One of the most accepted history of Osogbo can be traced to 1670 AD. As History had it, It all started with the journey of a famous hunter called Olutimilehin, who hails from Ipole-omu not far from Ibokun.
Olutimilehin came across a local Dam while he was in hunting in a place called Gbonmin, around Oke-Baale area ( part of present day Osogbo ).
Due to the water scarcity facing his community he went around to see if the dam will be capable of sustaining his people. Olutimihen was sad because the dam could not sustain his community.
In his quest Olutimilehin found a stream called Okrokro, which he traced its source to River Osun ( part of present day Osogbo).
Olutimilehin went back to his community and inform the king, Larooye Gbadewolu of his findings. The king and his subjects later moved to settle at the flood plain and built his first palace later Known as Ile – Osun.
Overtime Larooye and his subjects engaged themselves in farming activities in their new found land. History learn that One day as they were clearing the bush for cultivation they incidentally fall a tree, damaging the Indigenous industry of the spirit world. A voice was heard from the river saying “Laro! Timehin! You have broken my dyeing pots”.
Other voices from the spirit world were heard saying! “Oso-igbo pele o, Oso-Igbo rora o. (Oso-igbo we cormistrate with you). Later Larooye got to know the name of the spirit Queen as Oso-igbo (widely believe to be the goodies of River Osun). This is why the Osun goddess was, and is still regarded as the spiritual mother of Oba Larooye and all the succeeding Ataoja (King of Osogbo).
History also has it that Larooye and his subjects move to the upper terrace in the plain which they later called OKE Ohuntoto at the present day Osun Groove.
As King Larooye community population grows the groove and their already flourishing market was abadon as they moved to Ode-Osogbo after the usual Ifa devination. The abandoned market centre and the iledi ohuntoto are today important historical monuments in the Osun grooves.
At the Ode-Osogbo, Larooye built his new palace at called Idi-Osun while Timehin built a Shrine known as Idi-Ogun.
Larooye and his subjects discovered that their new settlements was a centre where footpaths from Oyo, Ekiti, Ijesa etc converged.
