Few of the fans of this column around the world who think I write too much about Akure and more so about my grand father, the 41st Deji of Akure just don’t know me. One or two of them think I am writing to forever keep the Akure throne in the hands of the Adesidas of which I am a part. The few critics forget that my loyalty goes far beyond Afunbiowo Adesida to Asodeboyede,the pioneer Deji of Akure because Akure like Benin Kingdom and few other towns in Yoruba Land has just one ruling line.
Without a Deji Arakale (1768 to 1818) there would never have been a Deji Ojijigogun. Without a Deji Ojijigogun there would never have been a Deji Arosoye or Deji Afunbiowo. Without a Deji Afunbiowo there would never have been a Deji Agunsoye, Deji Otutubiosun and Deji Ataiyese and so on and so forth. Why? Because Deji Arakale was the father of Deji Ojijigogun and Deji Ojijigogun was the father of Deji Arosoye, and Deji Afunbiowo Adesida. All these individuals became a Deji at one point or the other in Akure history when the “Omo-ori-ite” or crown prince conditionality in the selection of a Deji was still sacrosanct for a purpose.
Akure tradition differs from Benin tradition in one very important sense. You are not considered an "omo-ori-ite" prince in Akure if you were born before your father was crowned a Deji in Akure. In Benin or England you are a crown prince whether or not you were born before or after your father became the king. If you are the first male child of the Oba of Benin before he was crowned the king, you are still the crown prince to succeed your father upon his death or transition. It is not exactly so in Akure. Whenever there is a vacancy in Akure all known descendants of all the past Dejis have a right to put down their names for consideration at the family meeting. The family would then go to work to separate the candidates who were “omo-ori-ite” and those who were not. Before the “omo-ori-ite” was removed by popular demand and consensus in 1991, no grand child or grand children whose biological father has never been crowned a Deji could be selected a Deji in Akure.
Once that caveat was removed by acclamation and consensus, it opened the floodgate for grand children and even great grand children to have a chance to be crowned a Deji in Akure. That was how the deposed Deji has had a chance to be selected and that was how the last Deji Afunbiowo the Second got his chance to be crowned a Deji in Akure.
The Royal House in Akure is one monolithic line because we are all cousins, and that is why any time there is a vacancy, there is no limit to the number of princes who could throw their hats into the ring. They all do that to make a statement that they belong to the royal family even if they don’t get selected. We all understand that only one person can be selected.
The 1991 decision by Governor Olukoya to now create another ruling line from only 2 of the 46 Dejis in Akure was a travesty of justice that cannot stand the scrutiny or the weight of the Law in any country. What would appeared to have altered the arrangement a little bit was the fact that none of our elders and progenitors ever believed that any Deji would ever enjoy God’s favor or blessing to survive as a Deji for as long as Deji Afunbiowo has managed to do thru the permissive will of God Almighty. The man became the Deji at his third attempt in 1897 at between 60 and 64 years of age because no birth record was kept when the man was born. Nobody knew he could still go ahead to reign for 60 years. But he did, and by the time he died in 1957, all his other “omo-ori-ite” cousins who could possibly have taken over from him were either too old or too senile to be considered a viable candidate for the throne based on modern expectation and standards like education and other conditions. The man would have set a world record had he been crowned the Deji the first time he ran with Odundun, Arosoye and Ifaturoti in 1882. He would have reigned for a total of 75 years when he died in 1957. But we as his grand children thank God for his life. It was nice he did not get picked in 1882 before Pax Britanica came to Nigeria. The lost 15 years would probably have marred his life and legacies as the most compassionate and the most benevolent Deji.
It was “the omo-ori-ite” caveat in Akure tradition that favored Barrister Ademuagun Adesida who became the first educated Deji in 1957 from a long list of more than 20 candidates as I recall. Education and affluence by way of money and good character became part of the unwritten conditions for being crowned a Deji in Akure like most towns in Yoruba Land. These are just the facts. If any of you reading this has a contrary view, feel free to issue a rebuttal and I will be more than happy to engage you in a constructive debate on that.
That said, I want to stress that the true heroes in Akure are not just the 46 individuals who have been lucky to be crowned a Deji in Akure. Quite apart from the Akure Council of Chiefs comprising of the "Iare" group led by the Olisa, the Ikomo group led by Baralaye the Sao of Akure, the Ejua group led by the Asamo, the Egbele group, the Owese group and the Erinshe group and the "Eyelobirin" and the "Ipate" groups in Akure. These are individuals who I recognize as the unsung heroes of Akure.
