Alara () is the royal title of the king of Ilara-Mokin land in Nigeria. The Alara may be addressed as Oba, like rulers in other Yoruba kingdoms, or as His Royal Majesty. Alara is also known to be unquestionable, with an authority that is said to be next to the gods .
The first Alárá of Ilara-Mokin was Ọbalúfọ̀n Modulua Olutipin, who was also known as Obalufon Alayemore (some sources identify the Ọbàlùfọ̀n here as Obalufon Ogbogbodirin. According to oral history, Ọbàlùfọ̀n fled from Ilé-Ìfẹ̀ called Ará (meaning family or relative) (hence why Ilara is named Ilara, "The one who has many relatives") along with other people and fellow leaders such as Ajígun Ọlọ́fin after being deposed by Oranmiyan.[1] There, Ọbalufon established many settlements and towns in what is now the Ekiti region. Among those towns were Ìlárá. Upon Obalufon's departure, he placed his son Àyájọ́ on the throne as the second Alárá.
The name Alárá comes from the phrase, "oní ará," meaning, "The leader of the family," referring to the original place where the people of Ìlárá-Mọ̀kín originated from. Kings of other towns in the Ekiti and surrounding regions also founded by Ọbalufon also use the title Alárá, such as Alárá of Arámọkọ-Èkìtì, Alárá of Ará (in Osun State).
Because Ilara-Mokin became a part of the Akure Kingdom in the 19th century, the Alara answered to the Déjì of Akure and had to pay homage, tribute, and was not permitted to wear a crown. He was regarded as a, "baálẹ̀," even though historically, the Alara was regarded as a king in his own right. This continued into the absorption of Ilara into Colonial Nigeria. When Nigeria gained independence, the Alara was elevated to a monarch (Ọba), and beginning with Alara Ojopagogo, the Alara was allowed to wear a crown.
Ilara-Mokin has two royal houses, Agbekorun and Afunbiokin (houses, whom were originally one royal dynasty before being split by the descendants of Alara Agbekorun, Iyata I and Alara Afunbiokin, Agbesa I, who were both male line descendants of the second Alara, Ayajo. The Kingship thus alternates between the two houses. The current monarch is a member of the Agbekorun House, and is a direct descendant of Oba Agbekorun.[2]
A council of 9 or 12 chiefs called the Kingmakers, "Afọbajẹ," headed by the Lisa of Ilara-Mokin, have the traditional power to enthrone the king, with the aid of the Ifa. The Lisa or another Chief Ifa priest often performs the Ifa rituals needed to consult the god Ọ̀rúnmìlà regarding who was the best candidate to become King. The royal house that is due to rule presents a series of princes who become candidates to the throne. Once the Kingmakers select the King, he is put through a series of rituals based on the Ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion of the Yoruba people, before he is presented to the people and crowned.
His Royal Highness, Oba Abiodun Aderemi Adefehinti is the king of Ilara-Mokin, he ascended the throne on 17 July 1998.
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| c.1400s | Founding of current Ilara-Mokin ruling dynasty | |
| c.1410-1420 | Obalufon Modulua "Olutipin", Alara | Said to be the same person as Obalufon Alayemore, he founded many Ekiti towns. He led his family and a group of supporters from Ile Ife and among the communities he founded became Ilara-Mokin, before leaving to return to Ife. He placed his son, Ayajo on the throne. His main supporters became the six high chiefs of the town, known as Iare. Obalufon also brought several deities from Ife, including Olofin, the deified form of his ancestor Oduduwa. He was later deified himself |
| c.1420 - mid-1400s | Ayajo, Alara | Son of Obalufon Olutipin, became ruler of Ilara after his father returned to Ile-Ife. He firmly established the deities worshipped today by the people of Ilara-Mokin, including Olofin (representing his deified ancestor Oduduwa), his father Obanifon, and Ifa. |
| 1460-1470 | Ogbolumodu-Ifa, Alara | Brother of Ayajo. He was a warrior and Ilara was engaged in several wars during his reign, and was blamed for Ilara's strife. He died in battle |
| c.1470-c.1500 | Olugbo, Alara | Son of Ayajo. He was deified upon his death |
| 1500-1550 | Eyinmirin, Alara | Son of Ayajo, older brother of Olugbo, and lived to be quite old. |
| unknown | Itakiti Owunrin, Alara | Son of Ayajo |
| unknown | Arayagbokun, Alara | Son of Olugbo |
| unknown | Ariyunbole, Alara | |
| unknown | Ogbarugbode Alara | Son of Ariyinbole |
