INTERESTING FACTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ABEOKUTA
AND EGBA PEOPLE

Abeokuta was a sovereign nation for 20 years and 11 months before the British almagamated her with the rest of Nigeria. She had her own laws, Police Force, Civil Service and was well organized. The Alake was the head of the defunct government known as the Egba United Government (1 February 1893- 1 January 1914). The almagamation with the rest of Nigeria did not go down well with the Egba people and this resulted in the Adubi War (1918). I have compiled some facts about this ancient and paramount city that seats as the capital of Ogun State and also the pride of Egbaland.

Abeokuta was founded in 1830, with Sodeke as her leader. The initial name of Abeokuta was “Oko Adagba” meaning “Adagba’s farmstead”-Adagba was an Itoko farmer. Sodeke who led the Egbas met him there.

Abeokuta means ‘under a rock’, signifying the protection which the Olumo Rock offered the Egbas during attacks.

Since the discovery of Olumo Rock, no one has fallen from it. Not even once.

Eastern side of the Olumo Rock in Ikija, Abeokuta

The first church in Nigeria, St. Peter’s Anglican Church, is in Abeokuta.

The first Baptist Church in West Africa and the first local government in Nigeria (Abeokuta South) are in Abeokuta.

The first University in Nigeria should have been located in Abeokuta but due to infighting, it was established at Ibadan as the University of Ibadan in 1948.

The first secondary school in Nigeria was sited in Abeokuta before it was relocated to Lagos as CMS Grammar School due to unknown reasons.

The first hospital in Nigeria, Sacred Heart Hospital, is in Abeokuta. It is still functioning.

The first bridge in Nigeria (Sokori Bridge-1903) built by a Nigerian (Mr. John Adenekan) without European supervision is in Abeokuta.

The first Newspaper in Nigeria (Iwe Iroyin) was founded in Abeokuta in 1859.

The first president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the first woman to drive a car was from Abeokuta. They both married each other. They were also the first male and female admitted to Abeokuta Grammar School.

The first indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria (Justice Adetokunbo Ademola) was from Abeokuta. He was the son of the longest reigning monarch (Alake) in Egbaland.

Okukenu Sagbua I, was the first Alake of Egbaland. He was enthroned on August 8, 1854. His descendant, Okukenu Sagbua IV is the current Alake of Egbaland.

Alake Gbadebo I, was the first monarch in Nigeria to visit England on a state visit. He spent 20 days at sea-May 5-25, 1904.

The first time a white man came to Abeokuta on January 4, 1843, everybody (both young and old) left their homes and market places to catch a glimpse of Henry Townsend, the white man.

During the American Civil War (1861-1865) which interrupted the U.S cotton trade to Europe, Abeokuta exported cotton to England.

The most influential woman in the history of Egbaland and the first Iyalode of Egbaland was Madam Tinubu. Tinubu square in Lagos and Ita Iyalode in Abeokuta are named after her. She died in 1887.

In 1893, the Egba United Government was recognized as an independent nation by Britain. She had her own laws. Many developments were made until 1914, when she was amalgamated to form Nigeria. The Sokori Bridge was constructed in 1903 and Abeokuta Grammar School was founded on July 16, 1908.

Abeokuta has produced many outstanding persons in the nation: In Academics (Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, Professor Saburi Biobaku), In Accountancy (Akintola Williams, Folorunso Oke, Bola Kuforiji-Olubi), In Law (Justice Adetokunbo Ademola – first indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olumuyiwa Jibowu, George Sodehinde Sowemimo, S. O. Lambo, Chief F.R.A. Williams, Prince Bola Ajibola), In Medicine (Moses Majekodunmi, Professor Thomas Lambo, Koye Ransome – Kuti)), In Military (Olusegun Obasanjo, Oluwole Rotimi, Enitan Ransome-Kuti), In Civil Service (Simeon Adebo), In Literature (Ajisafe, J.F Odunjo, Amos Tutuola, Wole Soyinka – of Egba mother), In Music (Josiah J. Ransome-Kuti, Fela Ransome-Kuti, Femi Ransome-Kuti, Fela Sowande, Ebenezer Obey, Sina Peters, Adeola Akinsanya, Prince Adekunle, Ayinla Omowura), In Journalism (Olusegun Osoba, Reuben Abati), In Women Rights and Entrepreneur (Iyalode Tinubu, Eniola Soyinka, Elizabeth Adekogbe, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Iyalode Bisi Tejuoso), In Politics (Olusegun Obasanjo, Ernest Adegunle Sonekan, M.K.O. Abiola, Moses Majekodunmi, Dimeji Bankole, Ayotunde Rosiji, Olusegun Osoba, Ibikunle Amosun) and others countless to mention.

