BRIEF HISTORY OF EFON-ALAAYE.

About 800 A.D., Odùduwà, the progenitor of the Yorùbá race and civilization established Ifẹ̀ dynasty.
The first was Ife Oodaiye, Ile Owuro (the land of the most ancient days where the dawn was first experienced). Tradition tells us that this Ife ended as a result of a flood. The survivors formed the nucleus of the second Ife, Ife Ooyelagbo (Ife, the city of survivors) this existed until the arrival of elements from the east whose attempt to seize power led to a bloody struggle between the strangers led by Oduduwa and the aboriginies led by Obatala. Oduduwa conquered and founded Ile-Ife (Ife of peace).

Òdúdú-Ọ̀runkú, the grandson of Odùduwà was the progenitor of Ayès of Èfòn. It was said that when Òdúdú-Ọ̀runkú was a little boy, Ọ̀ọ̀ni Ọbalúfòn Ógbógbódirin was fond of him and he often displays his affection towards him by letting him sit on his lap. Consequently, at about 950 A.D., the second Ọ̀ọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀, Ọbalúfòn Ógbógbódirin carved out a territory named Ìráyè, the site of the present town of MODÁKẸ́KẸ́, and made his beloved son, ODÙDÙ Ọ̀RUNKÚN the overlord and the Aláyè of Ìráyè.

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Whenever Aláyè play host to the Ọ̀ọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀, it is a customary practice for the Aláyè to sit on Ọ̀ọ̀ni’s lap. Similarly, whenever the Ọ̀ọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀ plays host to Aláyè – the Aláyè is not made to follow protocol at the palace of Ọ̀ọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀, he is given a free rein.

The fondness Ọ̀ọ̀ni extended to Aláyè appears to be a re-enactment of the past when the Aláyè was treated as a favorite child of Ọ̀ọ̀ni ÒGBÓGBÓDIRIN. However, at about 1040 A.D., the AYÈS left Ìráyè in search of larger territory and finally about 1180 A.D., ÌJÌ-È̩MÍGÙN led the AYÈS out of ÌGBÓLÉ-AYÈ and founded È̩FÒN-ALÁAYÈ Kingdom.

According to È̩fòn Tradition, the Kingdom had 12 sub-towns under the dominion of the Aláyè of Èfòn. There are three ruling houses in Efon Alaaye that normally produce the Oba in rotation. The ruling houses and the order of rotation are: – Ogbenuote, Obologun and Asemojo respectively.

Kingmakers are the six high Chiefs who are heads of six Quarters into which the town is divided. The six kingmakers are:-

High Chief Obanla of Aaye Quarter,

High Chief Obaloja of Obalu Quarter,

High Chief Peteko of Isaja Quarter,

High Chief Oisajigan of Ejigan Quarter,

High Chief Alaayo of Emo Quarter,

High Chief Ojubu of Ikagbe Quarter.

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