The Ile-Oodua Palace
This is an adventure into the Yoruba history. At the Ile Nla (big House), your tour guide (definitely an emese characterised with half of the hair on his head shaved) will tell you what every carving at the entrance represents. He will also show you statues and explain their relevance. Your tour is likely to end at Ogun laadi shrine where you will be encouraged to say a prayer after giving a token for the maintenance of the shrine. The Ooni of Ife’s palace is a 21st century architectural masterpiece exclusively designed only for royalty. The all-white edifice is an eye delight from whichever side and whenever it is viewed. The epigraph inscribed on the building, however, revealed a structure which foundation stone was laid on August 1937 by the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi.
Inside the Ile-Oodua(Palace)we have
The Yeyemolu
This is Yeye Moolu in the palace of Oonirisa. She was the first wife of Oduduwa but was barren. She later married another woman for Oduduwa by the name Osaara. Yeye then told Oduduwa that she was getting old but her name must not be forgotten. She promised to surprise Oduduwa. She woke up one day and went to the backyard. She spoke to the ground for her to turn into whatever she liked.
Emese’s Court
The first ever court in the world is in Ile Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race popularly called The Source and is located inside the palace of the Ooni. Emese Court has been existing since the creation of the earth. It has been here since Oduduwa came into this world, and it is the first court in Nigeria and the world, where different cases like stealing, wife snatching, land or farmlands dispute, domestic violence etc are heard and settled just like the various courts we have in the country today. It might interest you to know that there are four Courts in this Palace where cases are heard – The first one is with the High Chiefs, The second is Emese Court, the third is with Kabiyesi (the king), the fourth one is at ‘Ile Ase’. The highest ruling court here is ‘Ile Ase’ House of Command. Whatever judgement made here is the final. If someone is unsatisfied with judgement he gets in other three courts, he can take the case to ‘Ile Ase’ House of Command which is the final.
Ogun Ladi
The ogun ladi is a stone that is situated in the palace. It is where people of those days go to resolve any dispute or disagreement. It is used only when the court(emese) couldn’t reach a verdict on a particular issue.
Ile-Nla(Big House)
On a brick wall and above a black, solid panel door within a built-up section of the palace called Ile Nla hangs a black-and- white (8’ by 10’) photograph of the king wearing the Ade Are.
Ade Are ( Are’s crown) was believed to have been first worn by Oduduwa, is in his territory, there is no other crown like that in the world. It is very heavy and the king wears it only once in a year, during the annual Olojo festival. It can never dirty and it is never washed. All the 51 Oonis since the time of Oduduwa have worn it during their reign. The crown is worn only after some sacrifices have been performed. And that sacrifice is what makes the crown lighter for the king to move about in and must be done days before the king is to wear the crown.