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The Meaning Of Edo Flag Of Benin Kingdom / Yh-owudah Is Actually Leah Praising, Not Literarily Meaning Praise. Owu Kingdom. / Wives Of Olowu Of Owu In Hijab, Sitting Next To Him At An Event (2) (3) (4)
Owu Kingdom History by Eleniyan15: 8:41am On Oct 25, 2015 |
The ethnic people of Owu (Owus) are part of
the Yoruba people of West Africa. Ago-Owu in
Abeokuta is where the Owus are mostly
concentrated, however large Owu settlements
are found throughout the Yoruba kingdom .
The Yoruba kingdom extends beyond the
boundaries of Nigeria into the Republic of
Benin.
Origin
The history of the Owus was first documented
following their first settlement in Ibadan
before 1820. It is believed from oral history
tradition that the Owus occupied an area
directly along and below Niger River in the
present country of Nigeria. The southward
migration of the Owus was a direct result of
both tribal and ethnic conflicts. Unlike
previous settlements, the Owus did not
attempt to fight against the army of Ibadan
but instead settled in peacefully because the
rulers of Ibadan had sent peaceful emissaries
to the Owus after getting intelligence of the
Owus' supposedly imminent attack on their
town. The rulers of Ibadan offered land to the
Owus to settle on, spreading from Ita Lisa to
Owu Ipole near Ikire.
Ijebu and Ife war against Owu
In 1821–26, the armies of both Ijebu and the
Ife attacked and devastated Owu Ipole. The
Owus abandoned their heavily fortified city
and escaped southwestward in groups toward
Ibadan in about 1826. From these outskirts,
they marched on and across Ogun River and
finally arrived at Oke Ata near Abeokuta
where Sodeke, an Egba authoritative leader,
persuaded the gallant Owus to settle in
Abeokuta about 1834. It is important to state
that the present Orile Owu is the same place
as Owu Ipole where the Owus from Iwo and
other places resettled in the early 20th
century. The people of Erunmu (founded by
the older brother of an earlier Olowu from the
Amororo Ruling House) were always loyal to
the course of Owu Kingdom. During the Owu
war, the Olowu was carried on his back (to
disguise his escape) from Orile Owu (Owu
Ipole) to Orile Erunmu, guarded by a
combined team of his royal guards and Oba
Erunmu's royal guards. After Orile Owu was
devastated, the remaining Owu army retreated
to defend Orile Erunmu against the allied
army of Ijebu and Ife.
Safeguarding the Crown
Before Orile Erunmu was also devastated and
razed to the ground, The Olowu and The
Oluroko of Erunmu devised strategies to
ensure that the royal lineages and the Crown
inherited from Oduduwa was preserved. The
Olowu entrusted the Owu Crown to a warrior,
simply referred to as Akogun (Owu's first
documented Akogun warrior. Akogun is a title
similar to an army Defense Chief), Ijaola and
a few of the king's closest aides. When the
siege on Erunmu began, Akogun was assigned
to the warfront with the hope that he could
turn the tides of war while Ijaola was sent on
a mandatory royal assignment to Ibadan with
a message for Maye, an Ibadan warlord.
Before these two Crown trustees left to carry
out their respective orders, they had to
entrust Oni (a skilled and specialized trader
and farmer, and also the older stepbrother of
Ijaola) with safeguarding of the Crown. Oni
and other men entrusted with the Crown
mingled with the refugees that eventually
settled in Abeokuta . These men had strict
instructions not to disclose the whereabout of
the Crown in the absence of the Akogun and
Ijaola, unless they received news of their
death.
Interregnum
In 1855, the Owus crowned OBA Pawu as the
first king Olowu of Owu of the Owus at Oke
Ago-Owu, Abeokuta. Notably, there was a 21-
year interregnum between the settlement of
the Owu sojourners in Abeokuta and the
crowning of Pawu as the first Olowu in
Abeokuta . See past and present Olowu of
Owu in Abeokuta. He reigned for 12 years.
The reason for the interregnum may be
attributed to the deterioration of the socio-
cultural bond that became evident during the
journey between Orile Owu and Abeokuta.
