MODAKEKE

• Modakeke • Akoraye • Omo Ogunteludo • Omo Akin loju ogun • Omo Ogunsuwapo ni Modakeke Ile • Omo a to ija gbo de • Bi ija ko ba si mo, n o lo te ilu idakeje do • Maa wa wo baba eni t o maa to mi • Eni ti n mi kukute, ara re ni mi • Omo orori i baba eni ni aa ku si • Omo Eye Ako ori Araba ti n fohun bi eniyan ni Modakeke Ile • Omo Ako ma ba mi ja, n ko se ‘ibi • Omo eni ba se ibi ni eye i yo l’oju je • Omo Eye gbe mi, n ko se ibi • Omo Ako gbe mi, n ko da ‘le • Omo eni eye ba gbe ni l’owo • Omo eni Ako bag be nii de lorun ni Modakeke Ile • Omo afedejinle ba eye igbe soro • Baa mede Ako, bi obo ni aa ri • E je ki a kuku korin ti eye ni a maa ko • Omo a dake ja bi Esu Odara • ‘Beeni Akoraye ko b’enikan s’ota • Eni ti o ba to Eye ni Eye I yo l’oju je • Omo Akoraye ko roju iregbe • Bi Modakeke ba ti ji, ibi ise re ni ilo • Omo Ogbagba tii gba ara adugbo • gba ara ile, o gba ara oko • gba ero ona tin lo si ajo • Omo Oyigbiriyigbiri • Omo a bi oogun yi gbirigbiri laja • Omo Oba l’ode Oyo • Omo Atata ‘kunrin • Omo gba mi, gba mi, ko ye agba • Omo gba mi, gba mi ko ye omo Akin • Omo a to f’ija gbo de • Omo matanmi, n ko tan ara mi • Omo eni tan ara re lo d’arinna ko • Omo bi o ba baaje, uno ba o baa je • Omo bi o ba tun se, ki n ba o tun se • Omo Eegun • Omo Oro • Omo Oro Epe • Omo orisa pataki mesan ti nbe l’Oyo Ile • Omo eran fifun oke Ipao ti a ko gbodo f’oju di • Omo akanti Oke Ipao • Omo a r’erin pade ija l’ona • Omo ija ko wu mi ja loja • Omo arenije lo mu mi fa orun yo • Omo odo kan ti won n pe l’agbara ni Modakeke Ile • Omo omi teere tii gba agbara lowo asebi • Omo a to fi ija gbo de • Omo Orisa tii gbe ole ko si • Omo ori eni nii gbe ni • Omo enini gbigbon gbe mi • Mo ti ibi oko dida di baba • Omo ori mi gbe mi • Ako gbe mi • Orisa oke gbe mi

Modakeke was founded around 1830 when the then Ooni of Ile-Ife, king Abewela earmark the portion of land for the progenitors to settle down. The settlement earmarked by king Abewela was called Ilu Oyo, but due to the fear of the Alaafin of Oyo Ile, they consulted Ifa Oracle and were asked to go to EBU ALAKO to go and listen to the chirping of the birds on the Araba tree around that area. On getting to the Araba tree, the Stork birds began to chirp MO-DA-KE-KE, MO-DA-KE-KE, MO-DA-KE-KE. The messengers then went back to report what was witnessed.
Ifa priest was summoned to come and inquire of the Oracle for the interpretation of the message. Thus, Ifa told them the settlement should be called MODAKEKE according to the sound of the stork birds that resides in Araba tree in Ebu Alako.The Ira Oracle that the king of AAYE fled with when Aaye town was overrun in IPOLE OWU at the time of war between ORILE OWU, IJEBU, IBADAN and other Yoruba people is called IRA. Several years after Oba Laaye had taken away the Oracle and his people from this area to the core region of Ile-Ife, that was when Ooni, king Abewela founded the settlement for Modakeke.The name of this town is MO-DA-KE-KE AKO-RI-AAYE and not Modakeke Ako Iraye. All the warriors that founded the town collectively deliberate on the Eulogy and came to terms with using Ogun-so-wa-po (god of iron join us together). Which was what they turn to Ogunsua which is the title for the king of Modakeke till now.From the inception till now, Modakeke has been govern by 18 kings, while the current king is HIH Oba (Dr.) Francis Olatunji Adedoyin (Olaogbin 1). By the help of God, presently the population of Modakeke indigene is Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand (220,000)

