By Kehinde Adejumo
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Wonders they say will never end. River Oha in Ipinsa in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State poses one of the very many wonders in the world  where fishes caught in Omi Oha River, will remain raw when cooked, no matter how long  it remains on fire.

The Akapinsa of Ipinsa Land, Oba Omoniyi Olufunmilayo J. P revealed this to Community Hope during a recent visit to the area.

 Ipinsa is one of the traditional towns in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State is  situated  along Orita Obele road off Ijare road.  It is about 10 kilometers away  from Akure, the state capital and the  head quarter of Akure South Local government.

Ipinsa play a very significant in Akure’s traditions because it announces the beginning of Akure’s  traditional year. “No festival starts in the kingdom until masquerades from Ipinsa pay homage to the Deji of Akure -land “, the Akapinsa  said.

According to the monarch, Akapinsa  was the first child of Deji, the first Akapinsa was named Kejeje. He was a warrior at the  age of 30. He went to his father, the then Deji  and told him to vacate the throne for him so as to become the next Deji.

His father, been a wise man, sent him to the nearest village where he became the king.

Omoniyi said in the olden days, it was the Prince from Akure that rules in all the suburbs and villages  around Akure.

The monarch said as Kejeje was searching for where to settle, he got to a river called Omi Oha,  where he took his bath and was   refreshed, because he was  tired.

He consulted Ifa  god  who told him that, that is the place where he will settle. That is why any one that is crowned as the Akapinsa  must  go to the river to bath.

After bathing  with the water, the monarch must not see the river  or bath with the water  again. The only time they will use the water for him is when he dies. That is the water they will use  to clean his body ahead of his burial.

“Anyone that brings the water to the palace while the king was still alive will  incur the  wrath of the gods.”

This river is located in the extreme end ,of the town, according to him, river Oha is a mysterious river where anyone that fishes on it  will miraculously  disappear,  especially when he or she does it intentionally.

Apart  from this, any fish caught in the river  will remain raw, no matter how long it is cooked or roasted.

The major festival that Ipinsa is known for is Opa  festival. It normally takes place once in a year. The festival is where the indigenes willing offer themselves to be flogged with cane called ” Atori” in local parlance.  The unique thing about this festival is that they express their  joy  and happiness while been caned.

The monarch said anyone that participated in the festival will not fall sick for  the rest of the year, and if sick, after the festival,  he or she will be healed. “A true son of the land is not afraid of been caned,  even if the person sustained  bruises as a result of the lashes he received during the festival. This is because  before the next day, the bruises will disappear.