It is some of them I want to pay tribute to in this write-up because without them and their contributions, any Deji can only do but so much. In doing that I would want to briefly acknowledge the contributions of some of the Dejis that my research on the subject has captured. Deji Odundun who got one of his wives beheaded for sharing a joke with him was able to do that because he was living in an outlaw society. If a Deji could now be banished for hitting his wife in public, you would understand that Akure has come a long way from the way things were under Deji Odundun. That, notwithstanding, Deji Odundun to his credit was still spectacular for liberating Akure from Benin domination as documented in my book. He did not do it alone. He got some help from “Egun Aladoko” and from the bravery of Sao Apatapiti at the time.
Chief Sao is the General Officer Commanding Akure traditional forces. The Sao chieftaincy title stands out among Akure chiefs in defending Akure during the inter-tribal wars like Ogedengbe Agbogungboro wars at Ilesha and the Fabunmi wars in Ekiti. The Sao deserves a special mention because of the supreme sacrifice the Sao family has always made for Akure in times of war. Any time the Sao leads Akure to a war, he has to die in the war whether he wins or loses. If he loses, he is killed or captured by the enemy. If he wins, he is also killed by subterfuge by his own troops because they think he might return home to start intimidating the Deji or giving him trouble. That is the only chieftaincy family in Akure that has always sacrificed their life to save Akure. Three of them stand out in my research. The first was Sao Apatapiti who single-handedly stopped Deji Afunbiowo from becoming the Deji in 1882 and 1890 because he was not going to let a Deji with an Idanre mother become a Deji under his watch. The other were Sao Ofobutu, Sao Ologunmeta and Sao "Adu Falokun Alaka Gbogboro".
Sao Ologunmeta is remembered for taking steps to end the feud between Deji Afunbiowo who swore never again to select any of the children of Sao Apatapiti for taking away 15 years of his reign in exercise of his power and influence as Akure G.O.C. Sao Ologunmeta was determined to appease Deji Afunbiowo with everything he has got and he succeeded in winning the affection of the Kabiyesi. Deji Afunbiowo reversed his decision never again pick any candidate from Apatapiti family. He ended up picking Sao Ologunmeta to succeed Sao Ofobutu. There is only one Sao family in Akure from which a Sao is selected any time there is a vacancy. My father was part of that family. The only two important titles I can vie for in Akure is that of the Deji and the Sao. I know the history of the two families like a book.
Deji Afunbiowo was the most compassionate Deji of all times in Akure History. Next to him was his son, Deji Otutubiosun who went ahead to still install Josie Abegunde as Omolare of Akure even though Josie did not support him when he ran for that office for 2 years from 1973 to 1975 when his selection was finally ratified and approved by Governor Jemibewon with much of the Akure elites kicking and screaming.
Among other Akure chiefs I must not fail to mention was Elemo Akomolafe who never went to school but knew the value of education enough to educate all his children starting from Pa Adejai, his first son and “Daodu” who was the first Akure Station Manager with the Nigerian Railways at Oshogbo. Elemo Akomolafe Adedipe was the leading voice to crown Barrister Ademuagun Adesida as the 42 Deji of Akure. I recall him telling his other colleagues in “Iare” group he would slash his stomach open and die, if the young and handsome Barrister was not picked as the Deji. He made that statement on principle not because he had received any bribe from anybody. He was easily the richest Elemo of his era in Akure. He built the first stone 2 story building in Akure, and he was the first apart from the Deji to own an American car (Ford Studebaker) as far back as the 1940s in Akure.
He, Elemo Akomolafe who reigned for 37 years, supported Deji Afunbiowo when the Deji decided to make Olisa Kole Oluwatuyi The Second the Olisa without taking a penny from him. He just wanted to compensate Kole Oluwatuyi because his own father Olisa Oluwatuyi the First had survived for only 3 months because he was a devout CAC who saw the title as a voodoo title that could deny him of his hope to achieving eternal life. Deji Afunbiowo also wanted an educated Olisa to assist him in ruling Akure. The critics of the Adesida don’t want to hear anything good about Deji Afunbiowo. I guess they would all have to block their ears because I am never going to stop documenting what I know about my grandfather. Let them go ahead and write what their own grand fathers or fathers have done. End of story.
Among many of the many unsung heroes of Akure include Pa Fanibuyan Adegbola, Pa Abiodun, Pa Fayose, Pa Ajayi, Pa Ibukun Alade Ejemikin, Pa Samie Adeniran Falowo, Pioneer Principal of Amoye Grammar School, Ikere, Pa Albert Aladejana Adesida, Pa Josiah Stanley Adegboye Adesida, Pa J.B Arifalo, Pa Harrison Adegoke Adesida, Pa Agunloye, Pa Adeusi the Akota of Ikota and Pa Adedeji the Obadua of Omowas, Pa Aderotimi, Pa Orisabinu Adedipe, Pa Adelola Faloye and Pa Longe, Pa Akintade, and Pa Falaiye (The Mayor) and few of them who all attended the old St Andrews College, Oyo, in those days.
