For His
Royal Highness, Oba Abdul-Razaq Adesina Adenugba, Okokodana Meji II, Ebumawe of
Ago-Iwoye, Saturday, 8th May, 2004, will go down in his personal
life as a day destiny was fulfilled.
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| Oba Abdul-Razaq Adesina Adenugba |
It was a day
he stood tall before a large crowd of indigenes of Ago-Iwoye and very important
dignitaries across the globe to receive his instrument and staff of office as
the 5th Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, from the Deputy Governor of Ogun
State, Alhaja Salmot Badru, with Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel in
attendance.
Oba
Abdul-Razaq Adenugba was born on 3rd February, 1956, to the family
of Omooba Disu Adenugba of the royal family of Okokodana dynasty of Ago-Iwoye,
and Olori Sabitiyu Adeola (Nee Delagunren) of the Paripete royal family of
Ago-Iwoye.
His
grandfather, Oba Akadi Adenugba, Okokodana Meji I, was the first Ebumawe of
Ago-Iwoye who ruled from 1931 to 1944.
After the demise
of Oba Lateef Adewale, Adan-bi-Ide II, the 4th Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye,
who joined his ancestors on 17th January, 2002, it was the turn of
Okokodana Meji ruling house to present the next Ebumawe to fill the vacant
stool.
After
several family meetings, and in conjunction with the Ifa Oracle as was the
tradition in Yorubaland, the lot fell on Prince Adesina Adenugba, as he then
was, to become the next Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye.
When Oba
Abdul-Razaq Adenugba was informed at the family meeting that he had been nominated
for the Obaship position, he was in great shock and wept profusely, as he never
dreamt or planned to become an Oba.
In fact, he
delayed in accepting the nomination, thinking that the family would choose
another person if they did not see or hear from him. In the process, he
contemplated running away from the country in order to avoid becoming an Oba,
which he thought would restrict his much cherished free life of socializing.
After
intense persuasions from family members and other distinguished leaders in the
town, he accepted the nomination.
Thereafter,
the stage was set for an elaborate coronation ceremony, after performing all
the traditional rites, including being in seclusion for 3 months.
On the day
of the coronation, the entire Ago-Iwoye town was ecstatic, as the young and old
people were rejoicing with the young Ebumawe, who was 48 years old as he
ascended the throne.
Indeed the
joy of Oba Adenugba knew no bounds, seeing the people of Ago-Iwoye showing him
love, while his octogenarian mother, Madam Sabitiyu Adeola Adenugba, who was
alive then, shared in the glorious moments of his son.
However, one
sore aspect of the coronation event in the life of Oba Adenugba, was the
absence of his first wife, Olori Alhaja Muyibat Adenugba, who died shortly after
the royal stool fell on him. In fact, the late Olori played great role in
persuading Oba Adenugba to accept his nomination as Ebumawe.
After
receiving his instrument and staff of office, Oba Abdul-Razaq Adenugba settled
down earnestly for the task of administering the town.
In order to
ensure effective and all inclusive administration, Oba Adenugba embarked on
traditional restructuring. He gave all the Baales
in the villages recognition and delegated his authority to them for the purpose
of executing their responsibilities.
He also
brought up the issue of the Olorituns
in all the wards that are in Ago-Iwoye Traditional Council, for them to be able
to report to the Otunbas who are the
heads of the 8 Quarters in the town.
The Olorituns are therefore empowered to
resolve matters within their purview, while those matters beyond them should be
taken to the Otunbas, who in turn can
refer such to the Ebumawe if they are beyond them.
In order not
to give room for abuse of power, the traditionalists, the Osugbos, the Iyalojas,
etc, were mandated to get approval of concerned authorities in whatever they
do.
The past
fifteen years of Oba Adenugba on the throne have been very eventful, thereby
culminating in several achievements.
One of such
achievements is the resolution of the leadership crisis in Mamu, a village
under Ago-Iwoye town, which for a long time was headed by non-indigene.
When Oba
Adenugba came into the saddle, he installed an indigene of Ago-Iwoye as Baale of Mamu, to take charge of the
village. Though, some people went up to Appeal Court to challenge the authority
of Oba Adenugba, but at the end, Ebumawe won the case.
In his
efforts to improve business activities in Ago-Iwoye, Oba Adenugba, a retired
banker, has ensured peaceful atmosphere in the town for various businesses to
thrive. For instance, businesses such as Hotels, Filling Stations, Quarry
Sites, Private Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools are daily springing up in
the town to improve commercial activities and also offer employment to indigenes.
In the area
of social and community development, the Ebumawe has resuscitated the Regberegbe Age Groups and Clubs which
foster the spirit of unity, and engage in healthy competition among themselves
in the provision of community development projects.