In 1925, Josiah Jesse Ransome-Kuti (1855-1930) Fela’s grandfather, became the first Nigerian to release a record album after he recorded several Yoruba language hymns in gramophone through Zonophone Records.

The most enlightened clan among the Yoruba tribe are the Egbas. Her chiefs had been interacting with the Queen of England as far back as 1868 which continued till a century later. English and Egba monarchs did exchange gifts.

The only South Westerners ever to rule Nigeria are from Abeokuta (Olusegun Obasanjo and Ernest Shonekan).

It is widely believed that Egba women are more independent than any other Yoruba tribe in the country e.g Eniola Soyinka, Elizabeth Adekogbe and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

THE EGBA NATIONAL ANTHEM
Egba Anthem
Lori oke o'un petele Ibe l'agbe bi mi o Ibe l'agbe to mi d'agba oo Ile ominira
Chorus : Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo
Abeokuta ilu Egba N ko ni gbagbe e re N o gbe o l'eke okan mi Bii ilu odo oya Emi o f'Abeokuta sogo N o duro l'ori Olumo Maayo l'oruko Egba ooo Emi omoo Lisabi E e
Chorus : Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo
Emi o maayo l'ori Olumo Emi o s'ogoo yi l'okan mi Wipe ilu olokiki o L'awa Egba n gbe
Chorus : Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo

R

Of all things and photos you wrote and posted up there, I only saw one man HRH Sir A. Fela for only he foresaw what we are going through right now and went ahead and prophesied about it ahead of time but we fell into the mess. He will be laughing and mourning us wherever he is now

Egba is so Blessed




I also read that the visit of Sir Townsend was foretold by an Ifa Priest that was why he was greatly welcomed

EGBA PEOPLE: YORUBA SUB-TRIBE OF FREEDOM-FIGHTERS, INTELLECTUALS AND ARTISTIC PEOPLE

[b]The Egba are ancient freedom-fighters, highly intellectual, artistic and agriculturalist Yoruboid-speaking people that forms the sub-set of the larger Yoruba ethnic group of West Africa, particularly in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin. Egba people who were also traders reside in Southwestern Nigeria in the city of Abeokuta, the Capital of Ogun State.

Egba people who are the original founders of the city of Abeokuta which they share with Owu people (later arrivals), had an opportunity of their land also settled on by missionaries (in the 1840s) by Sierra Leone Creole (Saro, who were Nigerians and others Africans descendants repatriated from diaspora back to Sierra Leone) who later became prominent as missionaries and as businessmen. It must be emphasized that Abeokuta’s success as the capital of the Egbas and as a link in theLagos - Abeokuta oil-palm trade led to war with Dahomey (now Benin Republic). In the battle at Abeokuta in 1851,the Egbas were aided by the missionaries and also armed by the British. Thus, they were able to defeat King Gezo’sDahomey Army that was unique and famous in the history of West Africa for its common practice of using women warriors. Another Dahomey attack was repulsed in 1864. Troubles in the 1860s with the British in Lagos led the Egbas to close the trade routes to the coast and they expelled its missionaries and European traders at about 1867.

Egba people are direct descendants of Orafiyan, son and successor of Oduduwa, the progenitor of Yoruba people. They were under a federation of three groups-Ake, Okeona and Gbagura scattered over 150 towns and including the modern city of Ibadan, Oyo and Ijaye. Egba people were parts of the famous pre-colonial African Oyo empire (Kingdom) in Nigeria.

