By By Olu Adebiyi
THE ancestors of Oba came down from Ile Ife under the leadership of Oloba Afenworo. They left lle Ife in 1786 after the ascending of Oloba Afewon- ro who sang a song when coming to the earth with soil, crown and staff.
The song goes thus:
“Iroko tere Oloba Odo
Ariwon we ma yan
We ma yan
We ma yanrinwon O.
Ariwon We ma yan,
History revealed that they reached Owo in the year 1804, when they were coming with their leader who later became the Oloba by name Owolo after the death of the first king. It is, therefore, pertinent to note, here, that out of the sixteen (16) important kings in Yoruba Land, Oba held the third position. And the soil held with them in the origin was the actual soil we have on earth up till today and that is why the soil is called Ile Oloba everywhere, and, perhaps, that is why it is a taboo up till now to curse anybody with the soil.
Oba Owolo wanted to settle at Owo, but the king (the then Olowo) begged him to shift and he made River Awule their boundary in 1807. To show how powerful the Oba was, history revealed that if Oba wanted to attend any occasional meeting at lle ife, he would open a room within his palace and walked to Ile Ife within two minutes.
Ogedengbe War Of 1870
During the reign of Oba Owolo, many invaders tried their best to fight, but all was in vain. The only outstanding war was the Ogedengbe War of 1870, but none of his soldiers could enter the town before they were destroyed by the gods and goddesses of the town. Their gods included the following:
“Kenmeh, Alala and their goddess, Iroko Keeji, Ako, Awule and Asunsunren. They could do away with the enemies in a few minutes. My investigation re- vealed that they would have killed Ogedengbe; the leader, but being that he was not an ordinary man, he was then compelled to sign a bond in 1875 that he would never wage war against them.
The only sad point of the Ogedengbe War was that when the women heard about the war, and not knowing what had happened to the army, they went to hide their children! and when they returned, they met the dead bodies of their children. In 1878, history made us to believe that the Oba joined a chain and entered the soil.
Festivals
There is a festival named “Owa Festival,” if any stranger should dance, he or she becomes Oba’s subject, it is like “Gogo” Festival of Owo. This festival is exclusively for the Oloba and a section of the town has no right to dance at the ceremony.
This festival comes up every three years. Besides, there are other festivals observed in the town such as the Egungun and Ogun festivals.
In 1898, Oba Akoko was the first town to embrace Christianity in the whole of Akako land, and hence, Oba is one of the towns that introduced civilization to the district. The two important pioneers in Oba were late Omosanya and Madam Ruth Oguntolu, their hames were read during the Jubilee Festival celebration in the year 1948.
Past Obas
My investigation reveals that in 1878 Oladugboye was installed as the Oloba and he died in 1890 112 years. Adegbegi succeeded him in 1900 and died in 1913 (13 years), while Olowuru was enthroned in 1913 and also died in 1925, (12 years)! Eleru succeeded him and he died in 1936 (11 years), while Oba Gbadamosi was enthroned in 1948.
During the reign of the aforementioned kings, no appreciable progress was recorded; not until 1950 when the registered court was built at Oba, and in 1955, the community started to enjoy free primary education.
In 1957, a new local council for Oba and its environ was established, and in 1960 the Oloba was given authority to rule or judge cases at Ikun. After the death of Oba Gbadamosi, Oba Olomosaiye Odudu became the king and he died on the 15th November, 1967. He was described as a peaceful ruler.
Developments
Still, not much progress was recorded in the area of development at Oba, until in the late 60s when Oba Akoko started to witness a gradual development in the field of education. The three primary schools viz: St. Peters School, Z1 School and later, Baptist School, served as feeders for the then and only Secondary Modern School owned by the Muslim Community in the town.
As time went on, the then Western Region Government of Nigeria, under the administration of Major General Adeyinka Adebayo (retd) laid the foundation stone of a post-primary school at Oba in the course of his “thank you” tour. The foundation was laid at the present site of Oludaye Grammar School. But unfortunately, the school did not take off due to the reason(s) best known to the government of that time.
Oba Adegoroye
After the death of Oba Olomosaiye Odudu, Oba Akoko was without a king for a long spell of time until 1970 when a dynamic young man, Adeniyi Adegoroye, was called upon to mount the throne of his fathers.
After the enthronment of Oba Adeniyi Adegoroye I, the Oba Community started to heave a sigh of relief because the people were desperately in need of a learned person as the king: and with this obstacle off the road, the progress, unity and development of Oba as a whole, was in sight, so to speak.
After the installation and the subsequent coronation in 1972 of Oba Adeniyi Adegoroye, something happened. Something that touched the heart of all sons and daughters of Oba; something that would ever remain fresh even after a century; something which the entire people of Oba should have contributed in terms of money to waive, if only it was possible and lastly something which no one would ever forget……
To be continued…
Culled from the Socialites Magazine, JUNE 1987, page 5-6
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