The Idanre Hills or Oke Idanre is an ancient settlement that thrived on the hills until the introduction of western civilisation by a group of missionaries led by Rev. Gilbert Carter.
This western civilisation created a divide in religious and social beliefs, and this divide led crises leading to the gradual yet total downhill migration of the Idanre people.
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According to oral history, Idanre Hills was supposedly founded by Olofin Aremitan said to be the younger brother of Oduduwa the founder of Yoruba tribes in Nigeria. After Oduduwa’s death the tussle for power that saw Oduduwa’s son victorious led to the migration of Olofin and his followers to Utaja, close to the foot of Idanre hills.
After Olofin’s death, Agboogun became King and sought to protect his people from invasion, so he made a decision to migrate them from the foot of the hills to Oke-idanre (the top of the hills) thus beginning the start of the now abandoned ancient civilisation on Idanre Hills.
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Although the hills have been deserted and abandoned the people still go up for festivities and even farming. The hills still preserves the ancient civilisation, rich landscape and cultural heritage of what used to be.
Written by: Amarachi