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‘Ugbo, Not Igbo, Are First Settlers in Ile-Ife’ – Olugbo debunk false historical claim

July 31, 2025 • 2 min read

July 31, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

The Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom in Ondo State, Oba Dr. Frederick Akinruntan, has sounded a warning about the distortion of Ife’s history, particularly claims that the Igbos were the first settlers in the Ife Kingdom.

According to the monarch, such assertions are unfounded and lack credible evidence.

Oba Akinruntan emphasized the need to correct these false narratives before they become entrenched through books and other forms of documentation.

He cited the works of renowned historians, including Professors Anthony Asiwaju and Isola Olomola, who have researched the topic and concluded that the pre-Ife settlers were indeed the Ugbos, not the Igbos.

The monarch noted that respected historians of Igbo extraction, such as Professors Kenneth Dike, Adiele Afigbo, and Elizabeth Isichei, have written extensively on Igbo history and culture without suggesting that the Igbos founded Ile-Ife.

He questioned the credibility of new historians who claim otherwise, stating, “Perhaps, these newly emergent ‘jankara’ historians believe that they parade better credentials that qualify them to write so authoritatively on the history of the Igbo than the afore-mentioned eminent and highly celebrated Ugbo Professors of History.”

Oba Akinruntan highlighted the historical significance of Ugbo in Ife’s history, pointing out that pre-Oduduwa Ife was also known as Ugbomokun, with the central market called Ugbo Akira and the palace referred to as Ule Ugbo.

He also cited the Ifa corpus, which references the reign of the Olugbo at Ife, saying, “Kutukutu oba ugbo, osangangan obamakin,” which translates to “the king of Ugbo presided in the beginning, Obamakin came later.”

The monarch warned that if these falsehoods are not addressed, they could have far-reaching consequences, potentially undermining the historical and spiritual significance of Ile-Ife as the cradle of Yoruba civilization and diminishing the importance of Ugbo in Yoruba history.