HISTORY OF MOLEPE FESTIVAL IN IKIRUN

Long time ago, before the advent of islam in ikirun, the town was inhabited by idol worshipers. Later, islam came and it was spreading phenomenally to all the nooks and crannies of all the present day ikirunland and its environs.
There was peaceful co-existence among the settlers both Muslims and non muslims until such a time when rifts began to emerge among muslims to each other based on doctrinal differences. In other for this rift not to escalate beyond controllable stage, efforts were made by well meaning Muslim society leaders at that time to call all agreived parties together for a peaceful resolution of the crisis among them. This efforts yielded positive results and all the rifts among muslims amicably resolved to the satisfaction of all in an all inclusive general meeting. All these happened in 1922 and it was that scenario that brings out the name; Molepe.
Since then, it has become an annual event which all Muslims would gather to celebrate unity of faith and purpose among themselves.
Molepe is derived from two Yoruba words “Imole and Peju”. These words means Muslims is gathering. The meaning comes out as Muslims Gathered “imolepeju” and later abbreviated to MOLEPE. The spot where the rift was settled in 1922 became known as Molepe Ground. The society that spearheaded the amicable resolution of rift between the Muslims later became known as EGBE KILA. Egbe Kila later became an umbrella body to all Muslim groups and societies is known as Giwa.
It should be noted that Egbe kila is not limited to ikirun alone. It also exist in popular towns of Old Western Region such as; Ikorodu, Ijebu Ode, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Offa and Ede. Molepe Festival was first done under the leadership of Pa Buraimoh Afolabi Oyedeji who was the father of the current Giwa Kila Alhaji Chief Rasheed Ademola Oyedeji.
Molepe Festival since its establishment has been embraced and accepted as collective festival by everyone in ikirunland. It has become the festival of Muslims, Christian and Traditional Worshipers. Through modernization and innovation every year, Molepe has become a festival where sons daughter of Ikirun who sojourn in other towns, villages, within and outside Nigeria look forward to celebrate. Some prefer to celebrate Molepe alone in Ikirun.
The people of ikirun in those days usually seize the opportunity of Molepe Festival to take their intending wives to their homes without express permission of the bride parents. However, this primitive act has stopped since early 1940s. Molepe Festival has become a major social event now which is gradually turning into tourist attractive.