REVEALED: Not Ajagungbade, here is era name new Oba Ogbomoso will use and why!
Femi OGUNLANA
Era names connote titles adopted in recent history in Yoruba land for the purpose of identification and numbering of successive monarchial regimes. Its adoption coincides with the period of depriving traditional rulers of government powers by the British rulers and now by the republican rulers.
In Ogbomoso, the immediate past Soun, His Imperial Majesty Oba (Dr) Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, JP, CON, CFR, adopted the title or era name – Ajagungbade III, to distinguish his reign, from his predecessors and would-be successors. The “three” in the title implies that we have had Ajagungbade I and ll, who were of his lineage. In fact, in his case, they were his father and grandfather. Similarly, we have had Itabiyi I and II, Elepo I and II and Layode I and II.
However, one would have thought that the era name would commence with the name of the progenitors of each of the ruling houses i.e. Toyeje (but while the name of the ruling house today is Aburumaku, the era name used so far is Itabiyi – I & II); Oluwusi (while the name of the ruling house today is Gbagun, the era name used so far is Ajagungbade – I, II & III); Bayewuwon (while the name of the ruling house today is Olaoye, the era name used so far is Orumogege – I & II); Bolanta (this retains Bolanta as the name of the ruling house, but the era name is Elepo – I & II); and the fifth – Odunaro (continues to use Odunaro with the era name Layode – I & II so far).
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Meanwhile, Abuirumaku and Itabiyi are son and grandson of Toyeje respectively; Gbagun whose nickname is Ajagungbade, is son of Oluwusi; Olaoye, whose nickname is Orumogege is son of Bayewuwon but Bayewuwon is now a branch of Olaoye; Elepo is son of Bolanta; while Olayode is son of Odunaro.
Orumogege I
Atanda Olaoye Orumogege was favoured among his father’s sons like Ajiteru, Olateju etc to assume the throne of his fathers. He succeeded Gbagun in 1871 and reigned till 1901, 30 solid years! His reign coincided with the period that ushered in great changes in Yoruba land. The 16 year Kiriji (Ekitiparapo) war raged with fury during this time, there were other wars too and all these regrettably ushered the country into the iron grip of the British, who by subterfuge seized the country and made it their colony.
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Olaoye Orumogege loved his town meanwhile, he entrenched greater stability, dealt severely with thieves, arsonists and murderers in order to have a more peaceful, livable society. His reign also coincided with the period what is today The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, NBTS, was birthed in Ogbomoso, in 1898, as well as with the arrival of Dr George Green, who founded the Baptist Hospital (now Bowen University Teaching Hospital) in 1905. His reign similarly witnessed the introduction of coins and cowries as medium of exchange.
But during his reign there was a crisis instigated on the altar of ignorance (?). One of the earliest convert to Christianity in Ogbomoso, Baba Fasanya of Ile Gbagbo, Isale-Afon, died. The people of the town fearing his remains would be exhumed and his bones used in manufacturing knives’ handles as was erroneously believed, resisted vehemently the plan of the white missionaries who headed the churches, to bury him in the church cemetery. The conflict degenerated into The Anglican Church, Agboin and Oke-Osupa Baptist Church being razed, in the ensuing riot.
Lawani Oke Lanipekun Olaoye Orumogege II
Lawani Oke Lanipekun Olaoye Orumogege II is one of the three prominent sons of Atanda Olaoye Orumogege. The others are Oyekola and Oladayo. Oyekola is the eldest and so was selected on the basis of megbonmegbon (favouring the eldest) to succeed Baale Afolabi Oyewumi, who died in 1940. However, two or three days to his installation he died. His son, Amoo Oyetunde was installed instead by the colonial masters and a section of the family. This provoked a legal tussle that ended at the Privy Council in London in 1944.
The ground of the litigation was that Oyetunde could not succeed to the throne when his father had siblings i.e. Oke Lanipekun and Oladayo. During that period, the practice was to pick the eldest to assume the throne. Oyetunde won in the Western Region High Court and in the West African Court of Appeal but lost out at the Privy Council in London in 1944, four years after sitting on the throne. This paved way for the installation of Oke Lanipekun on April 29, 1944. His reign lasted till March 29, 1952. He adopted the title Orumogege II. His reign witnessed the transformation of Ogbomoso Progressives Union into Ogbomoso Parapo in 1950,
Waiting on the era name to be adopted by the new Soun-Designate – Crown Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye
With the installation and coronation of the Crown Prince in view, it is pertinent to envisage what era name he will use – most possibly, we are entering the era – Orumogege III i.e. His Imperial Majesty Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye Orumogege III.
Nonetheless, the day is still young!
