Oba Igbokoda not authentic, his claims false, says Olugbo's aide
By Adesoji Aladetan
I was taken aback when my attention was brought to the sacrilegious statements attributed to one Chief Afolabi Odidi, Olu of Igbokoda, and my joy is that our greatly revered ruler and founder of Ilajeland, the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba (Dr.) Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, CON, would not be bothered by ill fated persons like Chief Afolabi Odidi. However, I must respond to this frivolous ranting.
It is important at this point to bring the following to public notice before I educate the wheelchair historian whom we have ascertained was paid to utter such statements by certain elements who seek to continue to lead the world and indeed the Yorubas in the hitherto disrupted history of Yorubaland. The statements of Chief Afolabi Odidi reflect the writing of a sick mind that is seeking attention and fueling flames about ongoing matters at hand as regards the quest of the Olugbo to set the history of Yorubaland straight.
Firstly, that Chief Afolabi Odidi addressed himself as “His Royal Majesty” as well as “Paramount Ruler and Prescribed Authority” is not just a slight on the Amapetu whom he mentioned but in ancient times, the Amapetu would have happily sent Odidi’d head to the Olugbo in a calabash for ascribing to himself such titles that even his father would dare not, and having the effrontery to mention the Amapetu in any way whatsoever.
For the purpose of clarity, and although slavery has been abolished, the biological father of Olu of Igbokoda was a slave who escaped from a community close to Akure, and came to Igbokoda as a seller of clothes. Soon enough, news of a cloth seller who had no place to lay his head was common knowledge and historically, the land on which the Olu of Igbokoda lives till today belonged to the Olugbo. It is on record that when the owner’s of the runaway slave traced him to Igbokoda and he was to be extradited, report got to the Olugbo who summoned the parties, and set him free by his Imperial sagacity. Pa Odidi became a Baale (Minor Chief of Igbokoda), and even as at 1957, Igbokoda was a boat terminal that had just 3 houses stationed by River Ufara.
Secondly, it is on record and quite verifiable that Chief Afolabi Odidi, just recently changed his family name from ODIDI (name of a tree’) to ODIDIOMO, probably to hide his ancestry as a slave or to seek relevance. Also, it may be to hide his criminal records. I do remember that Chief Afolabi Odidi, who is an accused criminal for murder is continually mischievous. His case files consisting his interrogation records and confessions at the Nigerian Police Force HQ, Abuja where he was docked for 2 weeks are still very much available to those who wish to acquire it.
Furthermore, just anyone can confirm from the records of Ondo state government that Chief Afolabi Odidi was until recently an ordinary Chief before he was upgraded to a High Chief, and is far below the Olugbo who is an authentic First Class Oba (Grade A) in Ondo state. The Olugbo is undoubtedly recognized as Paramount Ruler and Prescribed Authority. In summary, the Olu of Igbokoda, Chief Afolabi Odidi, who is the son of a runaway slave, and whose father was not even in Igbokoda as at 1957 is not an Ilaje man. Little wonder he could be bought over with a morsel of porridge to spew gutter from his mouth. Just as a leopard cannot change its skin, a bastard cannot have the empathy of a son.
Thirdly, on the 11th of January, 2013, Chief Afolabi Odidi was among the low ranking Chiefs who accompanied the Olugbo as well as other prominent Monarchs in and out of Ilajeland to visit the Alaafin of Oyo, Iku Baba Yeye, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi on a courtesy visit when an inferno affected his palace in Oyo. At that visit, and right in front of the Olugbo, the greatly respected Monarch, who is a repository of Yoruba history, said “the ancestors of Olugbo are the first original settlers of ancient Ife town”. The video and audio clips of this assertion by the Alaafin which showed Chief Afolabi Odidi clapping and shouting Opa ti Olugbo, Aja ti Oghonne like a fan in the Nations Cup are still available.
Also, we should always pray that life deals well with us. Poverty, such that has handcuffed the Olu of Igbokoda, is the chronic type that would make a foolish man make the bed on which his wife would be laid for money. Wonders really shall not end. I am aware that Chief Afolabi Odidi used to sit at the foot of the Olugbo, and was a regular visitor to the Olugbo’s abode to beg for money and material benefits.
Now on history, it is important to state that the historical timeline of present day Ile Ife are as follows:
Ife Oodaye (Ife before the flood): This was an assemblage of gods and goddesses called Okanlenirinwo Irunmale.
Ife Ooye (Ife of the survivors): This was a period where gods, goddesses and survivors of the great flood dwelt together, and there were special beings born at that time.
Ugbomokun (the period of the peopling of Ife): This was a period of the great civilization and dominance of ancient Ile Ife in history. The entire people of present day Ile Ife were called Ugbo and the 13 communities referred to today were jointly called Ugbomokun. Prominent among the communities were Iwinrin which was the nativity of Oranfe, the father of Kutukutu Oba Ugbo, Osangangan Obamakin. Another prominent community was Idita, the home of Obatala, and without dispute, Osangangan Obamakin, the son of Oranfe, who later came to be called Oronmakin was the Paramount Ruler over the communities.