Up until the 18th Century, the Egba people lived in a cluster of villages around a place known as Orile-Itoko, as a subject territory of the old Oyo Empire, which was one of the strongest empires that ever existed in West Africa. Just like the Roman Empire, the Oyo empire was so strong that it easily quelled any form of uprising or rebellion from any of its subject-states. It was however shocking when a little known, but brave warrior, Lisabi Agbongbo-Akala, arose from among the Egba people and led the nation in an uprising against the Oyo Army’s continuous occupation of their land, the first in the history of political and military confrontation with the Oyo kingdom. The defeated the Oyo army not only liberated the Egba people from the stronghold of the Oyo kingdom, it also signaled the disintegration of the all-mighty empire and the small nation of Egba ceased to be a colony of the Oyo empire and became a free state while Lisabi Agbongbo Akala, up to this day, is regarded as the father of the Egba people for his outstanding roles in the people’s liberation.

However, the weakening might of the Oyo Empire as a result of continuous disintegration of the kingdom and rise of former colonies like Ibadan, Ijebu and the likes coupled with the boom of the slave trade, exposed the nation to frequent attacks from Ibadan as well as Dahomey, another big empire with its headquarters in today’s Benin Republic.

Thus, between 1825 and 1830 when it became expedient that the Nation of Egba can no longer withstand the frequent attacks of the slave hunters from Ibadan and Dahomey, the Egba people, on the directives of the Ifa Oracle, was led by chief Shodeke, on a long but tortuous journey that brought them to the western side of the massive outcrop of granite rocks called “OLUMO”, that is “Oluwa fimo” meaning God puts an end to our wandering. The very point the oracle asked them to relocate to.[/b]

kwekudee-trip down memory lane.
(to be continued)

Proud to be an Egba!!! Quote me and watch Lisabi cut off your head(s)

EGBA PEOPLE: YORUBA SUB-TRIBE OF FREEDOM-FIGHTERS, INTELLECTUALS AND ARTISTIC PEOPLE

[b]Historically Egba people used to people without kings, hence the common saying:"“Egba ko l’olu, gbogbo nwon ni nse bi Oba” (Egbas have no king, they are all of them like masters) “Olu wa’ l’Oyo” (The king of Oyo). That is to say, they have no king that rules. The king is acknowledged as the head of the government, but only as a figure head. More marked was this when they lived in separate townships before their concentration at Abeokuta. The Ogbonis constitute the town council, and they are also the executive, and even the " king" was subject to them. The same rule holds good even at Abeokuta for each township. Amongst the highest Ogboni titles are : —
The Aro, Oluwo, Apena, Ntowa, Bala, Basala Baki, Asipa, Asalu, Lajila, Apesi, Esinkin Ola, Bayimbo, Odgfin. The warriors rank next after the Ogbonis, the Balogun and the Seriki being the most important. The Egbas have been significant members of ruling political parties, music, art, feminism advocacy, freedom and democracy and at the forefront of Human Rights campaigns. In fact, they have contributed significantly to the political development of Nigeria and the world.

The Egbas can be distinguished from other Yoruba group with how their facial tribal marks are cut. The Egba facial mark is known as the Abaja Oro, i.e. the upright Abaja is distinctive of the Egbas. They consist of three perpendicular lines each about 3 inches long on each cheek. The younger generations, however, have their lines rather faint or of shorter lengths indistinguishable from the Pele.

On clothing, Egba men wear trousers, kembe/sokoto for down; and the top is Buba and Agbada; cap, Fila (a beti aja). Their women wear: Down, Wrapper, Iro; Top, Buba; Headgear, Gele; Others – Ipele – Piece of cloth placed on the shoulder or wrapped around the waist.

