Ilesa Metropolis and the Case for an Ijesa State

I explore the history of the Ijesa nation, from traditions surrounding Owa Obokun Ajaka to the changing centres of power at Ileki, Ibokun, Ipole and present-day Ilesa. I also examine Ijesa relations with Ife, Oyo, Ibadan, Ilorin, Benin and British colonial rule. Ilesa remains the traditional centre of Ijesa land. Its wider metropolitan area covers Ilesa East, Ilesa West and nearby communities such as Ijebu-Jesa, Ijeda, Iwoye and Ere. I compare its population, markets, schools, health institutions, industries and employers with larger Nigerian urban centres. I also highlight the region's contributions to trade, cocoa production, mining, education and enterprise, including the Osomaalo instalment-payment tradition. In my view, Ijesa land has significant human and economic resources but has received limited institutional development, including a late arrival of a government-owned university. This raises a broader question: should Ijesa people have greater political autonomy, whether through a distinct state or a hypothetical independent republic?

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