Ophemmy

History

Ekiti was an independent state prior to the British conquest. It was one of the many Yoruba states in what is today Nigeria. Ekiti as a nation and districts of Yoruba race had her progeny in Oduduwa, the father and progenitor of Yoruba race. Just like every major subethnic division in Yorubaland. Ekiti has her origin from Ile-Ife (the cradle land of Yorubaland). The Olofin, one of the sons of the Oduduwa had sixteen(16) children and in the means of searching for the new landto develop, they all journeyed out of Ile-Ife as they walked through the Iwo - Eleru(crave) near Akure and had stop over at a place called Igbo-Aka(forest of termites) closer to Ile-Oluji.

The Olofin, the sixteen children and some other beloved people continued with there journey, but when they got to a particular lovely and flat land, the Owa-Obokun(the monachy of Ijesha land) and Orangun of Ila decided to to stay in the present Ijesha and Igomina land of in Osun state. While the remaining fourteen(14) children continued with the journey and later settled in the present day of Ekiti land. They discovered that there were many hills in the place and thay said in their mother's language that this is 'Ile olokiti' the land of hills. Therefore the OKITI later blended to EKITI. So EKITI derived her name through hills.

These are direct children and founder of EKITILAND, IGBOMINALAND and IJESHALAND:



Ajero of Ijero Kingdom
Alara of Aramoko
Attah of Ayede
Arinjale of Ise
Ewi of Ado
Elekole of Ikole
Olukere of Ikere
Elemure of Emure
Oloye of Oye
Olojudo of Ido
Onire of Ire
Onitaji of Itaji
Oore of Otun Moba
Owatapa of Itapa
Orangun of Ila-Orangun
Owa -obokun of Ijeshaland

The modern Ekiti state was formed from part of Ondo in 1996.



Ekiti's claim to being a fountain of knowledge is partially based on its surfeit of highly educated citizenry , and especially excellent Professors who have made global marks or are pioneers in their fields. These include, Late Professor BO Osuntokun NNOM, the most cited African Scientist, late Professor Olubunmo, the first Nigerian Professor of Mathematics ( Chike was the first PHD in maths,but not the first Professor), Professor JF Ade Ajayi NNOM, piooner and eminent historian. There was a time when 8 out of 10 Deans of Faculty at the University of Ife, were Ekiti in origin. However, recently, the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) seems to have orchestrated a "black out" against Ekiti scholars/ Academics. Well qualified scholars who pioneered their including in Neurosurgery, cardiovascular medicine, Sciences fields have been denied recognition, while less capable and accomplished ones have been rewarded. There seems to be a "network" in the NNOM that is bent on making Ekitis claim or boast unfounded, and they are from our former state.