History of Iree,osun state.Nigeria

Iree (also Ire or Iree Alalubosa) is a Yoruba town in the north-eastern part of Osun State, Nigeria, West Africa. Its geographical coordinates are 7.55 North and 4.43 East. Iree is one of the major towns in the Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State. It is located on the Osogbo-Illa-Orangun road, about 30 km from Osogbo and 8 kilometers from Ikirun. It is surrounded by the following towns: Ikirun, Iba, Eripa, Ada, Aagba, Ororuwo, and Iragbiji. Iree and many other towns in the same region have their names beginning with the letter 'I' and so, are usually described as being located in the 'I' District. Such towns include Ikirun, Iba, Illa-Orangun, Inisa, Iragbiji, Iresi, Itake and Imoleke. Iree is also situated in a valley amidst seven prominent hills which, in the past, have served as natural fortresses in times of war — primarily during the Yoruba civil wars of the nineteenth century and most especially, from hostile neighboring communities. The seven hills are: Eru Hill, Ilako Hill, Ipole Hill, Adanimole Hill, Aganna Hill, Apo Hill, and Maye Hill. The 7-hill topography of the town makes it a beautiful attraction to tourists and the warm hospitality of its people makes a visit to Iree a pleasantly memorable experience that brings tourists back there time and again.

Iree was founded by Arolu, an immigrant from Ipee, a town near Offa in Kwara State. He had first settled on Ipole Hill. Soon, many people joined him and the town quickly developed into a big settlement. The earliest people were farmers. The nearby location where they found most suitable for their farming and hunting later became Eripa town because Lakadi, the founder of Eripa not only joined them at that hunting location but also settled permanently there at Eripa. The kolanut and palm trees the Iree people planted in Eripa in succeeding years remain there till today as heritage to their descendants. Aided by four perennial streams that supply water needed for irrigation, the town soon became very popular for three commodities - black-eyed peas, vegetables and leafy onions. Because Iree produced the leafy onions in commercial quantities, the town soon became known around its vicinity as "Iree Alalubosa" (i.e. Iree, the land of leafy onions). Amongst Iree's four perennial streams, River Egudu was the town's greatest asset because of its constant supply of water all year round. It then became a rest area, even for travellers. That is why Iree descendants today are poetically praised as "Omo Larooye, omo Arolu, omo Akoisa - Legudu, Ayabu-ero, meaning, "Child of Larooye, and of Arolu, and of Akoisa, who abide by the Egudu river, a free source of refreshing drink for passers-by". The Egudu River is near the present site of Iree Baptist High School. Hunting was also one of the commonest activities the earliest Iree settlers engaged in and many important places in Iree today got their names from the celebration of heroic deeds of Iree's first hunters. For example, using the jagged spear (Asa) which was their commonest hunting weapon, Arolu, the founder of the town, at a nearby river killed an elephant. Thus the river was named Odo Asa (Asa River). The hill where Arolu's hunting bag was usually hung was named Oke Apo (the bag hill). The actual tree on that hill on which Arolu hung his hunting bag was an Ire tree. So, Iree was named after that tree. Similarly, the place where Arolu's associates killed their first elephant was named Ibiti a ti ri erin pa (i.e. the place where we killed an elephant). Later, it was shortened to –"A r'erinpa", then "Erinpa" and finally, Eripa. Eripa town shares an indisputable closeness with Iree town up till today. The founding and establishment of Iree was the handiwork of three brothers, namely: Larooye, Arolu and Oyekun. This trio has over the years become known in Iree's oral tradition as "the three great brothers". Arolu was the first to settle at the location that became Iree today. Arolu was an immigrant from Ipee, and a son of the Onipe. His other brothers were Larooye, Oyekun, Akoisa and Olaolu. The Onipe himself had migrated from Oyo with fanfare. The Alaafin (King) of Oyo offered Onipe the position of a provincial Oba (king) at the Ekunosi sector of his domain which was around Offa, a town in Kwara State. He was invested with the "Ejigba" Opa-Ileke or beaded staff and other royal insignia. At Ipee, the Onipe was blessed with many children. One of them, the then Prince Arolu, was befallen by one misfortune after another. Some of his wives did not conceive while the others bore infants who died soon after birth. So he decided to leave Ipee and seek his fortune elsewhere. The oracle he consulted before leaving Ipee had advised him to move towards the Ibolo provincial area of the Alaafin's domain and stop on a hill he would reach after he must have crossed seven thick forests. When he left Ipee, he left with all the rights and privileges of a crowned Oba (king). When he got as far as Offa, he and his entourage stayed a short while with his friend, Ogungbiji Oyerinle, who tried but failed in persuading him to stay permanently in Offa. After he had moved on, he got to Ipole Hill, where he became convinced that it was the chosen place for his settlement. There, he built a shelter and made his living. Thus the town of Iree was born. Today, the descendants of Iree are referred to as Ara Ori-lpole