I am Kabiesi Olatunji Adedoyin, The Ogunsua of Modakeke. What we lost since 1980 was regained on 2nd April, 2002. We became self-independent like it was in the early 18th century before the dispersal into various locations in 1909. I cannot really say what caused the dispersal but I must tell you that Modakeke’ and Ifes had always been on each other’s throat over the years. However, disunity among my people as being witnessed now was immediate cause. There was a faction between the then Baale Akinsanya who was a stooge of Ooni (Olubuse 1) while another faction was led by Balogun Oke. The faction led by the Balogun remained loyal to the community. The breakup of love between Oba Akinsanya and his Balogun caused a polarized relationship which eventually led to the dispersal to different locations like Gbongan, Olufi, Ipetumodu and other Origbos, Ikire, Orile Owu and other Yoruba notable settlements.I need to tell you that we need freedom and they are against this. They want us to remain in perpetual slavery. Nobody is contesting the superiority of any Ooni of ife but what we are saying is that Modakeke is a different town like Ipetumodu, Edunabon, Ifetedo, Moro, Yakoyo, Akinlalu and others. We are all in Ife land. We cannot operate in isolation but what we are saying is that we are all the same. The issue of a person being discriminated against in his own fatherland is what we are against. We are under Ife and cannot do anything in isolation without others cooperation. Nevertheless, we deserve respect as a separate community different from Ile-ife. We are descendants of Oduduwa the progenitor of the Yorubas. We are peace loving people, what we condemn is cheating. As an individual, you have three children and you are fond of discriminating against two of the children, the other two, will kick against your policy, that is the situation.We are just rebuilding Modakeke, which shows my joy. Struggle is a continuous exercise, the struggle continues. We must not relent our efforts until we are full-fledged local government. Anyway, we must avoid any kind of struggle that will involve blood bath again. We have had enough of killing and house burning. We only need to results to constitutional means in achieving whatever might be our wish that is okay than any other means. My candid advice is that they (Modakeke people) should love one another and remain in unity because, united we stand, divided we fall in order to move this community forward.

The King Has Gone to The Great BeyondThe death of Oba Francis Olatunji Adedoyin, Olaogbin I, the Ogunsua of Modakeke has been announced by the Modakeke community of Osun State in Nigeria. Oba Francis Adedoyin was the Ogunsua of Modakeke from March 8, 1994 until his demise late August 2018.Oba Francis Adedoyin, Olaogbin I, the Ogunsua of Modakeke was born to the family of Pa Joshua Adedoyin and Mama Edunfunke Adedoyin in 1922. He was the youngest child of his maternal linage. He lived his early life with his grandmother, Madam Jala Adesola, who was a daughter of an Ooni of Ife from Akui Compound in Ile Ife. Oba Adedoyin started his elementary education in 1936 at the Holy Cross Catholic School Lagos. He later went on to complete his standard 6 education at Adenle Primary School, Osogbo. He taught briefly at St. Cyprian Primary School, Ofa between 1946 and 1947 before gaining an admission to Cooperative College, Ilesha. After his training, he was posted to Debee Village near Ogudu Abe where he served as Cooperative Secretary from 1947 to 1948 before returning to Modakeke as a community secretary. In Modakeke, he later became a postal agent at community postal agency until the agency became a full fedged post office in 1950. Oba Adedoyin was appointed as the Otun Asipa of Modakeke in 1963. He rose through the Modakeke chieftaincy ranks by becoming the Asiwaju, the Asipa, the Osi, the Otun, the Balogun and the Ogunsua of Modakeke.During the span of his reign, Modakeke was able to achieve notable progress in developments that are too numerous to mention. Of note are the opening of several bank branches; the creation of the LCDA; and the wearing of beaded crown by Modakeke monarchs. He also worked tirelessly among other Yoruba Obas to present the case of Modakeke as a people who should be given equal recognition as is given to any descendant of Oduduwa.Oba Francis Olatunji Adedoyin was an honest and dedicated leader who loved his people and his community. He was equally loved by his subjects. It goes without saying that Oba Adedoyin will be greatly missed not only by the people of Modakeke, but indeed by the entire Yoruba race. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Ogun and Egungun festival celebration has been prominent cultural celebration in Modakeke. Year in, year out, the festivals were given necessary facelift without restricting whoever felt the need of consulting the Ogun in different shrines. The celebration by the Wingbolu dynasty always comes with several packages such as the all-night party that preceded consultation at Ereta quarter. Ereta quarter has remained the orthodox Ogun Shrine in Modakeke since time in memoriam. Ogun festival is often succeeded by Egungun Festival.The market square is the centre of celebration when it comes to Egungun festival. Senior masquerades normally assembled at the market square on each Igbaja day. The eight-days celebration always comes with side attraction by youth groups organizing carnival for friends and well-wishers in a highly security conscious environment.

Chorus: Modakeke Akoraye Ilu ibile e wa, T’ife t’isokan la fi n bara wa lo, A mo ‘se aje, akikanju la je, B’ota n hale won nse lasan ni, Ori eye ko ni s’aigbe feye1. Oyo nile ibe lati se wa o T’a fi wa tedo pelu isokan Eye Ako lo fun wa loruko Akoraye t’a nje a o daje Ogunsowapo a o tuka mo o Adupe Olu to so wa dodidi (Chorus)2. Modakeke bi mo bi akinkanju Akonimora olufe ilee baba eni Eni to ni tara sise aje ni wa Ise agbe atowo layan laayo Ka ke p’Eledaa nigba isoro gbogbo Ka pa ‘na ote pelu isokan (Chorus)3. Ka pana ote, ka ma yan ra waje Fun tesiwaju ilu wa Ka se pade po pelu akin egbee wa Kaakiri orile-de Eyi la fi le ni ‘losiwaju gidi T’a fi to gbangba sun loye (Chorus)