INDEGENES OF IRAGBIJILAND

According to History the name Iragbiji came into being over 600 years ago, it was reported that first settlers had their habitation under an IRA tree (Bradilier Thongy) The town was founded by a great hunter from Ejio compound in Moore, Ile Ife called Sunkungbade (Obebe).

The man Sunkungbade got his name from a seeming drama he created while he was still a child. He was said to be in the habit of crying ceaselessly and not even the sweetness from his mother's breasts could stop the little boy.

As it was the practice in those days, ifa oracle had to be consulted to unravel the mystery behind the boy's attitude. It was ifa that advised the parents to make a miniature crown for the little Sunkungbade and that anytime he his crying, the crown his parents should put the crown on his head to calm him down.

The oracle's advice worked like magic and, that was how Sunkungbade (he who cried to get a crown) was added to his names; the Ifa priest called Oladunjoye foretold that Sunkungbade would at adulthood request that he be allowed to leave to found his own community and that should not be disallowed.

Soon after the child got matured, he started exhibiting all the traits earlier foretold. He was courageous, Intelligent, strong-willed and exceptional in tradition and culture. He was a great hunter who was said to have had mystic powers, he married Oloyade.

Soon after, he approached his parents without any fear and requested that he should be allowed to leave to found his own settlement.

As earlier forewarned, the parents gave their blessing. The journey of Sunkungbade was not a straight one from Ile Ife to Iragbiji but one which took him round Ijeshaland before he got to his real destination.

The Sukungbade's descendants broken down into four ruling houses: Ajibode, Ogunmolu, Osungbemi, and Arowodoye/Arodoye.

They have been Aragbijis in unbroken succession since the founding of Iragbiji. The present Aragbiji, Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi, Odundun IV is the fourth on the Ajibode Ruling House Lineage.

©AWK-afowas 060822

THE NAME IRAGBIJI

There are some versions of the derivative sources of the name Iragbiji; the actual date of adoption of the name is not known. The first settlers had their habitation under an IRA tree. The founder who was a great hunter, during his hunting exploits climbed Ori-oke and sighted an animal, it ran into a big deep hole on the top of the hill.
The hunter entered the big hole with the animal in order to kill it. He pursued the animal inside the hole until both of them came out through another big opening in the front of the present Iragbiji Town Hall before the animal was eventually killed. This big hole, an historical monument, has been closed up with stone and cement at present.
The hunter, who eventually settled under a shady tree called IRA and other settlers joined him. The legendary IRA tree under which he settled later metamorphosed into what is today known as IRAGBIJI, a settlement under a shady tree. IRA tree and which ``IJI`` (shade) had allowed many people to settle underneath. That is from IRA-GBA-IJI to IRAGBIJI.

IRAGBIJI DAY 2018

His Royal Majesty Oba Abdul-Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi ( JP) FCIPM FNIM MNIPR ( OdubdunIV), The Aragbiji of Iragbiji.& The Iragbiji Indigenes Association ( IIA) and Planning Committee. Cordially invite to the IRAGBIJI DAY 2018.
Date: 8th December, 2018.

Time : 10am prompt

Venue : Oke-Iragbiji High School Play ground, Iragbiji.

Special Guest of Honour
His Excellency ;
Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola
Immediate past Governor, state of Osun

His Royal Majesty :
Oba Abdul-Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi ( JP)
Odubdun (IV)

Chief Host :
His Excellency;
Alhaji Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola
Governor, State of Osun.

His Excellence,
ALHAJI ISIAKA ADEGBOYEGA OYETOLA
The 5th Executive Governor State of Osun

Formal meeting of Gboyega Oyetola with the
APC South West Caucus Amidst President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja

THE MAN ISIAKA ADEGBOYEGA OYETOLA...

Profile / Curriculum Vitae

Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola (born September 29, 1954), is a certified insurance broker, entrepreneur and politician. He served in Governor Rauf Aregbesola's eight-year-administration as the Chief of Staff. Unknown to many political observers outside Osun state, Oyetola has been achieving political feats without attracting attention to himself since 1997.

Despite the enormous influence he wields, he is reticent, humble and unassuming. Although he is perceived as the major pillar behind the Rauf Aregbesola administration, he has never displayed the peculiar trait of a political gladiator. He is loyal, non-combative and goal-oriented.

Unlike some chiefs of staff in other states who have earned public condemnation. In the time of crisis, Oyetola has handled government/union relations successfully, thereby earning the applause of political leaders and civil servants in the State of Osun.

Oyetola is said to be among the prominent Nigerians who founded the Alliance for Democracy, AD, in 1998. The politician had remained a notable figure in the political party in Osun so much that when the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, birthed, he was one of the party's notable chieftains.

Before entering the Aregbesola administration, Gboyega Oyetola had been the Area Manager at Leadway Assurance Company Limited from 1980 to 1987. He was an outstanding role model at Leadway because he took full operational responsibility for specific product lines and was result oriented. He had also served as Underwriting Manager between 1987 and 1990 at Crusader Insurance Company Limited. In 1990 he joined Alliance and General Insurance as Technical Controller and served in that capacity until 1991.

