Iwo town history

The Iwo Kingdom is a traditional state based on the city of Iwo in Osun State, Nigeria. The Yoruba kingdom, whose ruler is titled "Oluwo of Iwo", was established in the 14th century AD.^[1]

The Iwo people, like all other people of Yoruba stock are said to have originally belonged to Ile-Ife from where they migrated sometime in the 14th century. The earliest settlement was founded by Adekola Telu, son of the 16th Ooni of Ife, a female called Luwo Gbagida.^[1] The present city of Iwo was founded in the 16th or 17th century.^[2]

Rulers

Rulers of Iwo were:^[1]

Start	End	Ruler
1415	1505	Parin
1505	1541	Olayilumi
1550	1610	Adegunodo
1610	1673	Olufate Gbase
1673	1744	Alawusa
1744	1816	Ogunmakinde
1816	1906	Monmodu Ayinla Lamuye
1906	1909	Sunmonu Osunwo
1909	1929	Sanni Alabi Abimbola Lamuye
1929	1930	Seidu Adubiaran Lamuye
1930	1939	Abanikanda Amuda Akande
1939	1952	Kosiru Ande Lamuye
1953	1957	Raifu Ajani Adegoroye
1958	1982	Samuel Omotoso Abimbola
1992	2013	Asiru Olatunbosun Tadese

9th of November 2015 till present Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi Ilufemiloye Telu 1 from Molaasan Royal family a sub.section of Gbaase ruling house was installed as the 16th Oluwo of Iwoland

The Official Website Of The State Of Osun > About Osun > Major Towns > Iwo

Iwo

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•  

• Osogbo
• Iwo
• Ikirun
• Ila Orangun
• Ile-Ife
• Ilesa
• Ikire
• Ejigbo
• Ede

Iwo is a rich agricultural area with distance of about 45 kilometres from Ibadan and Osogbo. It has an area of 245 km² and a population of 191,348 making it the most populous Local Government in State of Osun by the 2006 Nigeria National census figures.

Its agriculturally rich advantage makes it a major trading centre for cocoa, kolanuts , foodstuff, yams, meat and  timber . The popular Odo- Ori market in Iwo attracts traders from within and outside the state.

Iwo is also strategic because the railway tracks from Ibadan passes through the town. This helps the commercial and economic development of  Iwo and other towns and local government around.

The Oluwo of Iwoland is the traditional ruler and Chairman, Council of Obas in Iwo Zone. He is the political and spiritual head of Iwoland. There are about eighty- one (81) district towns and villages, each of which is headed by a Baale (District Head) with his Chiefs, all of whom are appointed by the Oluwo as guardians of culture and tradition of the towns and villages on behalf of the Oluwo.

Important landmarks in the ancient town includes, Bowen University, Sharia College of Nigeria, the meeting point of River Oba and River Osun, a state owned radio-vision station and the recently established Oloba Cattle Hub.