They were the first batch of educated Akure sons who led the move to have Akure secure his autonomy from Ekiti in 1946. Pa Adegbola was the arrow head of that group. There was another group led by late B.F.A. Adinlewa the pioneer principal of Oyemekun Grammar School, and his wife Mrs. Adinlewa from Sierra Leone and Pa Gideon Arowolo and Pa Reuben Faseide Fashoranti, the pioneer Principal of Iju Itaogbolu Grammar School. All these Akure distinguished Akure citizens were men and women of honor who made Akure what she eventually became in Ondo State. The last Regent of Akure Omoba Adeyinka Adebobajo Adesida and current Regent, Omoba Adetutu Ojei nee Adesida are two of them we must not forget.
Among these individuals must include Olori Adebola Adesida nee Ajao of blessed memory. The list must include Mrs. Mobolaji Dada the Iya Ijo of St. David’s Cathedral and the Yeye Oba of Akure. It must include the Ijebu-born late Mrs. Aguda of blessed memory, the late Mrs. Ojumiri Adinlewa, the late Mrs. Morenike Adeniran nee Agunloye and the current Eyelobirin of Akure, Mrs. Bejide Fadahunsi, and the current Erelu of Akure, Mrs. Femi Adekanye and the current Eyelaje Amuludun of Akure, Mrs. Ogunsusi, Mrs. Meradesa ,the Iyalode of Akure and Mrs. Gbonjubola Adesida, The Iyalode Isare who brought the title “Iyalode” to Akure. There might have been a few names I have left out of this list. I mean no disrespect to anyone who may not have seen their names in this list. God knows all of you better than myself and that is what counts. Don’t be upset with me. I have too much on my mind to remember everybody.
Some of the unsung heroes were politicians who distinguished themselves in so many ways. Among that group was Pa Falaiye, Pa Akintide Gbangba, Chief Reuben Faseide Fashoranti, Hon Olaiya Awolo Fagbamigbe, Chief Kola Ogungbade, Pa Faleye Egun, Joshua Oladimeji Tuki, Pa Agbi, Chief Wumi Adegbonmire, Pa Bosede, LEO, Chief Robert Akesogie Agbayewa and Chief Oluyede, the Akogun of Akure.There was Ambassador/Professor Sunday Agbi who later rose to Secretary to Ondo State Government and Deputy Governor Omolade Oluwateru. The list must of necessity include the great Alex Olofin Adedipe of blessed memory whose life was snatched away from us like a candle in the wind at the peak of his career.
There were just too many of them I may not remember to mention in this write-up. Some of them were intellectuals and academicians and even clerics and clergies of distinction. Among them was Chief Imam Alhaji Yayi Akorede and his son the current Chief Imam. Among the intellectuals include Dr. and Professor Bankole Eru and his librarian wife late Mrs. Bankole. There were Professors Omolade Adejuyigbe, S.O Arifalo, Professor Aderounmu, Professor Adejuyigbe Jnr, Chief Medical Director of OAU Teaching Hospital, Ile ife. There was Professor Mason Falaiye formerly of UCH, Professor Ilesanmi Esho, a world renown Urologist and a childhood friend of mine and the best man at my wedding. There was Professor Bandele Fashakin who obtained his Ph.D from Harvard and MIT way back in 1979.
There was Professor Funke Adedipe daughter of Elemo Orisabinu Adedipe and Professor Ugorji nee Adedipe. There was Dr. and Attorney Emmanuel Olusegun Fasakin, a leading Medical Director of a chain of clinics in New York, the financial capital of the world. There was Dr. Bandele Dada, a leading Psychiatrist in California. There was late Omoba Adewole Adesida who was Permanent Secretary in Ondo State. There was Obajimo of Akure Omowas, Dr. Adebimbe Ige Aladejana-Ogunleye the retired as PMO of Ondo State and he is current Chairman of Osupa ruling house embracing Odundun and Descendants. There was Segun Ogunkua, the Baba Ijo of St. Thomas Church, Akure who became a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Public Service and his late father and mother. They are just too many to count.
