Oduduwa was a king and a prominent lord of the Yoruba who founded the Ife dynasty and is considered the creator god (orisha) in the Yoruba religion. His earthly origin, according to tradition, was from the village of Oke Ora. He was the holder of the Olofin title of Ile-Ife, the sacred city of the Yoruba.
The word Oduduwa, which is phonetically written as Odùduwà, is a name given to a person. This is the person to whom every Yoruba person traces their ancestry. He lived in the city of Ile-Ife or simply Ife, located in Nigeria's Osun State.
There are many narratives concerning this person. Some say he came from Egypt, others say no, he came from Mecca, yet others claim he was actually a prince of Edo, though differences are noted, and some even say he descended from the heavens, sent to create the land and other people.
Adijola (2006) reported that the Yoruba believe that God sent Oduduwa to create the earth and the human race, and therefore he and his people descended into the city of Ile-Ife in a chain. Eke (1992) also agreed with this view but added that "Oduduwa descended to this part of Ile-Ife with a cockerel, a palm nut, and soil in a pouch. He poured this soil onto the water's edge or surface, and the cockerel and palm nut then scratched and burrowed, spreading it out until they formed this land we live on." Gurstelle (2015) also reported this, adding further that after Oduduwa successfully accomplished this task, he was given authority to rule.
In oral tradition, while speaking with some elders of the King of Ife in 2016, they confirmed that they are certain a god named Oludumare sent him to the world to create the land and other people. They also agreed that this Oduduwa is the ancestor of every Yoruba person alive in this world. And the Yoruba people themselves accept this.
Furthermore, Aderibigbe (2014) stated that Oduduwa was sent by God (Oladumare) from heaven and he descended in the city of Ile-Ife, a city which in ancient times was water, which he then turned into land.
This man named Oduduwa established his royal seat with himself and his other people in the city of Ile-Ife, which later flourished and gave rise to sixteen other Yoruba kingdoms, including the extensive Oyo Empire.
Oduduwa fathered only one son named 'Okanbi', who in turn fathered sixteen children. These children of Okanbi are the first grandchildren of Oduduwa, and it is through them that every Yoruba lineage originated.
Oduduwa died in the city of Ile-Ife, where his first house became his tomb. To this day, this house remains, surrounded by a red brick wall in the city of Ile-Ife, not far from the house of the King of Ile-Ife.