Kunle ADELABU
-Establishes diplomatic relations
Eighty years after the last visit of the then Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Adedoyin (1916 to 1952), to Ikorodu Kingdom, a town populated by the Remo people, the reigning Akarigbo, His Royal Majesty, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, re-established contact with the people of Ikorodu.
The visit, which further cemented relationship between the two ancient kingdoms, was a carnival of sort going by its festivity and colourful nature. Gbedu drummers, masquerades and various traditional groups in Ikorodu were on ground to entertain the visiting Akarigbo and other royal fathers that accompanied him on the historic visit.
Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, led hundreds of Ikorodu residents, comprising the honourary and traditional chiefs, representatives of market women and men, traditionalists, religious leaders, Ikorodu Council of Baales, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and traditional groups among many others to Ikorodu garage to welcome the paramount ruler of Remoland and his entourage to Ikorodu.
As expected, Oba Shotobi embraced Oba Ajayi and gave him and his large entourage, which included over ten other royal fathers under his jurisdiction, honourary title holders and several prominent sons and daughters of Remoland, a warm welcome on their arrival.
Royal fathers on Akarigbo’s entourage were the Elepe of Epe, Shagamu, Oba Adewale Osiberu, Oba Kazeem Gbadamosi, Ologijo of Ogijo, Oba Mosudi Owodina Adebiro, Oniraye of Iraye, Oba Jamiu Olalekan Sule Onosipe, Onigode of Igode, Oba Taiwo Adebimpe Oyekanmi, Ayanperuwa of Sotubo – Shagamu, Oba Mufutau Adeoye Sanni, Aminisan of Okoo – Shagamu, Oba Mukaila Akanji Olabinjo, Eleposo of Eposo – Remo, Oba M. S. Gisanni, Odofin of Soyindo, and Oba Timothy Akinsanya, Ewusi of Makun – Shagamu.
Also on the Akarigbo’s entourage was Asiwaju Solomon K. Onafowokan, OON,the Asiwaju of Remoland.
After the ceremonious arrival and subsequent brief offering of traditional prayers and pouring of libations at the Ikorodu roundabout where the statue of Oga, the progenitor of Ikorodu who came from Remoland, was erected, the two monarchs was ceremoniously led by the large crowd to Ayangbure palace where the Akarigbo had a private session with his host Oba inside his new ultra-modern palace extension before meeting briefly with the Ikorodu traditional and honourary Chiefs and other eminent persons inside the main hall of the old palace.
The final phase of the carnival-like visit was the enlarged meeting with a larger crowd at the Aayngbure pavilion where different traditional groups, associations, royal families and others paid homages to the visiting Oba .
Oba Shotobi, while welcoming the Akarigbo and his entourage to Ikorodu, stated that the visit was historic and which was meant to re-establish relationship between Ikorodu and Remoland.
“I want to appreciate the Akarigbo for finding the time to visit us in Ikorodu with many kings from Remoland.
“It has been long that we witnessed an historic gathering like this. Whatever might had being the issue in the past, our duty in this generation is to find out how to make corrections and project the relationship between the two towns for future benefits”, Oba Shotobi stated.
Going down the memory lane, Oba Shotobi stated that it was political and administrative conveniences that deprived Ikorodu its claim over the land from Ogijo to Bere river.
“It was the boundary demarcation, adjustment and political conveniences and not historical factors that determined that Ikorodu boundary stops at Ogijo, but we are fully aware where our boundary stops. We are aware of the importance of Bere river to Ikorodu and Shagamu”, the royal father stated.
“In those days, our ancestors usually went from Ikorodu to Shagamu for traditional engagements before the unforturnate incidence at Bere river. We shall never witness such occurrence and others which I don’t want to dwell upon again”, he prayed.
“But I must mention that we can still recall what happened to our house at Ikenne very close to Bere river”.
Speaking on the efforts that culminated into the visit of Akarigbo to Ikorodu after 80 years of such visit, Oba Shotobi stated:
“This visit was borne out of the need for Ikorodu to re-establish strong connection with our source in Remoland before we loose our identity to Lagos in its entirety.
“To achieve that, we deem it fit to have an Envoy that would serve as a link between Remoland and Ikorodu and it is the prerogative of the Akarigbo to create that institution and that is what informed today’s visit”, he revealed.
Oba Shotobi revealed that he started the initiative and it received the blessings of the Akarigbo .
“Our wish is to have an Ambassador to come from Remo. I requested for this from Akarigbo when I went to Shagamu with sons and daughters of Koyelu, both in Ikorodu and Shagamu, and it was accepted.
“All that we have been doing behind the scene in cementing the bond between the two towns have now come into the open.
In his reaction, the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Ajayi, was full praises for the Ayangbure and the people of Ikorodu for the initiative and the surprised reception given to him and his entourage .
“Our aim was just to dash-in and out after presenting the Ambassador-designate to Ayangbure, but on getting here, we met a surprise huge reception by Ayangbure and Ikorodu people.
“It was when I got here that I discovered that our auntie, Dr Tokunbo Dosunmu Awolowo, and other eminent Remo sons and daughters were already here and I had to quickly explain to them that I was never in the know of this elaborate reception”, he explained.
“I want to enjoin the entire Ikorodu people to assist in thanking the Ayangbure for this royal reception. I pray that God will give us the capacity to maintain this relationship.
“In actual fact, I just told the few royal fathers that accompanied me that we are coming to Ikorodu for just a visit, leaving others behind . Ayangbure still have to give an explanation for others that were not brought to Ikorodu “.
Speaking on the historic ties between the two towns, Akarigbo stated that Ikorodu was ceded to Lagos based on political considerations.
