A Brief History of Modakeke Town In Osun State

Modakeke is a town in Osun State, South-West Nigeria, with nearly 300,000 inhabitants who are predominantly farmers and warriors. The town is about 45 kilometres from Osogbo, capital of Osun State and 90 kilometres from Ibadan in Oyo a state. Modakeke came into existence in 1945 after the fall of the Oyo Empire, below is a brief history of Modakeke town.

The whole of Yorubaland was thrown into chaos and confusion after the Oyo Empire fell to the Fulanis in 1835. The inhabitants of Oyo ran for safety and therefore were dispersed across Yorubaland, some founding new settlements and others, joining existing settlements like Ile-Ife. A group of Oyo refugees settled in Ile-Ife to begin a new life which unknowing to them will later birth the town called Modakeke.

On getting to Ile-Ife, they have already lost all their possessions and then took up menial jobs in the town. They also got recruited in the Ife army and it was through their bravery that Ife had its territory extended to Alakowe, its present boundary with Ilesa. They started growing and producing different types of food crops on farmlands given to them by their Ife people.

The then reigning Ooni of Ife, Oba Akinmoyero, received the Oyo refugees well and later gave them an expanse of land to live. The name Modakeke was adopted after consultation with the oracle which directed them to go to Ebu-Alako near Oke-Owu where they met a swarm of Ako (Stork) birds. The name was derived from the cries of the storks (Mo-da-ke-ke-ke-ke). This is also the origin of the appellation Akoraye (the stork has a place) and since the founding of Modakeke, eighteen traditional heads known as ‘Ogunsua’ had ruled the town.

This is the history of Modakeke town in Osun State

References:

• Pre-colonial Political Administration In Yoruba land, Teslim Opemipo Omipidan, OldNaija
• The True and Sad Story of How Afonja Lost Ilorin and Its Kingship to Fulani People, Teslim Opemipo Omipidan, OldNaija