Pre-1500 — Ancient settlement#
Ile-Ife is the cradle of Yoruba civilisation. The Ife terracotta and bronze heads (c. 1100–1400 CE) — excavated by Frobenius (1910) and Bernard Fagg/Frank Willett (1948–63) — are among Africa's most accomplished naturalistic sculpture.
1500 — 1804 — Pre-colonial polities#
The Ooni of Ife is the spiritual head of all Yoruba thrones. Oyo eclipses Ife politically from the 17th century but Ife remains the ritual centre. Ijesa (Ilesa) under the Owa Obokun and Ife's eastern neighbour Modakeke emerge as separate sub-kingdoms.
1804 — 1903 — The long 19th century#
Old Oyo collapses c. 1835; refugees found New Oyo, Ibadan and Ijaye. Modakeke, founded by Ife as a refugee camp for Oyo migrants, becomes a permanent neighbour-rival of Ife — the Ife–Modakeke wars (1849, 1882–86, 1981, 1997–2000) are among Nigeria's longest-running communal conflicts. Kiriji War (1877–93) centres on Ijesa, Ekiti, Ibadan and Ilorin.
1900 — 1960 — Colonial provinces#
Oyo Province (Ife, Ilesa, Osogbo within it); Western Region from 1939.
1960 — present — State creation chain#
- 1967 — Western State.
- 3 Feb 1976 — Oyo State.
- 27 Aug 1991 — Babangida creates Osun State (capital Osogbo) from eastern Oyo.