“It is in the history that as at 1st of August, 1894, Ikorodu was part of the then Ijebu-Remo. It was the then Akarigbo, on his own volition, that signed the treaty that ceded Ikorodu to Lagos Protectorate. The then Akarigbo did that for political reasons, asking Ikorodu to hold forth in Lagos while Shagamu and rest stay back in Remo”, he stated.
“As far back as 1915,people of Ijebu Remo were also agitating that they wanted to be ceded to Lagos Protectorate.
“I think that Ikorodu in Lagos is God’s design because I can see the rate of her development. It was the wisdom of the then Akarigbo that is positively manifesting on Ikorodu”.
Speaking on the need to ensure good bond between the two ancient towns, Oba Ajayi stated that he accepted the Ayangbure’s request to create an ambassadorial position between the two towns.
“We must not, because of geographical boundary, allow our connection to suffer. We must maintain our relationship. This is why I sprung into action when Ayangbure of Ikorodu told me that there is a chieftaincy vacancy in Ikorodu that Akarigbo ought to nominate an occupant for.
“I was told that the nominee must be a son of Koyelu and we went in search of a quality personality that has a connection with Ikorodu and that can represent us very well and we found a capable nominee who accepted to serve as an Ambassador between the two ancient towns”, the Akarigbo stated.
“I intended bringing him quietly and fix another date for his installation but to my surprise, I got here to meet a carnival-like arrangement. Thank you Kabiyesi”.
Otunba Ayodele Elesho, the Agbaakin of Ikorodu Kingdom, while speaking earlier during the reception, stated that the last time an Akarigbo visited Ikorodu was in 1939.
“We heard that Ikorodu and Shagamu have same source of origin”, the former Commissioner stated while talking about the historic relationship between Ikorodu and Shagamu.
“Today is not just historic but also unforgettable. From our findings, the last time Akarigbo came to Ikorodu was in 1939 when Oba Adedoyin from Shagamu came to Ikorodu. It has been a long time.
“We are repeating history today. We are making what is not possible to be possible. Before now, people felt that Ikorodu relationship with Shagamu has been severed but today’s event has proven that wrong. We are here to concretise that relationship with the Akarigbo’s visit to Ikorodu kingdom”, he stated.
Our relationship has gone far beyond rhetoric. We have accounts of Anoko-Ogbonyari, Orelade-Gberigbe and the status of these kings. The royal visit from Shagamu is to further cement these historic connections so that we can continue to improve on our relationship”.
Prince Sunday Owolabi Ogede, the Olootu Lasunwon Ruling House of Ikorodu, in his welcome speech, also described the visit by Akarigbo as historic. He went further to dwell more on the strained relationship between Remoland and Ikorodu in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.
According to him, the crisis almost led the two ancestral towns to war due to the treatment meted to Shagamu people in Ikorodu during the burial of late Balogun Jaiyesimi in 1949 and the decision of the town to obtain the Ayangbure beaded crown from Ijebu-Ode instead of Shagamu.
“ It gives me unalloyed pleasure to give the welcome address on this historic visit of His Royal Majesty Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, Torungbuwa II, the Akarigbo of Remo land. The visit is very -significant because of the unfriendly relationship between the two cities in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s which led to two incidents of which one nearly brought the two cities to war.
“ This was when our people from Sagamu came for the burial of late Balogun Mabadeje Jaiyesimi in 1949. The deceased happened to be the great grandson of Oba Anoka, the 8th Akarigbo of Remo land. The Chiefs and the people from Shagamu were roughly handled and this nearly led to war, but the Elders, Chiefs and prominent personalities brought the situation under control. The amicable settlements were announced in Ikorodu in a usual way by our singer and Arowasi Erungbe, Late Chief Adekunle Bombata Osikabala in one of his evergreen lyrics.
“The second incident was when Ikorodu decided to obtain beaded crown for Oloja Adenaike Aina Alagbe in 1950. Due to the hostilities between the two cities, Ikorodu had to approach the Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Daniel Adesanya Gbelegbuwa for the beaded crown. Ijebu Ode happens to be the maternal home of Ogarenmade and Lasunwon.
“Their mother was Adenike Okubomowo, the daughter of Awujale Gbelegbuwa, Ojo Paso tewutewu of Ita Osu, Ijebu Ode.
The head of Lasunwon ruling house, however, admitted that the incidents that almost push the two towns to war ought not to have happened.
“ These incidents should not have happened, but as our had father said, “eku to da gbogbo e yi sile ni a npe ni eda, ki owe je ti awon Alaiyeluwa (the incidences ought not to have happened but some things instigated them).
While also commenting on the boundary between Ikorodu and Shagamu, Chief Ogede stated that the existing boundary is an artificial creation by the colonialists.
“It was our colonial masters that sat down at Lancaster House, the colonial office in London SWI, in 1914 during the amalgamation of Nigeria and drew a straight line at Ita Oluwo, demarcating the protectorate Provinces of Nigeria and Colony Province, thereby changing the natural boundary between Ikorodu and Sagamu, our colonial master did not consult our people or seek for their approval”.
He commended the two royal fathers for re-establishing the relationship between the two towns.
“Today, we give all the glory to Almighty God for His infinite mercy that installed the two Solomon Obas on the throne of their ancestors. May the Almighty Father endow both of you with wisdom, good health, long life, peaceful and prosperous reign in Jesus Name, Amen”, Prince Ogede prayed.
He also affirmed the historical ties between Shagamu and Ikorodu and gave the historical details, tracing it from Owa Ajaiye, one of the children of Oduduwa.
“Without any apology, I say that Ikorodu is historically part of Remo and politically part of Lagos State. Owa Ajaiye was one of the sixteen children of Oduduwa who settled at IREMO quarters in Ile Ife. Owa Ajaiye decided to establish his own kingdom and he obtained the blessing of his father, Oduduwa, in this regard “.
