short history of ara
Ara is one of the three oldest towns located within the former Ede local government Area. The other two oldest towns in this area are Awo, the headquarters of the newly created Egbedore local government and Ojo, located between Ara and Ede. Upon the creation of Egbedore local government, in the year 1989 and Osun state in 1991, Ara along with Awo and Ojo were incorporated into these new administration units.
The Genesis of Ara
Ara is an ancient town. The founder of Ara was Orira, who migrated from lle Ife possibly as early as the 10th century.
Orira was a son of Aranfe, one of the sons of Olofin Oduduwa, the forefather and the source of the Yorubas. When Orira sought permission from his father, Aranfe to travel and establish his own settlement, his father granted permission and prayed that wherever he settled, the place should be used to accomplish something unique (Arà in Yoruba). Orira named his settlement Ara based on his father's prayer. Ara was established long before Ede came to be.
When Ara was given a beaded crown by his grandfather, Oduduwa, when he was coming to establish his settlement of Ara. Orira's marriage was blessed with six sons each of whom became Alara in succession after the death of their father. The Obabon, Apaja, Onilepa, Okege, Oyelami, and Lalu. Each of these sons was blessed with children, although Lalu, the youngest had no son. The five brothers who had sons formed the ruling houses in Ara. Lalu has no ruling house because according to the culture, a daughter of Alara has no right to be chosen as Alara.
Orira, like each of his five sons Obabon, Apaja, Onilepa, Okege and Oyelami sank in to the ground alive when each of them reached the limit of their life span. There are six Alara in that manner in those days; the inhabitants had to desert their settlement to find a new one wherever the new Alara choses to resettle.
Oyelami, the fifth son of Orira and the sixth Alara sank into the ground. He was the last Alara to sink alive instead of having a tomb. Oyelami instructed the Royal family members before he sank that no Alara after him should sink again, rather they should die and be buried in tombs. Since then the Alaras have been buried. The Alaras who suceeded Oyelami in the original town of Ara were Lalu, Adumari, Ajadi, Laagbo,and Adedijo.
In summary, eleven Alaras reigned in the original Ara in the following order:
(1) Orira the founder
(2) Obabon
(3) Apaja
(4) Onilepa
(5) Okege
(6) Oyelami, Alara who sank last
(7) Lalu
(8) Adumari
(9) Ajadi
(10) Laagbo and Adedijo
THE GENESIS OF THE FIVE RULING HOUSE IN ARA
(1) Obabon beget the Odusina ruling house.
(2) Apaja beget the Laagbo (Olawoagba) ruling house.
(3) Onilepa beget Adejijo Ruling house.
(4) Okege beget the Ajadi Ruling house.
(5) Oyelami beget Adumari Ruling house.
(6) Agbetusi was added with 1979 declaration.
During the reign of Alara Adumari, the eight Alara, a local conflict called the ljesha war about 1755-1760 threatened the Ara community, the ljesha warriors were kidnapping children from Ara and other nearby communities.
As a result of this war, the Alara of Ara, the Olójo of Ojo, and the Alawo of Awo, met and together deliberated on what step could be taken to combat the horrible impact of the ljesha war on their ancient communities.
These Obas resolved to send a delegation to Sango Olufinran, the fourth Alaafin of Oyo to ask that he provide them with someone who could help to protect the three communities. On arriving in Oyo, the delegation tabled their case.
The Alaafin received them warmly and asked them to wait until his Eso (Warriors) return from a particular war, when the Alaafin's Eso, Gbonka and Alapotiemi were coming back from the war, the Alaafin called the delegation of Alara, Alawo and Olojo to point to their choice among the Esos, the delegation pointed to a particular Eso who hung the heaviest charm bag on his shoulder, Alapotiemi whose name means the (heaviest charm bag owner) his actual name is Agbale Olofa Ina and became the founder and first Timi of Ede.
