Ipele

Ipele (. Dialect: ''Ùpelè'') is a town in Owo Local Government in Ondo State, South-Western Nigeria.

History

The modern Ipele community is a conglomeration of eight ancient migration groups, all but with the exception of Isire, who came from Ile-ife, are of Benin extraction, namely: Ujan, Ofi, Usolo, Isire, Oko, Okeriwo, Igemoh and Ulana. A Benin prince and a warrior called Mòkun (also known as Ọlọ́tẹ́n or Ọlọ́tín) and his elder brother Arókun were the first to settle in the land and place that is now known as Ipele (Ùpelè). They were direct descendants of Oba Eweka I of Benin Kingdom, the son of Ọ̀rànmíyàn and grandson of Odùduwà of Ile-Ife. Their father was Omabado who was one of the children of king Orogbua, the Oba of Benin from 1578 -1606 A.D. Their father, Omabado had a special love for the sea that he barely spent time in Benin when they were growing up as he was always on expeditions. This is a persona he took after his own father, Oba Orogbua who made several expeditions from Benin to Eko (present day Lagos) during his reign. The interest their father had for the sea reflected in their names; Arókun means “We saw the sea” while Mòkun is believed to had metamorphosed from Ugwami-mokun or Ugwa-mokun which in edo language means “my wealth knows the sea".

They migrated from Benin Kingdom in 1625 A.D. at a time when it was suspected that their cousin, Oba Ohuan who was childless due to a curse placed on him by a man called Ogina with whom he had a prolonged feud since he ascended the throne, may start to kill other princes in the kingdom because of his childlessness.
Prince Mòkun and his brother with their kins and people first resided at Ùjan near a stream. The stream was later named “Omi- Aṣẹ̀” and till today in Ipele after the circumstantial killing of one of the slaves of Prince Mòkun who committed an offence (nítorí ó ṣẹ̀).

The elder brother, Prince Arókùn later decided to move upward with his own people to the present-day place called Òfì. After some time, Olúrọ̀ndùn, the eldest son of Prince Mòkun went and established his own community called Ùsọlọ̀. He later died of certain ailment and his father, Prince Mòkun who was then known as Olújan Mòkun instructed the people of Ùsọlọ̀ to cut leaves and put on his grave. That is why till today, the spot is called “Àsẹ́wélé” in Ùsọlọ̀. It happened in the process of time that a group of people believe to had migrated from Ile Ife with a large population also came to settle in the area and they were accommodated at Isírẹ́. This makes the people of Ùjan, Òfì, Ùsọlọ̀ and Isírẹ́ the first set of communities that inhabited the present day Ùpelè.

A hunter and a friend of Prince Arókùn whose name was Oluehin, later came over to settle and founded Oko village (now Oko Quarters) in the midlands between the four ancient villages of Ùjan, Òfì, Ùsọlọ̀ and Isírẹ́ around the year 1640 A.D. Oko therefore became the first Quarter to be founded in the midlands area which later became the area specifically known as Ipele or Ùpelè. Next to settle after Òkò in the midlands was the Okeriwo people led by Aga and Ijale who were sibling brothers that migrated from an ancient quarter known as Oke-Ehigho in Benin Kingdom. Closely following the Okeriwo people were the Ugemoh people led by a man known as Ope, a traditional Chief. They migrated from Otuo village very close to Benin. The name Ugemoh in Edo language literally means gentleman or Ọmọlúwàbí in Yoruba. A group of people that migrated from Ifon-Osun later came and settled with the Isírẹ́ people but they did not stay too long as they suspected that their people were missing and dying. They therefore left Isírẹ́ through Omi Ogiron and Omi Olori to settle between Ikaro and Umoru in present day Ifon in Ose local government Area. The Ùlánà people were the last to come in the order of settlement in the area. They originally migrated from Benin Kingdom but first settled at Ighonren near Sabongida Ora before they were eventually led to settle in Ùpelè by a man called Imehenkongba. They were received by Ùjan people who yielded their present land in the midlands to them.

Over time, there were incursion and infiltrations of external attacks. Slave raiders and thieves began to invade the communities and the environs but their tracks (Àpó Olè) were well monitored that they began to meet their death mysteriously in a way no one can really explain. This is why the place received an appellation of Apolè (Thieves’ killer) and Àpó Olè (Thieves’ Tracks) which are the etymologies of the modern day Ùpelè or Ìpelè. The other ancient quarters decided to unify with those at the midlands as one town. Isírẹ́ and Ùsọlọ̀ were the first to join. Ùjan and Ofi Quarters which are the oldest of the eight ancient settlements but the last to join the modern Ipele.

In the last century and a half, new villages which started mostly as farm settlements have sprung up to add to Ipele’s population and growth. Among these new villages and settlements are Omolege, Ajagbale, Oloko, Uwese, Okeogun, Ugbojeu, Oyoroyoro, Ago Alao, Ago Mila, Ago Aderinola and Ita Ipele.

Geography

Ipele is located in the tropical rainforest. Ipele is directly 93 km east of Ondo town, 90 km north of Benin City and 65 km west of Auchi. By road, Ipele is about 15 km from Owo and 60 km from the Ondo State capital, Akure

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