Why Igbo Oluwo later change to Sango otta: Historical Background

ln the year 1899, the British, who were then the colonial masters of Nigeria, began moves to establish rail transportation in Nigeria.

So many treaties were signed with the land owners; THE ALAKE OF EGBA LAND, THE OLOWU OF OWU, THE AGURA OF GBAGURA and THE OSILE OF OKE-ONA, EGBA, and some Chiefs were signatories to the treaties, wherever land belonging to the Egba Kingdom was concerned.

A railway station was sited in Sango at the spot which now houses the present Sango Police Station. The Area Commander’s Office was then the ticket room.

The treaty of the railway station situated in Sango then, was signed for, by the Egba monarchs as the bonafide owners of the land, by virtue of the conquest of the Aworis in Ota between 1839 – 1842.

In 1856 Oba Akintoye of Lagos was dethroned. Being an Owu man he ran to Owu Abeokuta for protection. Owu’s are known to be warriors, they decided to fight and reinstate him. They made their camp at a forest called IGBO-OLOWU which later became SANGO after the establishment of a railway station.

In Sango till today Electricity Bills to consumers are being addressed with IGBO-OLOWU Sango.

By 1912, the Government decided to construct a trunk ‘A’ road to link Lagos with Abeokuta. They shifted the rail line from Sango to ljoko to give way for the Trunk ‘A’ road.

Very many years later, the local Police metamorphosed into the Nigeria Police Force, and the railway station was converted for its use.

Following this development, people began to settle in Sango. One of such pioneer settlers was a man named Albert Ajenifuja from Otun Aiyegbajo Ekiti.

He was a road worker. There was later an influx of Egba settlers and further later on, the Hausas, the Ekitis and the lgbiras made Sango their home.

As a result of a steady increase in the number of settlers, the need arose to appoint a Baale who will be the focal point of the Sango Community in conformity with Yoruba tradition. The whole Sango community agreed to install Mr. Albert Ajenifuja as the first Baale of Sango in 1916 and he held the office till death in 1947.

Where after, Chief Yesufu Owolabi, an Egba (GBAGURA) man was appointed his successor and he held the office for twenty years. He passed on in 1967.

On the 12th November 1967, Mr. Joseph Ladipo Alogi was elected as the next Baale of Sango after defeating Mr. Samuel Ajayi Akutu, an Ota candidate. At that point a dispute arose, the Ota people wanted to impose Mr. Samuel Ajayi on Sango, but he was rejected. A powerful petition was written by Sango community to the then Military Governor of Western Region.

A panel of enquiry was set up by the military Government to look into the Baaleship dispute in Sango. The panel was headed by one Z.O. Okunoren. The panel later confirmed Mr Joseph Ladipo Alogi as the Baale of Sango.

On the 11th October, 1987, the reins of leadership as Baale fell on Chief Henry Oluwole Adebayo. He was elected as 4th Baale of Sango. He died on the 22nd April, 1993.

OBASHIP

On the 26th December, 2005, the original settlers and the representatives of the communities in Sango gathered at Ketere in a meeting, as is the custom with the settlers and the entire community. They decided to press for an Oba.

It was unanimously agreed that the Olowu of Owu, under whose prescribed authority traditionally they fall by virtue of conquest of the Aworis by the Egbas, should be approached for approval of the Obaship stool. It was also agreed at the meeting, that if approved, the house of the last Baale, Chief Henry oluwole Adebayo should present a candidate for the Obaship since the late Baale had died in the Baaleship dispute.

The Olowu of Owu was approached and he gave his royal blessings for the appointment of an Oba in Sango.

Mr Oluwagbohun Olatunji Adebayo was unanimously selected by Adebayo as candidate of the family. He was thus presented to the Olowu for his blessings and was installed the first Onisango of Sango on the 11th March, 2006.

After the installation of the Onisango, a meeting of elders and community leaders was called by the Royal highness where a decision was taken to install Baales in some communities within Sango.

The following towns were carved out and the Baales installed are :
Araromi – It was initially named Sorinolu Esubiyi area of Igbo-Olowu Sango by
the then administrator appointed by the Alake after the fall of Ota in 1842. lt is predominately occupied by Egba Ake, Egbe Owu, lgbiras and Aworis.
Abule Olodo – The area that Hausa’s settled after the establishment of the railway in 1899 and it was named Egbapeju by Obatolu who was one of the administrators appointed by Alake after the war of
1839 – 1842. It is predominated by Egba owu, Egba Ake, Egba Okeona, Awori’s and other tribes.
Gbagura – As the name indicates, It is where the Gbagura’s from Egba-Gbagura in Abeokuta settled, and were later joined by other tribes e.g the Owus, Ake, lgbo, Hausas, etc.
Temidire – Its first settlers were Owus and Ijayes, who were later joined by Okeona Egba, Egba Ake, Gbaguras and other tribes.
These are the four cardinal points of Sango and as the town expanded more communities were established and headed by Baales. They include :
Jibowu – Chief Waidi Dairo (Baale)
Gbagura – Chief lfasanya Olurebi (Baale)
Irepodun – Chief Abraham Akinwunmi (Baale)
Araromi – Chef Ganiu A. Egbeji (Baale)
Egan – Chief Idowu O. Jacob (Baale)
Abule Olodo – Chief Azeez Kareem (Baale)
Ireakari – Chief Muftau Kasali (Baale)
Orile Owu – Chief Ayoade Kehinde (Baale)
Egbatedo – Chief Solomon Oyefade (Baale)
Ifelodun – Chief Moshood Adetola (Baale)
Iroko – Chief Olusoji A. Iroko (Baale)
Arije Campbell – Chief Rasheed Kehinde (Baale)
Ilupeju Ayedaade – Chief Jelili T. Amusan (Baale)
Saka – Chief Jubril Owolabi (Baale)
Aranshe – Chief Ganiu Ayinde (Baale)
Otisese community.
Temidire community.
Orile Egba community.
HRM,Oba Oluwagboun Olatunji Adebayo
Onisango of SangoLand.