After their choice, the Alaafin willingly released Alapotiemi now called Timi to follow them and help ward off any external aggression or attack. The Timi established Ede for this purpose. Despite the relationship with Timi Ara was raided during the Eleepo war with Ibadan. The Eleepo war forced the inhabitants of Ara to flee, resulting to the end of the original community of Ara, the Ibadan warrior Eleepo. This period of Yoruba intratribal warfare occurred between 1850 and 1864.
new ARA
After some years, the Royal sons of Timi, Ara decided to refound Ara on the site of present Ara town. After re-establishment of the present Ara, the first Royal to become first Alara in the new Ara was Odusina the son of Alara Obabon. When Odusina and his brothers were coming to re-establish their forefather's town of Ara, they first went to inform Alara Oyelami's daughter Mogbesola who was married to Oluwo of Iwo, when Mogbesola briefed her husband, the Oluwo on the matter, he was very happy to hear that Odusina and his brothers would re-establish his inlaw's town. To show his support, Oluwo asked one of Mogbesola's sons Omoleke to follow Odusina and others to help them re-establish new Ara. Several decades after the new Ara had been properly settled Omoleke was installed as Bara of Ara land. The Bara is therefore the most senior.
Profile of the Alara Of Ara Kingdom
Oba Dr. Olubayo Adesola Windapo, MBBS, FAGP, J.P
Oba Dr. Olubayo Adesola Windapo, a man of humble beginnings, was born on August 26, 1961 to the family of Chief Timothy Akanni, a bricklayer and Madam Munirat Aduke Windapo, a petty trader, both of blessed memory, of Abata Compound, Lalupon in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State. His ancestors came from Ara in the State of Osun to fight the Yoruba wars on the side of Bashorun Ogunmola, who upon his victory settled them in Lalupon. No wonder, destiny took him back home to be installed as the Alara of Ara Kingdom in Egbedore Local Government, Osun State.
The young Olubayo attended St. Luke's Anglican School, Lalupon before proceeding to the prestigious Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan where he wrote his WASCE in 1979. It is on record in the school that Olubayo led his class all through and was the Head boy and, also had the best graduating result. Being an indigent student, he was a beneficiary of Oyo State and Ogunsola Foundation scholarships.
Olubayo got admitted on merit to the College of Medicine, University of Lagos in 1981. Despite the seriousness of his course, the sociable and energetic O'Windy, as he is popularly called, was a student activist and class leader. His vibrant class produced the best ever year book of the graduating class of 1986 under his chairmanship. The mandatory housemanship and National Service took the young Doctor to Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomoso and Nigeria Army Medical Corps, Lagos respectfully. He then proceeded to have surgical apprenticeship under his mentor, late Dr. Oluyombo Awojobi at Awojobi Clinic, Eruwa (ACE).
A budding surgeon, Bayo acquired more surgical skills at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi from where he went into private medical practice since 1992. He pitched his tent with the downtrodden in the urban slums of Lagos, Shomolu/Bariga where Adesola Hospital is a household name.
An accomplished medical practitioner, Bayo is an active member of Association of Rural Surgical Practitioners of Nigeria (ARSPON), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and a Fellow of Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria(AGPMPN) among others.
A product of benevolence, Bayo's religion is service to humanity. This and his belief in structure giving made him to embrace Rotary Movement, where he has been a past President of Rotary Club of Gbagada. He is a Past Assistant Governor(PAG).
Kabiyesi Olubayo Adesola Windapo has a special love for his alma mata, Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan from where some of the best brains in this country were nurtured and in whom he was inspired. He was once the Secretary, Lagos Branch, National Secretary and later, the 1st National Vice President of the Old Boys Association. He is a Member, Board of Trustees, Lagelu Grammar School Old Boys Association and a Distinguished Lagelite.
A Christian of the Anglican faith at birth, but now a full fledged Baptist, Olubayo was a member of Christian Youth Followers (CYF) and Young Men Christian Association(YMCA) of Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial (BAHM) Church, Surulere, Lagos, where he also served as a volunteer in the Church clinic and a member of the Church Medical Society.
Oba Windapo has served the society locally and nationally. He served on many health committees in Shomolu/Bariga Local government. He headed the Committee that wrote the blue print for Eko N'keko, the adult literacy programme of Governor Ambode. Oba Windapo also served on the Governing Council of Federal College of Education, (Special)(SPED), Oyo between 2017 and 2019, acting as the Chairman in the last year of the tenure. He also served on the Presidential Visitation Panel to University of Uyo in 2021.
Oba Windapo has a number of laurels to his name, both local and international, especially in Rotary International. He was awarded African Regional Award for Achievement in Ending Polio.
A man of many parts, Bayo loves partying, travelling, reading and writing. He is the author of a compilation of travelogues titled "Pleasure in Fellowship".
Oba Dr. Bayo Windapo has undiluted faith in the special Grace of God in his life and hence only embraces all that will bring about Love and Peace through service to humanity in general and our fatherland, Ara Kingdom in particular.
Oba Windapo is married and blessed with children.
