DR. PRINCESS FUMI HANCOCK, DNP

                                                     The Princess of Suburbia (TM)’s Genealogy

The ancestors of today's Emure Ijaloke, can be traced to Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba people. Oral pre-history has it that the present day Emure-Ekiti was once a homestead in a place called Ilare, in Ile-Ife around 1290 AD and it was there for over two centuries. The first of the rulers to reign over the people at Ilare was known by the name Obele. Obele was believed to be the direct son of Oranmiyan who himself was the son of Okanbi, the only son of Oduduwa.

 

Between 1290 and 1291 AD, one of the sons of Obele, Fagbamila Oduduwa, decided to relocate from Ilare to another place and, before leaving, he demanded his rights of honor as a Prince to serve as the insignia of the Royal Family to enable him rule over the people in the new domain he would found for himself. As a sign of acceptance of this move, the entire Oduduwa family blessed him.

 

In addition to the royal blessing, Prince Fagbamila was presented with a number of parting gifts that represented the historical symbols of the Royal family.

 

The gifts included a Beaded Crown, a Sword of victory, Fern leaves, Akoko leaves, Atorin (Cane) and a giant leather fan made of Tiger skin. With these, Prince Fagbamila set forth on his journey with his people, after consulting the Ifa Oracle. The Ifa Oracle directed them to a place called Ilamoye, meaning "a place where the sun arises". Prince Fagamila then took the title "Emure" to reflect the fern leaves presented to him by the Royal family at Ilare. The fern plant in Yoruba land means "IMU". The name "Emure" was said to have originated from what he was told when the fern leaves were handed over to him. "Imu re re O", which means “these are your fern leaves”, when abbreviated, becomes Imure, which was later modernized to "Emure", the present name of the kingdom.

 

Prince Fagbamila journeyed to Oba after consulting the Ifa oracle and settled there for nine years. Obe-Ile, near Akure, the Ondo State capital, became another transitional location, as some people were left behind by Prince Fagbamila, when he moved to settle at Igbo-Owa.

 

Igbo Owa means "the forest of the King." He finally arrived and settled in Igbo-Owa in 1300 AD for about four decades. The descendants of Prince Fagbamila remained in Igbo-Owa town. Records show that the Emure people lived abundant lives and were prosperous in Igbo- Owa kingdom. However, after its tremendous expansion, between 1300 and 1771 AD, the Igbo-Owa Kingdom began to experience a decline. The surrounding towns and villages over which they wielded power and dominion became too powerful for the central kingdom to control.

 

The princes were deployed as administrators over subordinate towns and villages to help in collection of royal taxes and to maintain law and order.

 

The central administration became weak and eventually in 1779, the Emure Kingdom in Ogbo-Owa collapsed. Notable among Igbo-Owa towns and villages under Emure kingdom were Irn, Odo-Emure (now known as Odo Emure Agbado), Ado Ani, Oba, Upinmi and Ikun to name just a few.

 

All this led to the final disintegration of Emure Kingdom in 1770 as some of the people decided to leave the central kingdom to found a new place. During the journey to the new settlement, a few of the elderly persons could not continue further, declaring that "they had reached their home", which in Yoruba parlance is "ati de le." The place where they settled is the present Emure Ile.

 

Emure kingdom had been governed under a code referred to as the Native Law and customs and it was a well-structured administration in place that emphasized division of power.

 

At the head of the administration in the kingdom was the King who was regarded as the lord of the community. The chiefs make up the judiciary council, headed by the King.

 

There was also the military that protected the kingdom from invasion and was responsible for conducting wars for the expansion of the kingdom.

 

The administrative headquarters of the town was the Palace of the King, which is located centrally in the community.

 

EMURE TRADITIONS, CULTURE AND FESTIVALS (some will be witnessed by the Southern Goddesses)
Emure kingdom takes after Yoruba traditions, culture and festivals. There are particular times of the year when certain festivals and traditional practices are observed; a few of these traditions include:

 

a)   ILUYONWA: His Royal Majesty's Yam festival marking the beginning of our calendar year celebrated in September.

b)   AIREGBE: Maiden group dance marking the glorious transformation to puberty stage.

c)   ILEODUN: Annual festival for only male indigenous adults to observe.
d)   ERO: Festival celebrated to mark graduation from (Gbamo) age group to adulthood.

e)   OPA-OGURU: An exercise to correct misconduct in the society.

f)    IPON: Used to detect mysteries.

g)   ETINTIN: Females' celebration with white clothes carrying small native pots of water from Aro brook holding pealed whips.

h)   OGUN: Festival celebrated in honor of Ogun, the god of iron.

i)   EGUNGUN: Festival celebrated in the month of April every year to honor the king by all the quarters.

 

The very FIRST Royal Palace (now the old palace) where Princess Fumi’s Grandfather governed the people.

 

Now restored as a museum: old palace                                           new palace