- published: 28 Feb 2016
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Ife (Yoruba: Ifè, also Ilé-Ifẹ̀) is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria. Evidence of habitation at the site has been discovered to date back to as early as 600 BCE, and according to its own customary traditions, it is the planet's oldest organized community. It is located in the present day Osun State.
Ife is about 218 kilometres (135 mi) northeast of Lagos.
The Yoruba claim to have originated in Ife. According to their mythology, Olodumare, the Supreme God, ordered Obatala to create the earth but on his way he found palm wine, drank it and became intoxicated. Therefore the younger brother of the latter, Oduduwa, took the three items of creation from him, climbed down from the heavens on a chain and threw a handful of earth on the primordial ocean, then put a cockerel on it so that it would scatter the earth, thus creating the land on which Ile Ife would be built. Oduduwa planted a palm nut in a hole in the newly formed land and from there sprang a great tree with sixteen branches, a symbolic representation of the clans of the early Ife city-state. The usurpation of creation by Oduduwa gave rise to the ever lasting conflict between him and his elder brother Obatala, which is still re-enacted in the modern era by the cult groups of the two clans during the Itapa New Year festival. On account of his creation of the world Oduduwa became the ancestor of the first divine king of the Yoruba, while Obatala is believed to have created the first humans out of clay. The meaning of the word "ife" in Yoruba is "expansion"; "Ile-Ife" is therefore in reference to the myth of origin "The Land of Expansion". Due to this fact, the city is commonly regarded as the cradle of not just the Yoruba culture, but all of humanity as well, especially by the followers of the Yoruba faith.
Tiwatope Savage, known under the stage name Tiwa Savage, is a Nigerian singer-song writer. She is currently signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Mavin Records. She co-wrote the track "Collard greens and Cornbread" on Fantasia Barrino’s Grammy-nominated album Back to Me. Savage is signed to SONY USA Record Label.
Tiwa Savage was born and bred in Lagos, Nigeria. She is a singer/songwriter singed to Sony USA record label. She graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2007 and has since then been working with music producers in the industry. Tiwa began her music in the UK touring as a background singer for artists such as Mary J Blige, Sting, George Michael, Kelly Clarkson and Spice Girls. She participated in the X-Factor, reaching the top 24.
Savage wrote Jaicko’s “Oh Yeah,” Kat Deluna’s “Push Push”, Fantasia’s “Collard Greens & Cornbread,” and performed background vocal credit on Whitney Houston’s album I Look to You.
On the business end Tiwa set her own 323 imprint with entrepreneur Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun and currently signed to Sony ATV as a songwriter. Savage will embark on a solo career and will release her debut album in late 2012. She has also collaborated with Chuck Harmony (Rihanna, Mary J. Blige), Warren “Oak” Felder (Chris Brown and Jennifer Lopez), and producer So Sick (Da Grin) just to name a few, on her debut. Weaving an eclectic collision of influences on her record, the Nigerian native says her album will blend “songs in my native language Yoruba and some straight up R&B soulful pop records.”