History of Osoroko Kingdom

Osoroko is an ancient town in ibeju lekki local government of Lagos state which existence dates back to over our hundred years. It derives its name from its historical lake locally called OSO being a long beautiful and curved Lake that thrive all years round.

The founding fathers of Osoroko named the town after this Curved lake locally translated in Ijebu dialect to be OSOWOROKO which was abridged to be called OSOROKO.

The founding fathers of Osoroko and their descendent and the entire people o Osoroko are Ijebus of the Yoruba stock from the Source (Ile ife) in the present day of Nigeria.

They Migrated from their various Quarters of Ile ife. For instance, the Logun rulling house (osibena) was named after logun also known as Osinbsnjo the youngest and most powerful son o osibena known as olowa.

Being descendent of Oshindaguro, who was a son of atiba the youngest son of oranmiyan one o the children of oduduwa, their link to the source is indisputable. Ancient family conflicts led to his movement from the source through owode in Oyo, oyo ile, odo Esha in ijebu ode, Eyindi/Timoko in Epe.

From Epe, Osibeno and his family joured further to OGOGORO, then to On-ljofi to Ebute-Tolowa, to En Korodo and later moved towards the seaside to present day Osoroko. The particular place he settled in Osoroko was called IGBOFINRIN which is now ARODEYO SHRINE.

The Ogun-llu Ruling House of Agbaje Salami and Oyin on the other hand left from Quarters in Ile-Ife and joured through Igboburo Quarters in ljebu-Ode and eventually got to Epe and settled at Ajaganabe Quarters in Epe Following a later got they finally got to today’s Osoroko through Olomowewe and Odo Korowo, Osibeno’s great granddaughter LYDIA later got married to Oyin’s grandson named Zacheous at Ogun-llu (meaning inner Part of Town) where they settled in.

Further, the IPATUN RULING HOUSE are descendants of Prince Adebulu and Adenowo Two siblings that left Idi-Omo Quarters in Ile-Ife along with other s moving South and Westwards through places in today’s Ekiti axis like Aramoko, Eno, Enjiyan and Ipendo.

Here they left some of their siblings who settled at Aromoko, and are still there today as a prominent ruling house there that produced immediate past Alara of Aramoko Oba Oluwole Amele of Village Headmaster Frame Both Prince Adebulu and Adenowo continued their journey as dictated by Ifa till they got to ljebu-Ode where they settled and stayed for sometimes at Ijasi Quarters in Ijebu-Ode where they migrated further until they got to Epe and settled at Itugbehin Quarters in Epe with their cousin Tobun whose father was Oshotun.

Ifa further directed them to move further South till they got to present day Osoroko and named their quarters there ‘Ipatun.

The APENA RULING HOUSE who are descendant of a powerful hunter and herbalist left Moore in Ile-Ife on the instructionof Ifa-Oracle to ljasi Quarters in ljebu-Ode and were later instructed to move on by Ifa till they got to Idi-Aba Quarters in Epe. They further moved on and arrived at present day Osoroko where they met other brother sojourners from Ile-Ife and settled at a part of Osoroko later called Apena Quarters named after their father Apena.

The ADEBEGUN RULING HOUSE left their Okerewe Quarters in Ile-Ife headed by Prince Adebegun and his brother Uraka and sojourned to ljebe-Ode on the instruction of Ifa. From there they moved through places like Igbile. Magbon, Poka, until they reached Ita-Oloja, Epe where Ifa asked them to settle. They later moved on Ifa dictate to Oke Atan and eventually to Osoroko. Their quarters is named as Adebegun Quarters. At Osoroko they met Osibena from Oyo and other Princes from Ile Ife with whom they settled and prospered and became one and same community called Osoroko.

However, the present day Osoroko town is inhabited by people of diverse ethnic background due to growing population, size and development. Osoroko is today a sizeable town with over 100.000 people spread over the entire 344,229 hectares of land area.

The Number and The Identity of The Ruling Houses

The present day Osoroko comprises of five ruling houses. This is by virtue of the Chieftaincy Declaration dated the 20 day of June 2001 made pursuant to the Section 6(2) of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State 2003

There are five ruling houses predicted on the five quarters made up Osoroko Town. The five ruling houses made up of the five quarters of Osoroko and their identities are as follows based on the order of rotation among the ruling houses.

OGUN ILU RULING HOUSES (AGBAJE SALAMI & OYIRI FAMILY)
LOGUN RULING HOUSE (OSIBENAFAMILY)
ADEBEGUN RULING HOUSE (ADEBEGUN FAMILY)
APENARULING HOUSE (GBADAMOSI, OSINNOWO AND OGUNTIMIRIN FAMILIES)
IPATUN RULING HOUSE (ADEBULU ADENOWO FAMILIES)

Succession to the chieftaincy stool of Osoroko has always been with absolute peace and harmony. The incumbent Kabiye Olosoroko of Osoroko HRH Oba Ebenezer Olusegun Oyini (JP) Oyiri is from Ogun llu Ruling House. The major occupation the people of Osoroko being a coastal community is fishing and farming

Osoroko Town shares a common boundary with Onganriga to the East Oju-Oto in Lekki to the west and bounded on the othe sides by Atlantic Ocean and Lagoon in the North and South respectively

Owing to the relative peace, security, openness and receptive nature of Osoroko people, Osoroko town is a fast grow community yearning for more development and government attention. Osoroko harbours various public and private schools churches and mosques, community hall and Federal Primary Health Centre

Traditional Rites and Festivals

Apart from Christianity and islam that were embraced in later years, Osoroko people are predominantly traditionalists and worship various deities.

Aredeyo or instance is a popular egungun masquerade in Osoroko, its shrine is called Ojubo Asa. This masquerade is celebrated every three years.

This masquerade is associated with Osibena (Olowa) lineage of Logun Quarters.

On the other hand, another popular masquerade in osoroko is called Abidogun which is associated with Adebulu Adenowo Lineage of Ipatun quarters and many more.

Cultural Heritage

There are however some other deities apart from the ones stated earlier such as Oro, Esu, ljasi and Sango. There are also EBI festival which is more of a cultural festival celebrated annually by the people of Osoroko during which various masquerades such as Jigbo, Epa, Ajo, Okooro, Agbo, Akalegunle etc are paraded.

The traditional and customary Chiefs in Osoroko are: Olisa, Apena, Balogun, Odofin, Erelu, Aro and Agbon