Gboyega became a successful businessman and an entrepreneur in 1991 by establishing Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited. At Silvertrust, he was a dynamic business mogul and was Managing Director until he was appointment as Chief of Staff in 2011.

His other forays in business include Executive Vice-Chairman, Paragon Group of Companies which has interest in Oil and Gas, Mining and Real Estate since 2005 until 2011. He was also Chairman of Ebony Properties Limited. He had been a Director of Pyramid Securities Limited, until 2011, among other business interests, before his appointment as Chief of Staff to the executive Governor of The State of Osun.

Adegboyega Oyetola is a pronounced Technocrat as well as a progressive politician. His ideals of transformative leadership as a tool of service for the greater good drew him into politics. His great courage remains a source of admiration and his political sagacity is well acknowledged across all political divides.” As once analysed, “he is one of the few repositories of knowledge and a fountain of wisdom from which many emerging and existing politicians drink to their own benefits or whom they can only ignore to their eternal damnation.

Gboyega believes that grassroots politics is the surest way of making the elected leaders listen to the needs, aspirations and problems of their people and take practical steps to meeting these needs. He remains a champion of grassroots politics with a continuous track record till date. His influence in local levels has become a major and popular yardstick for measuring the success of his contemporaries.
Quiet generosity is the capstone to Gboyega Oyetola remarkable life.

Philanthropy remains his “second act,” a role through which he has help thousands of people who never had the pleasure of knowing him except through his personal giving. Many of his gestures are geared towards empowering young people for sustainable livelihood. He is also known for giving scholarships to students to acquire tertiary education. In the last 25 years, not less than 400 students have benefitted from his scholarship grants.

He is near perfectionist in words, conduct, appearance and actions. Indeed, a man of very few words but astonishingly cerebral, technically and administratively equipped with needed information and applied knowledge on the skills and mastery of creative and inventive governance of this age and time. He has served and is still serving actively to the philosophy and ideals of democratic tenets and principles towards ensuring that the greatest good in terms of deliverables and dividends of democracy is centred around the people to the service of the human race.

He is an enigma whose intellectual wizardry is equally legendary.

On July 20th 2018, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola won the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election for the gubernatorial poll in the state of Osun with a total votes of 127,017. He beat his closest rival, Lasun Yussuf, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who got 21, 975, followed by the incumbent Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salam with a total votes of 19,958.

Gboyega holds a Bachelors degree (B.Sc.) in Insurance from the prestigious University of Lagos, (1975-1978), He obtained a Masters degree in Business Administration from the same University of Lagos in 1990. He had his mandatory one year National Youth Service between 1978 and 1979, at Potiskum, in the present day Yobe State, where he lectured at the Staff Training Centre. Ever since then, his passion for public service and the welfare of the general public remain endless.

He won several awards for himself for his excellent performance in public service and philanthropic gestures. They include;
Distinguished Merit Award by his alma mater, Ifeoluwa Grammar School, Osogbo, February 2014;
The Guardian Award for Exceptional Chief of Staff in the Federation 2017;
Distinguished Award of Excellence in Public Administration by Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Council, August 2015;
Leadership Award for Outstanding Performance by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Osogbo Branch, March 2016;
Award of Excellence by Osun State University, College of Law, Ifetedo, January 2016;
Award of Excellence as ICON of Good Governance by Network of Non-Governmental Organisation (NETNOS) State of Osun Branch. November, 2017;
Award for Exemplary and Exceptional Support and Fellow of Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke, January 2017;
Grand Patron of the Local Government Chapel of Osun State NUJ, November 2016;
Leadership Award by International Association of Lions Club, District 404B2, Nigeria, February 2016;
NAOSS-NHQ Award of Excellence in Administration and Good Governance, May 2016;
Award of Excellence in Public Administration by Rotary Club of Osogbo, Rotary International, July 2016;
Meritorious Award by NAOSS, Obafemi Awolowo University Chapter, February 2017;
African Students Union Parliament (ASUP), Pan-African Distinguished Leadership Honour as Icon of Nation Building in Nigeria 2018.

Gboyega Oyetola is an Associate Member, Chattered Insurance Institute in London and Nigeria. He is also a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM).

Oyetola is a dynamic, visionary and strategic leader who has a deep understanding of National development and cohesion. An interesting aspect of his life is his love and promotion of Arts. He is a socialite and member of the prestigious Ikoyi Club. Gboyega is married with children.

Every nation or human community has a way of producing men and women whose courage and selfless service inspire their people in their darkest hours or trying moments. Such are the people who etch their ideas and their entire being on the hearts of their people by speaking words of courage and acting out in total conviction those things they believe in. Gboyega Oyetola has been such a man.

Signed
Dayo Fasola.