Hardship had made these Owu families
insensitive to each other's welfare. The worst
affected were the people of Erunmu because
they were fewer. As a result of their minority
status they were marginalized by other Owu
indigenes. Oni the keeper of the Crown was
convinced that if he revealed the Crown to a
people who had grown insensitive to the
needs of their brothers, he would allow
despotic rule to hold sway over the townships
of Owu, Erunmu and Apomu (the Owu
kingdom in Abeokuta). Over the years, Akogun
(the highly ranked soldier) arrived in
Abeokuta , but he could neither locate Ijaola
nor Ijaola's stepbrother, Oni. Also, unknown to
the Olowu and Oluroko, Ijaola returned to
Erunmu but had to hide on a farm settlement
to escape capture. He later settled in Iwo
town where there was a community of Owu
refugees and began to trade in commodities
and prisoners of wars. It was in the course of
this trade that he re-connected with his
stepbrother through another itinerant Owu
merchant who was based in Abeokuta .
Eventually, all arrangements were made for
Ijaola to migrate to Abeokuta where he re-
settled the people of Erunmu in Ita Erunmu
(now called Totoro, after a tree). After Ijaola,
Akogun and Oni consulted with each other,
revealed the crown of Oduduwa 21 years after
the Owu people first settled in Abeokuta.
Ogboni council vs. Igbimo
council
The Olowu of Owu, Oba (King) Dr. Olusanya
Adegboyega Dosunmu Amororo II (Amororo
Ruling House) ended the conferment of
Ogboni traditional titles in Owu Abeokuta
because the Ogboni culture is alien to Owu
culture. Though, the Owus had associated
themselves with the secretive Ogboni culture
for over a century, they nonetheless do not
have any Ogboni house and do not operate
according to Ogboni tenets. The Owus do not
have an Oluwo (Ogboni Head Chief) and do
not hold Ogboni assemblies. On the contrary,
the Owu palace has its own culture of open
deliberation where any Owu person can
participate. That is why people refer to the
Owus as “Owu a gbooro gbimo” meaning
"Owu the deliberative group".
Olowu in Council
Seven groups constitute the Cabinet of the
Olowu, who is the paramount ruler of Owu
Kingdom. Those listed below, with the Olowu
as chairman, constitute the Supreme Cabinet
of the Olowu of Owu, which is now known as
“Olowu-in-Council”. In order of authority:
1. Balogun
2. Olori Igbimo
3. Olori Omo-Oba
4. Olori Parakoyi
5. Oluroko of Erunmu
6. Balogun Apomu
7. Iyalode
Owu day festival
The original purpose of celebrating Omo
Olowu festival is to give thanks to Olodumare
(Almighty God) for supplying all needs. The
annual Owu Day festival tradition started in
1999 and has attracted participation by
several Owu indigenes and people from all
over the world. On October 9, 2010, the Olowu
of Owu Oba Dosunmu publicly declared the
second weekend of the month of October as
Owu's public celebration of the goodness of
the Almighty God. This declaration was made
to usher in the new Omo Olowu festival which
is to henceforth replace the previous Owu Day
Festival which incidentally had its 10th and
final outing last year on the 10th day of the
10th month! The debuting Omo Olowu festival
(reported in
owulakoda./2010/10/29/omo-
olowu-festival-kicks-off) also incorporated the
ancient traditional New Yam Festival which
was dramatically staged by the Olowu
himself, much to the delight, admiration and
applause of the attendant crowd and
dignitaries! The 2010 festival was attended by
Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade Olubuse II ,
former President of Nigeria, Balogun of Owu
Olusegun Obasanjo , Chief of Staff to
President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike
Oghiedome, former Governor and Field
Commander of ECOMOG, Rtd General Tunji
Olurin . |
Re: Owu Kingdom History by Nobody: 11:37am On Oct 25, 2015 |
I dey come. |
Re: Owu Kingdom History by Funjosh(m): 7:38pm On Oct 26, 2015 |
Owu Ilu Egba 1 Like |
Re: Owu Kingdom History by Nobody: 6:17am On Oct 27, 2015 |
all West Africans and Bantus in Africa that have E1B1A are the Real Hebrew Israelites in the Bible. we came from Israel. please click to this Facebook page :- https://m.facebook.com/e1b1ahaplogroupnation?__tn__=C . ask the Genetics Doctor, he will explain everything to you all . Shalom |
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