There was late Justice Akinola Aguda, the first Chief justice of Boswana and the first Chief justice of Ondo State. There was Professor Peter Oluyede now Kabiyesi the Alaiyede of Aiyede, Ogbese. There was Professor Joseph Akinyele Omoyajowo who later retired as the Bishop of Ijebu Ode Diocese of the Anglican Communion. There was Dr. S.O. Omobomi, the Chairman of WEMA Bank. There was Chief Justice Ogunleye and Chief Justice Omolade Falodun, Justice Aguda, Chief Magistrate Oyinlade, Chief Registrar Soji Fadoju. There was Engineer Adebayo Jeje, and Late Engineer Chief Ralph Adeola Alabi, Chairman of Guiness Nigeria PLC and the last and not the least, Chief Gbobaniyi of Akure, the Oluabo of Ilu Abo and Secretary to the Federal Military Government and Minister of Finance, Chief Oluyemi Falae the runner-up to Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1999 presidential election.
In the Military you have late Commander Akinloye who later became the Odopetu of Akure. There was Commodore and Governor Bandele Otiko, Colonel Elijah Folorunsho David, Colonel Kunle Falayi, Colonel Aladesuyi, Late Captain Omomo, and Air Vice Marshal Agbebi, Major Akin Elegbe. There was my father, late Sergeant Major Akintide Gbangba whose legacy in the Military is now being upheld by two of his grand children who are today serving proudly in the US Military as we speak. The first of them is my first son, Folajoye Akintide, a Navy Seal in the US Military and the second is Opeyemi Akintide of the US Naval Base at Groton Military Base in Connecticut . All of these individuals have helped to put Akure on the world map. They are part of the unsung heroes of Akure.
There were business man and industrialists like late Benjamin Kayode Faloye, the CEO and MD of Africola Brewery Akure. There is Oladipupo Faloye, the CEO and MD of the first Ethanol Industry in Nigeria based in Akure. There was Dr. Femi Adekanye the CEO and MD of the defunct Time Cola Brewery at Aiyede- Ogbese and Kunle Ekundayo the CEO and MD of Drugfield Drug Manufacturing Company based at Ota close to Lagos. There was Colonel Elijah Folorunsho David the MD of Cashhold Petrol Station in Akure. Among them were proprietors of schools like Mrs. Victoria Alade the proprietor of Victory Nursery and Primary School in Akure and Mrs. Deji Adegoroye another proprietor of another Nursery and Primary School in Akure. There was Oye Fashua, the MD and CEO of a Security Company in Nigeria, and the Propreitor of Ero College of Education in Ero near Akure. There is Mrs. Rachel Sefunmi Abisola the CEO and MD of Gilgal Connect Air Travel Agency in Akure. There is Mrs. Mercy Aladegbaiye a former Principal of Fiwasaiye Grammar School Akure and wife of the late Commissioner for Information in Ondo State, Mr. Aladegbaiye. There is uncle Jide Faloye the CEO and MD of Bekka Breweries Akure, Mr. Adewole Atandeyi, the former Permanent Secretary for Information in Ondo State There was late lawyer Kolawole Alayun of Akure. There was Abena Abegunde a former member of the Federal Parliament in Abuja and Abiodun Adesida, another Honorable member and Kola Omonije a former Director of the Nigerian Central Bank. The list is inexhaustible.
I cannot end this write-up without paying encomiums to few Akure indigenes who have been exemplary in their contributions to Akure. Among them include the current Olisa of Akure, Engineer James Olusoga who was always there for Akure ever before his selection as the Olisa. There is Kayode Esho, a surveyor who worked hand in hand with the other Akure elites to build the Akure Town Hall and the Deji’s Palace. There is also architect Olu Agbesua who provided all the architectural drawings of all those public building free of charge. There was a gentleman the current Olu of Ala Ajagbusi without whose leadership Akure would have lost the whole area including Igbo Ofosu to Idanre. The deposed Olisa Otutuleyowo the Second is remembered today with fondness in this article for his role in making sure Akure does not lose Ala Ajagbusi and Igbo Ofosu to Idanre. It is often said in Akure dialect that “Akure ki yin ni ogun” meaning if you sacrifice your life even in a war for Akure, don’t expect Akure to remember what you have done.
It is a sad commentary on Akure as a people and that is why Akure is now trying to change her cognomen from “Omo a muda sile m’ogun erun pa ni” to Omo a muda sile m’ogun erun yin ni” as canvassed by the second Anglican Bishop of Akure Diocese. Rt. Rev Omojoyegbe Ipinmoye. His successor Rt. Rev Borokini who has become the first Akure Bishop in the same Diocese would continue to do his best to emphasize the campaign that Bishop Ipinmoye has started. There is also Archdeacon and Rector of the Anglican Seminary, Akure, Rev. Fagbemi who is doing a marvelous job at the seminary. There is Mr. Tayo Jegede SAN, the present Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State not to forget his senior brother the first Senior Prefect of Oyemekun Grammar School and the Director of the Nigerian Law School, Mr. Kayode Jegede, SAN. There is Ife Adedipe another Senior Advocate of Nigeria based in Rivers State. There is my beloved attorney Gbenga Fabilola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in the making by the special grace of God.