Their staple food Food is Lafu (White Amala) and Ewedu soup; Wara, (Cottage Cheese Drink)

The Egba people have their own National Anthem as a group of people. Below is the anthem:
Egba Anthem
Lori oke o'un petele Ibe l'agbe bi mi si o Ibe l'agbe to mi d'agba oo Ile ominira
Chorus: Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo
Abeokuta ilu Egba Un ko nii gbagbe e re Un o gbe o l'eke okan mi Bii ilu odo oya Emi o f'Abeokuta sogo Un o duro l'ori Olumo Maayo l'oruko Egba ooo Emi omoo Lisabi E e
Chorus: Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo
Emi o maayo l'ori Olumo Emi o s'ogoo yi l'okan mi Wipe ilu olokiki o L'awa Egba n gbe E e
Chorus: Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo
There are some other songs that the egba people sing, here is one of them:
Egba ile ibe nigbagbo ti se wa, Egba ile ibe nigbagbo ti se wa
sa wa Egba lo ni jesu o

Geography and Economy
Abeokuta lies in the fertile country of wooded savanna, the surface of which is broken by masses of grey granite. It is spread over an extensive area, being surrounded by mud walls 18 miles in extent.

Palm-oil, timber, rubber, yams, rice, cassava, maize, cotton, other fruits, and shea butter are the chief articles of trade. It is a key export location for cocoa, palm products, fruit, and kola nuts. Both rice and cotton were introduced by the missionaries in the 1850′s and have become integral parts of the economy, along with the dye indigo. It lies below the Olumo Rock, home to several caves and shrines. The town depends on the Oyan River Dam for its water supply.

Abeokuta is the headquarters of the Federal Ogun-Oshin River Basin Authority, which is responsible for development of land and water resources for Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states. Included in this are irrigation, food-processing, and electrification.

Local industries include but are not limited to fruit canning plants, plastics, breweries, sawmills, and an aluminum products factory. South of town are the Aro Granite Quarries.

Language
Egba people speaks North-West Yoruba (NWY) dialect of the Yoruboid languages which belongs to the larger Niger-Congo language phylum. Apart from Egba people of Abeokuta, NYW dialect is also spoken in Ibadan, Ọyọ, Ogun and Lagos (Eko) areas.

North-West Yoruba is historically a part of the Ọyọ empire. In NWY dialects, Proto-Yoruba /gh/ (the velar fricative [ɣ]) and /gw/ have merged into /w/; the upper vowels /i ̣/ and /ụ/ were raised and merged with /i/ and /u/, just as their nasal counterparts, resulting in a vowel system with seven oral and three nasal vowels. Ethnographically, traditional government is based on a division of power between civil and war chiefs; lineage and descent are unilineal and agnatic.

History
The story of Abeokuta, the abode of the Egbas, started with their liberation from the sovereignty and over Lord-ship of the Alafin of Oyo Empire, to which the Egbas hitherto belonged.

The Liberation took place between 1775 and 1780, under the leadership of Lisabi, a resident of Igbehin, but who was born in Itoku. He organized a movement under the name of Egbe “Aaro” Tradition mutual Aid society.
Lisabi later used the mutual Aid assistance to free the Egba by organizing the simultaneous killing of the Ajales or the Ilaris in all Egba towns, in 1780, starting from Igbehin. In all more than 600 llaris or Ajeles were wiped out in one day. Ilaris the representative of the Alafin of Oyo and collectors of the tribute paid to the coffer of Alafin from all territories under the Oyo Empire.

The Ajales or Ilaris in general, behaved like an Army of Occupation in the places they administered. Their Tyrannical rules mark them out as instrument of oppression and suppression of the people. It was this Authoritarian rule of the Alafin and reckless life’s style of this Ilaris in Egbaland that threw up Lisabi and is Peers who were resolve to bring an end to the evil rule at all cost. The adoption of the universal popular Aaro system of cooperation by the “Egbe Ologun” (Arms Bearers Club) was the strategy Lisabi used to plot against the Ilaris in his Igbehin town. All the other Egba town rose and killed the Ilaris in their midst.
As soon as the news reaches metropolitan Oyo the Oloyo wasted no time in dispatching an Army to crush the Egbe Rebellion. But Lisabi divisional anticipated in the Reprisal an had factored it into his plan the Army of vengeance was routed and the freedom of the Egbas from the yoke of the Alafin was sealed. The time to which this Episode in Egba is to relate was between 1775 an 1780. The period between 1780 and 1828 in the history of Egba was post-Lisabi era in the Egba forest.

