HISTORY OF OFFA TOWN

HISTORY OF OFFA TOWN
Historically, Offa was founded by Olalomi Olofa-gangan; a crown prince from Oyo, and a direct descendant of king Oranmiyan in Ile-Ife, around 1395.
He was a renowned hunter reputed for his dexterity as an archer. The town was coined from the weapons Olalomi Olofagangan made used for his hunting activities. The weapon, which is a bow and arrow called ÒFÀ in the Yoruba Language.
Offa is the traditional headquarters of Ibolo dialect of the Yoruba speaking people of Kwara and Osun States. The town is renowned for Ìjàkadì (wrestling)
dated back to the 14th century. It is a cultural festival that was enacted around 1498 AD during the Moremi Festival. It is believed that Moremi was from Offa.
The festival coincides with the eating of the new yam. The eating of the new yam is characterized by
the cutting of the yam into two halves by a blindfolded man which is referred to in vernacular as "LA'ARE". Hence their cognomen "Omo pin re la'are", Ijakadi loro offa", a Yoruba phrase meaning
“wrestling is our game”.
Ijakadi as history has it, is the remembrance of the duel between the two illustrious sons of Offa who
wrestled each other at a farmyard over a tuber of yam. In the modern day and in commemoration, Ijakadi has now become a form of mock wrestling bout between the Olofa of Offa and his second in command (Essa), while the whole town cheers them on and take sides.
Ironically, Olofa usually wins the duel. This is to remind the people that Olofa remains the indisputable supreme authority of the town. But in his defensive excuse, "ESSA" would always find an excuse for his defeats thus "suku loyomi," meaning "it was the corn chaff that slipped me not the Olofa".
This usually attract a thunderous ovation from the crowd.
The city’s mascot is the peacock bird which is one of the most prominent exotic avian species in the region.The present-day Offa Local Government Area has 5 wards, namely; Essa, Ojomu, Balogun, Shawo and Igbo-Idun.#yorubablog

SOURCE