State has perhaps the highest number of towns with deep socio-cultural significance in Yorubaland. Dotted along its different districts are incredible towns that are homes to awesome people of variegated backgrounds.
And what’s incredibly interesting is that each of these towns, even the tiniest in terms of geographical size, has something quite fascinating about its make-up.
Ada is known for its famed golf resort, a potential tourist attraction with prospect of becoming a revenue-generating entity if the opportunities are well harnessed. Ejigbo, on its part, hosts perhaps the most widely travelled group of people in Yorubaland, aside from the people of Ogbomoso.
Ikirun is known for its famed kolanut, while Esa-Oke, apart from hosting the then influential Esa-Oke campus of The Polytechnic Ibadan, gave us the gift that was the Cicero of Esa-Oke, Bola Ige.
Iwo—the famed seat of Quranic studies—is also the headquarters of skilled butchers and Ikire is popular because of its famed, one-of-a-kind Dòdò Ikire, garnished with pepper sauce.
Apomu, just a stone’s throw away from Ikire, is known for its palm oil back in the day, and maternal grandma was a regular visitor to the serene, sleepy town. She also visited Orile-Owu, fairly known for its palm oil, back in the day.
Ode-Omu and Gbongan gave us the gift that was Olugbenga Abefe Adeboye—–poet, lyricist, broadcaster and everything in-between. Gbenga of the ‘Ode-gbon fame brought the klieg lights in the direction of both towns in contemporary Yoruba arts. An old classmate once told me that Ode-Omu had a somewhat peculiar taste to its palm wine.
Ila-Orangun, known for its college of education back in the day, remains a very important town in Yoruba civilisation, while Ilesha is the seat of gold that struggles to shine. Ile-Ife stands tall as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation, while Modakeke is the town shot to limelight by crisis.
Ede is famous for its flamboyant annual celebration of Ṣàngó, which is associated with the reign of Tìmì Ajeniju Bamigbaye, widely believed to have been born as a follower of Ṣàngó. Ede also gave Osun some of its most colourful politicians of modern Nigerian political history, from Isiaka Adeleke of the Serubawon fame through to the, er, entertaining gift that was Senator Ademola Adeleke.
Okuku hugged media headlines, quite lately, because of its famous prince and former governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, while Ire hosts the popular polytechnic, often maligned for its perceived loose standards.
Osogbo—-the beautiful, grossly under-celebrated capital city, and for me, the most under-rated in the whole of Nigeria!—-has its place permanently reserved in Yoruba cosmology. Inisa lies quietly like a tired drunk on the Osogbo-Offa expressway and Odo-Otin came to me through my early-year romance with literature texts. I loved the sound of that name, Odo-Otin!
Erin-Ijesha is widely known for its waterfalls and Ipetumodu stands aloof, unperturbed by the sound of vehicles plying the busy Ife-Akure Expressway.
Iragbiji, hometown of a bosom friend, sounds quite fascinating because of the somewhat problematic pronunciation of its name while Ilobu makes a mess of the significance of size in the larger scheme of things.
When I served in Odon, Owenna (Osun) was for me the border community that fascinated me because of its bananas. Orolu recently appeared in media narratives as an electoral battle field.
Month ago, I drove from Lagos to Ilorin, via Osogbo and other small towns in Osun, Oyo, and Kwara. Of course, because I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in those small communities, those scattered across Osun State especially, I had to reflect on the importance of these towns in the context of what each means for growth and Southwest regional integration.
For me, Osun’s most gifted assets are its cities, towns and fascinating people.
As the state clocks 30, it would be interesting to see how the government would harness the potentials for actual growth and development.
Osun a dara o.