I would add two or three more names I cannot forget in this write-up. The first is that of uncle Akinrin Elegbe, the first Principal of Man O’War Bay in Lagos and the former President of Akure Inner Circle of Lagos. There was also Engineer Zacheus Bello ZAB another former President of Akure Inner Circle, and late Professor Mason Falaiye of the same Circle. There was late President Adeloye and late Dare Adejuyigbe as the Presidents of Akure National Union of Lagos, That includes Mr. S.O Ogundare another President of the same Union and Mr. Jackson Falade of Laurels, in Maryland. He was for many years the President of Akures in Diaspora. There is retired Captain Rufus Orimoloye the first Akure Pilot and one of pioneer air craft pilots in Nigeria. There is Rufus Orimoloye an Insurance giant in Akure and a one time President of Sterling Club just like Abiodun Akerele a one time Chairman of Akure Local Government.
There was Dr. Kayode Fakinlede the President of Akure Progressive Association of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and the current President, Omoba Adebayo Boboye of Maplewood New Jersey and his Vice President, Mr. Sunday Oladunmiye. There were Otumba Oyedele Oni, the first President of Oyemekun Union of New York and the Presidents who took over from him namely President Olushola Yusuf and President Abiodun Alarapon of New Jersey. The last and not the least are two Akure distinguished citizens namely late Ambassador Martin Adelusimo Adegbulu, the last Olu Aponmu of Aponmu who helped in preserving that village for Akure against the incursions or trespass of the Idanres. Many of our people have forgotten Ambassador Adegbulu and the important role he played for Akure till he died. I guess the same thing could be said of Chief E.R.A Babalola retired Principal of St. Thomas Aquinas College and the last Aladun of Adun in Akure South Local Government.
The last and not the least is a man who is currently battling a terminal illness in Akure. He is one of the best brains Akure has ever produced. He is a self-made achiever who has succeeded in everything he has ever laid his hands upon. He rose from being a grade 2 teacher to becoming a diplomat and from there he went on part time studies to read Law at the Holborn College of Law in Great Britain. He became a lawyer and was called to the Bar both in Britain and back home in Nigeria. He was the lawyer the deposed Deji of Akure and the deposed Olisa of Akure had hired to pursue the Appeal case the two of them had filed against the Osolo and the Iralepo as quarter chiefs in Akure but who had been elevated to crowned Obas under cover of darkness in Akure Metropolis by the duo of Olusegun Agagu as Governor and Omolade Oluwateru as Deputy. The brilliant lawyer had joined Ondo State Government as co defendant in the litigation.
He took the case without insisting Akure must pay him, up front. He presented a brilliant and an iron-clad defense that any Senior Advocate of Nigeria could have charged Akure millions of Naira to litigate. I have with me here in New York a copy of his last allocutus to the Appeals Court. It was a masterpiece. He won the case on a platter of gold with a unanimous “yes” vote from every Judge of the Appeals Court.
The two chiefs were ordered never again to parade themselves as crowned Obas in Akure and for them to return back to their role as quarter chiefs in Akure. I introduce to you, ladies and gentlemen, “Egun Mogaji” Barrister Gabriel Omodara Falowo of Fawibe Chambers, Akure who could die any time from now if he gets no help because he is battling a terminal illness and because Akure has up till now not paid his legal fees for taking the case. He is today living at Oba Ile and hoping that somehow God in his infinite mercy, would restore him back to good health.
Akure should be ashamed of treating one of his own like that. I call him one of the unsung heroes of Akure that the Chairman of Akure Local Government and Kabiyesi the present Regent of Akure must work together to bail out of his current predicament. Since he defeated the Ondo State Government, the Government is in no position to want to come to his rescue. The two chiefs are now going to the Supreme Court, but the same fate awaits them there because the Supreme Court is not taking any new evidence other than the ones the Appeal Court has already taken.
I am not a lawyer by training or profession but I can tell that Lawyer Falowo has forever sealed the hopes of the two chiefs in any Court of Law.
Lawyer Falowo has become one of the unsung heroes of Akure in my book, and I am more than proud to end this article by taking off my hat for him and throwing my salute.
I rest my case.
