File:Brief history of Ilase ijesa, Osun State, Nigeria.pdf

Historical evidence confirmed that Ilase-Ijesa is a traditional town, people, by various ancestral settlers who migrated from Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba race, about 1140A. The notable among the settlers was their group headed by Obalufon, a direct descendant of Olofin; a second group left their Ilase Ile-Ife of Ilode Area of Ile-Ife to settle in modern-day Ilase-Ijesa, some other groups Viz:

Alase, Ogidan, Ajedan, Asa, and Onikin, followed later and each of these groups occupied distinct quarters that have become streets in Ilase-Ijesa till today. Obalufon later returned to Ile-Ife after solving his people's problem of portable water by providing Onifon stream adjacent to Onifon street names after Obalufon, and all are still in existence at Ilase-Ijesa till today.

Plea to adopt the original title of Alase of Ilase-Ijesa, Obalufon left the people under the traditional headship of Alase, a prince from Ile-Ife, after him the subsequent rulers adopted the title of Alase of "Ilase-Ijesa". The palace of prince Alase of Ile-Ife is still in present-day Ile-Ife and is occupied by Obalase of Ile-Ife of Ilode quarters of Ile-Ife till date.

Also, the palace of Alase of Ilase-Ijesa in the present day Ilase-Ijesa is near Oke-Oja. The shrine of the Orisa-Alase, which was brought from Ile-Ife, is still found at Oke-Imorisa, Ilase-Ijesa to date.

During the 19th century in 1878-1886, Yoruba inter-tribal wars coupled with the Ibariba of Nupe wars pressed hard on the Ijesa people of the Ilase-Ijesa community. There was a long period of interregnum that arises of whom to fill the vacant stool of Alase among the people of Ilase-Ijesa after several meetings and agreement decided to send Saro as a war chieftaincy meet Owa to request for a temporary ruler. That was how the original title of Alase of Ilase changed to Lojaship which emerged Loja Sakarisa has his mother, Oladoyin a daughter of Alaafin of Oyo, Ladigbolu as first Loja of Ilase-Ijesa, and descent the three ruling houses of today including Anibijuwon Ruling House, Ajarabiolu Ruling House, and Arojojoye Ruling House.

1. LOJA SAKARISA 1778-1789 2. LOJA AAGBAGBA 1790-1805 3. LOJA APAKO 1896-1816 4. LOJA LABAOKUN 1817-1824 5. LOJA AGBENLA 1825-1835 6. LOJA OJOKAKWANYI AJARABIOLU 1837-1852 7. LOJA OJO AROJOJOYE 1854-1869 8. LOJA LUKE OKUN AJARABIOLU 1870-1890 9. LOJA AWOMUDE ANIBIJUWON 1917-1924 10 LOJA LUKE OKUN AJARABIOLU 1924-1934 11. LOJA ANIYELOYE 1934-1967 12. LOJA JOEL IGE ALAKE AROJOJOYE ll 1976-1986 13. LOJA EZEKIEL AGBOOLA FASINA ANIBIJUWON 1991-2013