EREKITI AND ADO KINGDOMS, AWORILAND: AN X RAY OF TWO BEADED OLOFIN CROWNS

EREKITI AND ADO KINGDOMS, AWORILAND: AN X RAY OF TWO BEADED OLOFIN CROWNS

Erekiti is an ancient Yoruba enclave of Awori pedigree rooted in Ado Ife, popularly called Addo by the British in the past and renowned as Ado-Odo today.

The earliest founders of Ado Kingdom include the legendary figures: Onitako, Onirunmi Ekun Jagude, Alamuwa, Ojona (Bajomu), Iya Agbe Odua, Omarun, Olomu and many other titular heads. Ado Kingdom as stated in archival documents strongly reveal that the Ados were foremost Awori nationality, who left ancient Ile Ife around 1050AD with stopover in various places including precinct of present Ondo state.

ONITAKO led the group which included an Ife Prince called Omo Olofin, Olu Ile Idada, who according to tradition passed on during migration and his child, Princess Adegba Esibi, popularised as Oloja had the upper hand to her father's beaded crown and sword as the first Oba of Ado (Olofin Omo Olu Ile Idada, Omo Alade Ile Ife). The reign of Oba Adegba Esibi was a collegiate structure with a royal personage Iya Agbe of Oduduwa Temple at Ilaje Ado - see Farrow (1926), Lucas (1998: 93-94), Ellis (1898); and the erudite foremost historian and ex Director General Antiquities in Nigerian Museums wrote brilliantly on a paper titled "The Phenomenon of Oduduwa in life History" at pages 62-76 particularly at page 65 in I. A. Akinjogbin et al, “The Cradle of a Race (Ife From the Beginning to 1980)”, extensively alluded to nexus between Ile Ife and Ado Ife (Ado-Odo).

The archaeological findings at the National Antiquities Commission corroborates the fact that Ado group which left Ile Ife centuries back was ahead of several other Yoruba Kingdoms and enclaves. This glaring fact further lend credence to periodisation view that Ado Ife as a replica of ancient Ile Ife might have existed before 1050AD or around this period.

Prof. Ade Obayemi at page 65 quoted Farrow (1926), that:

"Oduduwa also called Iya Agbe: that she is the goddess and wife of Obatala who fled from Ile Ife to Ado some 15 miles (25 Km) from Badagry".

Read more on Lucas and Parrinder at pages 65-66.

Theocratic wise, Ado Kingdom is the metropolitan core Odudua enclave after Ile Ife with adherents of Yoruba and non-Yoruba elements.

As Asiwaju (1976), another Emeritus historian further posited that both Awori and Anago people sealed a common allegiance at Odua Temple, Ado during annual worship at Ilaje Ado. The Eleko of Eko was also a regular adherent in the said Yoruba Temple. Oral tradition in Ado has it that the Odudua adherents having stop over from Anago areas in the olden days called "Iko Alaje worshipping at Odua Temple as an advanced itinerary team birthed what is shortened as Ikolaje till date". Ikolaje is the actual name of a border town in Yewaland called Idiroko today.

The similarities in Awori and Anago dialects is much rooted in this centuries Odudua allegiance as elucidated in Asiwaju's book in 1976 at pages 19-20. See also CMS Missionaries papers on Egba versus Ado military warfare and/or historic visit to Odudua Temple in Ado-Odo in the 1840s by Bishop Ajayi Crowther led team. The latter delegation which is reinforced by other plethora of authorities further expose Ado relevance in Yoruba culture.

James Johnson, a frontline freedom fighter, copiously quoted by Ayandele, an Emeritus historian, also alluded to Ado Kingdom as a "small independent Paramount Ruler" in pre-colonial African set up. It was during Oba Asade Awope, aka Otenibotemole that the British interfered in affairs of Ado with unjust sacking one of the most famous monarchs in Ado Kingdom. And his unjust exile to Lagos which drawn the sympathy of Lagos Royal and Chieftaincy families fierce protests along with the foremost human rights activist, James Johnson, a member of the  Nigerian Legislative Council, Lagos.

