Awujale
Awujale is the royal title of the monarch of the Ijebu Kingdom. The holder is addressed as the Awujale of Ijebuland.[1] The most recent Awujale was Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Ogbagba II, who served as the Awujale from 1960 until his death in 2025.[2] He was from the House of Anikinaiya.
By the declaration made under section 4(2) of the Chiefs Law 1957 of the Customary Law regulating the selection of the Awujale of Ijebuland Chieftaincy, there are four ruling houses:[3]
- House of Gbelegbuwa
- House of Anikinaiya
- House of Fusengbuwa
- House of Fidipote
The Declaration was approved 25 August 1959 and registered on 1 September 1959.
Background
[edit]According to one tradition, the title Awujale originated from the nickname Amujaile, meaning a person who understands the art of wrestling on land. This nickname was given to Obanta (Ogboroban) after he reached a village ruled by a chief named Olu-Igbo, who refused him passage, and the issue was resolved by a wrestling march between them in which Obanta was victorious.[4]
List of past and present Awujales
[edit]- OBA OLU-IWA (Technically Olu-Iwa was not an Oba, He was one of those that discovered Ijebu Ode)
- OBA OSHIN (Oshin was also not an Oba, He was Regent When Olu-Iwa died, he was a placeholder for OBANTA who journeyed from Ile Ife)
- OBANTA – 1430
- OBA GURU – 1445
- OBA MUNIGBUWA – 1455
- OBANTA II – 1460
- OBA LOJA – 1470
- OBA LOFIN – 1482
- OBA APASA – 1496
- OBA GANJU – 1508
- OBA TEWOGBOYE – 1516
- OBA RUWAMUDA – 1520
- OBA OFINRAN – 1532
- OBA LAPENGBUA – 1537
- OBA OTUTUBIOSUN – 1537
- OBA MOKO IDOWA AJUWAKALE – 1540
- OBA ADISA – 1552
- OBA ABIMBOLA - 1555
- OBA JEWO – 1561
- OBA ELEWU ILEKE – 1576
- OBA OLUMISODAN ELEWU ILEKE – 1590
- OBA MASE – 1620
- OBA OLOTUSESO – 1625
- OBA MOLA – 1635
- OBA AJANA – 1642
- OBA ORE OR GADEGUN – 1644 (The first female Awujale)
- OBA GUNWAJA – 1655
- OBA JADIARA OR OLOWOJOYEMEJI – 1660
- OBA SAPOKUN – 1675
- OBA FALOKUN – 1687
- OBA MEKUN – 1692
- OBA GBODOGI – 1702
- OBA OJIGI AMOYEGESO – 1710
- OBA LIYEWE AROJOFAYE – 1730
- OBA MOYEGE OLOPE – 1730
- OBA OJORA – 1735
- OBA FESOJOYE – 1745
- OBA ORE JEJE – 1749 (Female)
- OBA SAPENNUWA RUBA KOYE – 1750 (Female)
- OBA ORODUDU JOYE – 1755
- OBA TEWOGBUWA I – 1758
- OBA GBELEGBUWA I – 1760
- OBA FUSENGBUWA – 1790
- OBA SETEJOYE – 1820
- OBA ANIKILAYA FIGBAJOYE AGBOOGUNSA – 1821
- OBA AFIDIPOTEMOLE ADEMUYEWO – 1850
- OBA ATUNWASE ADESINBO – 1886
- OBA OGBAGBA AGBOTEWOLE I – 1895
- OBA FUSIGBOYE ADEONA – 1906
- OBA FESOGBADE ADEMOLU – 1916 (Dethroned)
- OBA ADEKOYA ELERUJA – 1916
- OBA ADEMOLU FESOGBADE – 1917 (Enthroned again)
- OBA ADENUGA AFOLAGBADE – 1925
- OBA OGUNNAIKE FIBIWOGA – 1929–1933
- OBA DANIEL ADESANYA GBELEGBUWA II – 1933–1959
- OBA Dr. SIKIRU OLUWAKAYODE ADETONA, OGBAGBA AGBOTEWOLE II – 1960–2025
References
[edit]- ^ "Ijebu History". ijebumn.org. Archived from the original on 27 January 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Awujale of Ijebu, Buhari's longtime friend, dies at 91". The Cable. 13 July 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ "Ijebu Community Association | History". Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
- ^ Ogunkoya, T. O. (December 1956). "The Early History of Ijebu". Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria. 1 (1): 50 – via JSTOR.