There are 107 compounds in Iragbiji which are as follows:
1. Inurin Okeosun
2. Aogun
3. Ayibiodo
4. Baba Egbe
5. Jagun Alagbado
6. Isale Oyo
7. Olore
8. Oderinde
9. Olukosi
10. Oluponna
11. Jagun Fabode
12. Oniyere
13. Aromaade
14. Tinubu
15. Araniyun
16. Ajilasa
17. Baale Erinle
18. Agbelekale
19. Alala
20. Osolo Isale
21. Osolo Oke
22. Babamagba
23. Aiwosi
24. Odogun
25. Odofin
26. Olotaara
27. Olowe
28. Otun Balogun
29. Onisinkin Adeyeye
30. Obaale
31. Aworo osun
32. Ojomu oke
33. Elemo Owa
34. Elemo Oso
35. Oloyan Isale & Oke
36. Aro
37. Kaa Oko
38. Agbaakin (Baaleoya)
39. Akingbade
40. Oluawo
41. Odumosun
42. Falola
43. Olorungbemi
44. Onipee
45. Agbogun
46. Oloogemo
47. Obe
48. Gbalawa
49. Alagbaa
50. Odabe
51. Akeeke
52. Ojukere Igbekoyi
53. Eesa Aromoo
54. Eesa Gbogbololu
55. Aladodo
56. Balogun Otin
57. Balogun Oju Oja
58. Oluode
59. Ooye
60. Olupejobi
61. Iroko
62. Okekere
63. Alatipo
64. Agboriigba
65. Agbotifayo
66. Asunmo Abioye
67. Elekede
68. Akintoso Adejobi
69. Ojulari
70. Elekuru
71. Kedun Araro
72. Moroun Akinyele
73. Akinsowon
74. Alade
75. Aleki
76. Ogunole
77. Ekefa
78. Alaran
79. Aladura
80. Meesun
81. Opafemi
82. Iyaoba
83. Olukotun Adeyeye
84. Aare
85. Alolade
86. Eesade
87. Osaji
88. Jagun Olanrewaju
89. Arowopoko Ajibade
90. Aare
91. Onigboro
92. Jojooro
93. Olakoitan
94. Petupetu
95. Akinlade Asaju
96. Ropo Odedayanrin
97. Adelu
98. Odofin
99. Eesorun
100. Arugba
101. Baalelu Bata
102. Asipa
103. Oluyemi
104. Balogun sekere
105. Moloye Fami
106. Lasinde
107. Balogun Otun

THE NAME IRAGBIJI

There are some versions of the derivative sources of the name Iragbiji; the actual date of adoption of the name is not known. The first settlers had their habitation under an IRA tree. The founder who was a great hunter, during his hunting exploits climbed Ori-oke and sighted an animal, it ran into a big deep hole on the top of the hill. The hunter entered the big hole with the animal in order to kill it. He pursued the animal inside the hole until both of them came out through another big opening in the front of the present Iragbiji Town Hall before the animal was eventually killed. This big hole, an historical monument, has been closed up with stone and cement at present.

The hunter, who eventually settled under a shady tree called IRA and other settlers joined him. The legendary IRA tree under which he settled later metamorphosed into what is today known as IRAGBIJI, a settlement under a shady tree. IRA tree and which ``IJI`` (shade) had allowed many people to settle underneath. That is from IRA-GBA-IJI to IRAGBIJI.

IRAGBIJI OLOKE MEJI TAKO TABO LORI AAGBA

This is a popular appellation of Iragbiji, meaning Iragbiji made up of two rocks male upon the female, alongside the bank of River Aagba-osun. There was an historical event that led to this appellation during the reign of Late Oba Oloyede Dada. Many towns and villages surround Iragbiji. One of these towns is Obaagun. (About 4km from Iragbiji). During the early reign of Late Oba Oloyede Dada, there arose a boundary dispute between the Aragbiji of Iragbiji and the Olobaagun of Obaagun. On this disputed piece of land were situated two huge rocks, one upon the other like a man upon a woman.

The Aragbiji laid claim to the land and the Olobaagun also affirmed claim that the land belonged to him. The then Resident Officer in charge of Ibadan Division set up a tribunal to decide the ownership of the land. Then, the two warring parties were invited to the disputed area.

In short, the then Aragbiji, affirmed that without any controversy, the land belonged to him and if it was so, let one rock fall down within seven days. This was received with joy by the then Olobaagun because he believed that no Jupiter could bring the rock down from the top of the other one.

On the seventh day, when the people gathered again on this disputed land, to the amazement of all those who were present, the upper rock had fallen down on its own, according to the pronouncement of the Aragbiji. The District Officer then said in his judgement that truly the Aragbiji of Iragbiji was indeed the owner of the land.

Since then, there was no more controversy over the ownership of the land, Iragbiji was tagged – nicknamed ``Iragbiji Oloke meji tako tabo lori aagba okan yi lule o ku kan``