Oba Asade Awope wrongly called Asada Awope was the Olofin of  Erikiti and Ado Kingdoms in the then Badagry District.  He was a descendant of the second woman, Olofin Oduila Liwaye of Ado, now called Oke Iwaye Ruling House, Ado-Odo. It is unknown to many that Ado Kingdom has two Olofins in customary realm and same  is rooted in archival records.

Traditionally, all Olofins of Ado Kingdom are custodians of Oduduwa shrine with Iya Agbe called Iya Alaje, that is woman custodian of Oduduwa in Ado tradition.

It was widely believed that Olofins did communicate in celestial realm with Ile Ife in the past and usually played leading role in Oduduwa cultural celebrations with Ooni in Ile Ife. The Orun Oba Ado comes into picture herein, moreso, Ado traditionally had its larger image of retinue of relations in Ife.

For instance, following the demise Olofin Asade Awope, OTENI 1 his successor Olofin Adeosun, OTENI 11, reigned as distinct monarch of Ijarun Erekiti detached from its  ancestral root of Ado Kingdom under HRM Oba Adeteru Iso from Igboro Ruling  House, Ado.

The popularity of Olofin Erekiti described with its location in the hinterland of Badagry was so high that the British authority gave him maximum support following his return from Ile Ife after Oduduwa Olojo worship in 1916; during the reign of Ooni Ademiluyi (1910-I930).

Keen observers of events have queried how Oba Adeosun OTENI 11 travelled to Ile Ife and as well returned to his domain Ijarun Erekiti in 1916 with retinue of relations from Ile Ife in those dark days. The safe trip to and back from Ile Ife is another pointer to why  Ado ,an independent  Awori enclave is  regarded as Ado Ife in Intelligence reports as well.

Obviously, Ado Kingdom aside its Odudua temple traceable to its foremost antiquity in ancient Ile Ife, also boast of two Olofins with Ijarun Erekit and Ado kingdoms.

One shouldn't lose sight that Olofin of Iworo Kingdom, another ancient Awori enclave is closely related to Ado. The popular thought is that the bulk of Aworis in Badagry originally settled in Ado before they parted ways in the saying of Aworis of white  soil (Ile ifu) and red soil (Ile Ipa).

The Onitire of Itre Lagos originally migrated from Itire Ado to Lagos while the Alagbara of Agbara also known as Olute has its origin in Odudua shrine in Ado traceable to Ile Ife.

Olofin Asade Awope was recognised as No.4 in the hierarchy of Yoruba Obas in precolonial Nigeria. His successor at Erekiti, Olofin Adeosun OTENI 11  went to Ile Ife and returned to Erekiti after ancestral worship and courtesy call on Ooni Ademiluyi. You may wish to appreciate that Olofin of Erekiti HRM, Oba Adeosun OTENI 11 made history going to and returning safely unscathed from Ile Ife to Erekiti was the first Oba to do so, aside Ooni Adelekan  Olubuse  1 that visited Lagos in1903.

It would be recalled that Ado pre-eminence is discernible with Ipokia Kingdom nexus with Ado as an Awori enclave, which is indisputable, in that the first and second Onipokia had reigned in Ado Kingdom of Ijarun Erekiti Ado, when foremost founders of Ipokia during their migration from Ajase Opo (Ajase Ipo) around 16th century had a stopover in Ijarun Erekiti Ado and finally to the present Ipokia land.

Historically, the relevance of Ijarun Erekiti Ado under the Olofin and/or the Oba of Ado and Onipokia, is that Oba Adeoye Onipokia aka Otiti Fori Tosa 1 and Oba  Adegbola, Otiti Fori Tosa 11 both the second and third Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom reigned at Ijarun Erekiti Ado.

The third and fourth Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom left Ado territories to Tukuru where the fourth and fifth Onipokia also reigned and thereafter migrated to their final abode called Ipokia today.

In fact, conspiracy and suppression undermines the pivotal role of Olofin of Erekiti as a statutorily recognised Oba ahead of other beaded crowns in the defunct Badagry District and/or Yoruba land.

Prince Kabir Olawale Alagbe, a political scientist and Lawyer is a Scion of Olofin Adimula Kingdom, Ado-Odo, Aworiland, Ogun State, Nigeria.