Odo Oba: The Sacred River of Iwo People



The river Odo Oba flows through Iwo land, and because of this, the people of Iwo have long embraced the identity “Iwo Omo Olodo Oba”, Iwo, the children of River Oba. It’s a spiritual and ancestral recognition of Oba’s enduring legacy. Her presence in their environment is not just physical, but spiritual, symbolizing purity, loyalty, and divine motherhood.


In some accounts, Oba, after being cast out of Sango’s palace, briefly married another powerful man called Ajagun, hence the praise chant: “Yeye Oba aya Ajagun.” But regardless of the version, both agree she ultimately transformed into the sacred river still venerated today.


To the Iwo people, Odo Oba is not just a river, it is a symbol of resilience, motherhood, dignity, and ancestral pride. The worship of the river and its deification shows how Yoruba mythology is deeply interwoven with geography, morality, and social structure. It’s also a lesson in betrayal, power dynamics among royal wives, and the consequences of unchecked jealousy.


Odo Oba is a river of story and spirit. For the people of Iwo, its flow carries history and identity, a living reminder of Oba’s grace, her unjust suffering, and her transformation into a deity. It is why they proudly bear the name “Omo Olodo Oba”, linking every child of Iwo to the eternal river of a once-gentle queen.

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