| unknown | Ogidi Loogun (Oke bi orun-o-si), Alara | Son of Ogbarugbode |
| unknown | Otiti (Elewo Oogun), Alara | Son of Ogidi Loogun |
| unknown | Atakorogbaun, Alara | Son of Otiti |
| unknown | Ogidigidi Loogun, (Ateri Iroko Mudako), Alara | Possibly the same as Oba Ogidi Loogun, or a descendant |
| unknown | Oyelekan (Oboye Leekan), Alara | son of Ogidigidi Loogun |
| late 1600s | Adeyeye I, Alara | Likely a grandson of Eyinmirin. He was the 4x-great-grandfather of Oba Adeyeye II, Solomon Adubi Ojopagogo |
| 1600s | Esunmirin Egbeke, Alara | Son of Adeyeye I |
| 1700s | Adetomiluyi, (Alataoji Ori), Alara | |
| 1750 | Apeloye bi Awukale, Alara | Reigned for a few days |
| 1740-1760 | Ajiperi Igbodo, Alara | Likely a son of Adeyeye I. His great-great-great grandson later became king in 1957. |
| 1760 to 1815 | Agbekorun (Iyata I), Alara | Progenitor of one of the current royal houses of Ilara-Mokin, Agbekorun. He rose to the throne at the age of 3 after the sudden death of his father, Ajiperi, and ruled for 55 years before dying at the age of 68 and succeeded by a male relative. He is an ancestor of the current Alara. He was driven to a place called Adebulu. |
| c. 1815-1850 | Afunbiokin (Agbesa), Alara | |
| c. 1850-1863 | Olokundugba (Agunsoye), Alara | A son of Agbekorun. Ilara people settled in Agbesa/Apomu in their present location after being granted permission by the Deji of Akure, Ojijigogun. |
| c. 1863-1883 | Osuntuyi (Odundun Asodedero), Alara | Said to be a younger brother of Agunsoye, some rumors suggest he killed his older brother Agunsoye |
| c. 1883-1918 | Òpókìtì Ifámorítiyé "Baba Akáyé jo bí ió", Alara | A paternal grandson Afinbiokin. Alara during Kiriji War, died in 1918. During his reign was the establishment of cash crops such as cocoa, coffee, and orange. |
| 1918-1937 | Òkérùkù, Agunlokobioyinbo Adébumiti, Alara | Nephew of Oba Opokiti (his father, Olumi, was an older brother of Opokiti), and paternal great-grandson of Afinbiokin. First Alara born in their present location. He cooperated with the establishment of Christianity and Western Education to Ilara-Mokin. |
| 1937 - 1957 | Àdàmú Aládégbohungbe (Arójòjoyè Adeletejiteji), Alara | Son of Alara Opokiti. He was sent into exile to the town of Ilesha, by the Colonial administration for disturbing the peace of his kingdom and the Native Authority because he wore a beaded crown, which was a direct offense to the ruler of the Akure Kingdom, Adesida I, the only monarch allowed to wear a crown. |
| 1958 - October 16, 1994 | Solomon Adubi Ojopagogo, Afunbiokin Adeyeye II, Alara | The first Christian Alara, born in 1923, rose to the throne in 1958. His reign was opposed by several kingmakers, likely because his connection to throne of Ilara-Mokin was very distant and he was not related to any of the previous monarchs that had ruled for over 150 years. He was a member of the Eyinmirin royal dynasty, one of the three original ruling houses of Ilara-Mokin. His rise to the throne was also likely caused by the exile of his predecessor. According to local historians, his father was Thomas Ojopagogo, who was a son of Fato. Fato was the sun of Fadulu, Fadulu was a son of Aderibido, and Aderibido was the eldest son of Alara Ajiperi. Ajiperi was a great-grandson of Eyinmirin. Thus, he was a great-great-great grandson of Alara Ajiperi, who last ruled in the late 1700s. While originally Ilara-Mokin recognized three royal houses, Olugbo, Eyinmirin, and Itakiki, the government allowed the change to two royal houses, Afinbiokin and Agbekorun, to simply the number of princes, since Olugbo, Eyinmirin, and Itakiti were ancient figures who also were regarded as deities. Thus, this distant connection to the throne angered descendants of Afinbiokin, but his rise to the throne was made possibly by support from elders such as the Obaala of Ilara-Mokin. He ruled until his death in October 1994, member of the Afinbiokin Royal House. He was widely beloved for his promotion of festivals and cultural activities in Ilara Mokin Kingdom, and was the first monarch of Ilara-Mokin to wear a beaded crown. |
| July 15, 1998–present | Abiodun Aderemi Adefehinti, Agbekorun II, Alara | Descendant of Agbekorun, member of the Agbekorun Royal House, rose to the throne upon the death of Oba Ojopagogo II and was crowned on July 17, 1998, and is the current King. He faced controversy and disapproval for his refusal to participate in traditional rites as a "born again Christian" |