A vital lyric in Ifa Corpus that points to the reign of the Olugbo in Ile Ife is “Kutukutu Oba Ugbo, Osangangan Obamakin, Eni ti a bi lode Ugbo, To joba lode Ilaje”
The portion of the Ifa Corpus referred to the same person as against the ignorance spelt out by Chief Afolabi Odidi that Kutukutu Oba Ugbo and Osangangan Obamakin are separate persons.
I challenge Chief Odidi to show the world his father’s compound in Ora Quarters in present day Ile Ife as against the ancient Palace of Olugbo called ILERO in Iremo road of present day Ile Ife.
The footprints of the reign of Olugbo in Ile Ife cannot be wiped out till the end of days. The ancient markets, Oja Ife and Oja Aiyegbaju founded by Oranfe and his son, Osangangan Obamakin who later became Oronmakin are still in existence today, and the kith and kin of the Olugbo who visit Ugboland regularly to felicitate with the Olugbo are the custodians of the famous Aje deity which even the Ooni must pay homage yearly. In accordance, the aboriginal market in Ile Ife was called Oja Ugbo or Ugbomokun Akira.
The most revered place in the Palace of the Ooni of Ife today is called Ile Ugbo, and it is in this place that the initial rites of cleansing, blessing and installation of every new Ooni must be carried out.
In continuation, the Moremi episode was not in the historical timeline of Ile Ife at the time of the dynastic struggle in Ile Ife, and it pertinent to state that although Moremi was captured as a slave, Olugbo married her as a wife and related with her as a trusted wife. The Moremi issue is unnecessarily over flogged. There are always two sides to a coin. Moremi could be a traitor somewhere and a heroine elsewhere. By implication, Moremi remains a traitor and betrayal to Ilaje Ugbo.
Furthermore, it is important to state that contrary to Chief Odidi’s narration, Moremi was neither Oranyan’s wife nor was she from Offa but from a small village near Ife. The assertion by Chief Odidi to call an Olugbo’s wife a woman who could not be aware of sacred rituals is laughable. In ancient times, it was customary for powerful Kings and warriors to show their trusted wife the sacred teachings and eulogy of their powers and deity. It was her responsibility to coordinate the daily sacrifices and appeasement of the gods in the absence of the King, particularly when on long voyages of conquest. To say that it was wrong of the Olugbo to reveal the secret of his powers to his wife shows the academic and historical depravity of Chief Odidi as well as his low sense of reasoning.
I would like to draw the attention of Chief Odidi to the view of the academia on the assertions of the Olugbo regarding the ownership of Ile Ife, “The Olugbo is not in any war of supremacy with any monarch but he is interested in letting the world know the truth that Oduduwa met some people at Ife and the descendants of the aborigines he met are still alive and have the rights to tell their own story. The Olugbo simply refuted the recent claim by the Ooni of Ife that the Ibos (Igbos) of South East Nigeria are the owners of Ile Ife, and the Olugbo’s stand is backed by genuinely documented historical, dialectical and scientific evidences’.
While clarifying the matter on whether the Ugbos of Ilaje or the Ibos of South East Nigeria are the aborigines of Ile Ife, the oldest Professor of History in Nigeria, Emeritus Professor Anthony Asiwaju of the University of Lagos said, “I think the claim of Ugbo being the indigenous inhabitants of Ile-Ife in the pre-Oduduwa narration is derived from the Moremi legend. The reference is to Ugbo but it does not mean the Igbo of the Eastern Nigeria, and I am happy that some books have clarified that”.
In the same vein, another prominent Professor of History from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Professor Ishola Olomola explained that there is no confusion anywhere because the history being discussed here were events of several centuries and Ibos were never called Igbo until after the civil war. The eminent scholar stated that there is no research work or book that traced Ibos of Eastern Nigeria origin to Ile-Ife. He said, “There is no book or research work that traced the history of Ibos to Ile-Ife. Some of their scholars claimed they are part of Jews that did not follow Israelites to the Promised land”.
In conclusion, to me, the interview granted by Chief Odidi is a product of a sick mind who probability has a grouse to settle with the Olugbo. I am of the opinion that he should look for another way to do this rather than going on a futile mission for cheap popularity. It is obvious that some disgruntled elements who are enemies of Yoruba progress have paid the jobless and impoverished Chief Odidi to carry out this espionage. If Chief Odidi is sensible and peace loving, he would not be fueling the issue already on ground. I am also sure that the Ooni is not aware of the existence of Chief Odidi whose status is too low to be in the courts of Ife.
Aladetan is the Asemanuwa of Ugboland

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