One would have thought that having been liberated from the vice like grip of imperialisms the Egba were not given to serve any monarch, even though they have an Oba, and their constitution was monarchy but would strive to sustain their new found freedom by forging stronger cooperative relation among them selves. That was not to be some factors which were inherent in their psychological make up soon re-surface once the focused of their un usual unity (somehow superimpose by Lisabi force of character) was missing the internal squabbles and disaffection among the people were often fertilized by the inter-personal dissention among the leaders who were mainly chiefs.

Around 1829, Lamodi of Igbehin and Balogun of the Egba, living in Maye’s camp in Ibadan, decided that the Egba should find a way of escape from Maye’s bondage. The Egbas had heard about Abeokuta earlier on in their quest for a place with good security to settle in. they sent chief Sobookun, the Baamokun of Ilugun, and others to bring a handful of earth and the result was propitious.

History revealed that the Egbas did not get to Abeokuta at the same time. The first batch to arrived Abeokuta consisted of Egba Alake, Oke Ona, and Gbagura, in that order. Later Olufakun led the Owu to Abeokuta, while others followed. Lamodi lost is wife in an epic battle while trying to prevent his first son, Osota, from being captured by Maye’s army, who were pursuing the Egba. But before he died, he handed over the mantle of leadership Sodoke. The seriki of the Egbas, Sodeke, in 1830 led the Egba Alake into Abeokuta.

Balogun Olunloye, the Balogun Ilugun, led Ogba Oke-Ona whilst Oluwole Agbo, Balogun Ojo Gbagura, led the Gbagura to Abeokuta, likes Joshua in the bible. Sodeke of Iporo finally led the Egbas to Abeokuta in 1830.
It was revealed that an Iloko chief named Idowu Liperu had earlier been living at the settlement. He had cross the Ogun River and settles on a farmland, were three hunters, namely Jibulu, Ose and Olunle joined him. Unlike, Liperu, who erected a house with the assistance of the then Olubara Lafa the three hunters lodge in caves under the Olumo Rock. It was them who told the Egba delegate who came to take soil samples about the Olumo Rock.
Later, Adagba and other move to the rock to join Liperu and the three hunters, who had settle there. Adagba was a brave man, who had is farmland located very close to olumo rock. The settlement was called “Oko Adagba,” the other man for Abeokuta while Olumo Rock took his name from it being natural furnished with apartment. “Olumo “means built by the Lord.” Other historians maintained that the meaning of olumo is “Oluwa Fimo” meaning God put an end to our hostility against the Egbas and their suffering.” Abeokuta is also known as “Abe Olumo”.

After the demise of chief Sodeke, Abeokuta has no leaders for quite a number of years. The administration of the town was left in the hands of chiefs like Ogunbona, the Balogun of Ikija, Okukene the Sagbua of Ake; Someye, the seriki who later became Bashorun who succeeded Apati, Bada of Kemta and others.
The Egbas realized that they are not united as they had been when Sodeke brought them together. The thought of having an Oba came to them and the lot fell on Okukene, the Sabua of Ake and head of Egba Ogboni – an industrious woodcarver. He installed the Alake of Abeokuta on August 8, 1854. Oba Okukene’s reign witnessed the advancement of Christianity, commerce and the advent of European merchants in Abeokuta.

He died in 1862. An interregnum of about seven years elapsed between the death of Okukene and the installation of another Oba in the person of Ademola 1 – who reigned between 1869 and 1877. He was succeeded by Oyekan who reigned between 1879 to 1881. It was the turn of Luwaji to reign between 1885 to1889. Osokalu ruled between 1891 and 1898. Egba became a nation during Oba Osokalu. Gbadebo 1, ruled between 1889 to1920. Sir Ladapo Ademola II reigned from 1920-1962. Oba Adeshina Gbadebo II reigned from 1963 to 1971. Oba (Dr.) Oyebade Lidepe ruled between 1972 and the year 2005.
Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukene IV, born 14 September 1943, was elected the Alake of Egbaland on 2 August 2005 and reigns till date. He is from Laarun Ruling House, a grandson of the sixth Alake of Egbaland, Oba Gbadebo, who ruled from 188 to 1920.[/b]

kwekudee-trip down memory lane.
(to be continued)

Awa lo mo abeokuta, ilu rere ilu olola

ilu to duro lase oluwa, Egba omo lisabi.