Oba Akinruntan on Ugbo history debunks claims that Igbos founded Ife, insisting the Ugbos were the original settlers, citing top historians for support
The Olugbo of Ugbo land, Oba Dr. Frederick Akinruntan, has firmly rejected claims suggesting that the Igbo people were the original settlers of Ile-Ife, the spiritual heart of the Yoruba people.
According to the monarch, historical evidence shows that the Ugbos were the first inhabitants of Ile-Ife, not the Igbos as claimed in some recent publications.
In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ademibo Akingboye, the Paramount Ruler of Ugbo Kingdom warned against what he described as false historical narratives being pushed through books and online platforms.
“These misleading accounts must be stopped before they are accepted as truth. They attempt to institutionalize falsehoods about Yoruba origins,” he stated.
Oba Akinruntan specifically challenged assertions that Oduduwa overthrew a peaceful Igbo spiritual system and that the Yoruba monarchy is rooted in Igbo traditions.
He dismissed these theories as unsubstantiated and driven by selective social media commentary rather than credible historical research.
Citing respected historians, including Professors Anthony Asiwaju and Isola Olomola, the monarch emphasized that the pre-Oduduwa settlers of Ile-Ife were the Ugbos.
These misleading accounts must be stopped before they are accepted as truth. They attempt to institutionalize falsehoods about Yoruba origins.
He also referenced the works of prominent Igbo scholars such as Prof Kenneth Dike, Prof Adiele Afigbo, and Prof Elizabeth Isichei, none of whom, according to him, ever suggested that the Igbos founded Ile-Ife.
Oba Akinruntan provided historical context for his claims, stating that ancient Ife was once called Ugbomokun, with key landmarks named after Ugbo people. These included:
Ugbo Akira (the central market),
Ule Ugbo (the palace).
He also referred to Ifa divination verses, which mention early Ugbo rule in Ile-Ife:
“Kutukutu Oba Ugbo, Osangangan Obamakin” — translated as “The king of Ugbo ruled in the beginning, Obamakin came later.”
The monarch warned that these “jankara historians” and unverified stories threaten the historical integrity of Ile-Ife and diminish the spiritual significance of the Ugbo people in Yoruba history.
“If not corrected, this dangerous distortion could undermine Yoruba civilisation and the rightful place of Ugbo people in it,” he concluded.
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