Oba Adenugba
also places high premium on security of lives and properties in the town. To
this extent, he gives total support in all ramifications to the security
agencies and local vigilantes to
combat crimes in the town. A reason why the activities of cultists who had
hitherto terrorized the town had been dealt with.
While the
reign of Oba Adenugba in the past fifteen years has enjoyed tremendous support
from all and sundry, it should be noted that his administration was brought to
its knees and almost truncated with the sad incident of 16th June,
2005, when hoodlums burnt down the palace during students’ crisis.
At that
time, Oba Adenugba was preparing for the celebration of his first anniversary
when the sad incident occurred.
Trouble
started when information filtered in that students of Olabisi Onabanjo
University, Ago-Iwoye, were coming to the palace to protest the purported death
of a 100 level student allegedly in the hands of vigilante members who he had an issue with.
On getting
to the palace, they overpowered the gatemen and burnt the palace. But luckily,
Oba Adenugba escaped.
Before
coming to the palace, the students had earlier gone to Ebumawe’s father’s house
with the intention of killing his mother who also miraculously escaped.
After the palace
was burnt, some newspapers went to town the following day carrying conflicting
stories alleging that Kabiyesi killed students.
It was
indeed a tense situation which made the state government and law enforcement
agents to converge at the palace, where Ebumawe appealed to government to bring
in security agents to checkmate the hoodlums.
Consequent
upon the crisis, the state government under the leadership of Otunba Gbenga
Daniel set up a panel to investigate the matter, while Oba Adenugba appeared
before the panel to tell his story.
The panel
submitted its report and it was referred to Ijebu Traditional Council which had
jurisdiction over such matter, and it was resolved.
While the
crisis lasted, Oba Adenugba suffered humiliation in the hands of his persecutors
who were later found to have sponsored the crisis, by infiltrating the students
with hoodlums to carry out the dastardly act.
In trying to
unravel the truth about the allegation that a 100 level student was killed by
members of the vigilante, Oba Adenugba
requested for the name and address of the student in question, but he was given
a fictitious name and address.
The
Kabiyesi, in company of a reporter from Guardian newspaper visited the address
and met a man who said he lost a son who was an apprentice of a panel beater at
Idi-Araba, and that the boy died of tetanus. It was the same name of the person
which they claimed to be student of Olabisi Onabanjo University.
Ironically,
Kabiyesi later discovered that the person giving him wrong information was his
childhood friend from Ago-Iwoye.
In the
aftermath of the burnt palace, Oba Adenugba moved some of his salvaged
properties to an office which the government gave him in one of the area
council buildings close to the palace. Subsequently, he moved to Lagos from
where he was coming to Ago-Iwoye everyday.
To compound
his woes, Kabiyesi came around one day and found his properties outside. After
conducting investigation, he discovered that it was his blood brother whom he
had earlier helped that was responsible for it.
Later on,
Oba Adenugba was forced to be operating his daily activities in the open under
the tree. He was there for about three years until one day when a God sent
person came to visit him, and surprisingly found him sitting under the tree.
The person later built a befitting and well equipped office for him, and
started another life.
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| Ebumawe's Palace |
Shortly
after, some well meaning personalities came to his aid and supported him in
building a new palace which he is presently occupying.
Oba
Adenugba’s travails during the crisis period have no doubt renewed his faith in
God.
As a devout
Muslim, he believes that whatever happens to man is allowed by God to happen,
and also for the purpose of learning some lessons.
That he was
able to surmount the myriad of problems and challenges that faced him in the
course of his reign, is enough testimony that truly, God dictates the affairs
of man.
It is in
realization of this that he continues to thank God for being endowed with
wisdom to manage whatever challenge or crisis that comes his way.
Aside from
the students’ crisis, Ebumawe has had cause to contend with several unfounded
rumours sponsored by his detractors to tarnish his image. But as a Royal Father
to all, and being well focused, he has never allowed such campaign of calumny
to distract him from giving quality and exemplary leadership to the town.
Rather, he
is known to always preach peace, and operate an open door policy that gives
indigenes free access to him to express their mind on any issue that affects
them or the town.
Indeed the
unfettered accessibility he created for himself is such that, he relates at
formal and informal level with the young and old, as well as the highly and
lowly placed people without restriction.
As a matter
of fact, it must be said that Ago-Iwoye is blessed with an Oba that the people
are proud of
Oba Abdul-Razaq
Adenugba, who graduated from University of Lagos and University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta, with B.Sc Accounting and MBA respectively, had a fulfilling career at
United Bank for Africa, where he worked from 1982 to 1996. He rose to become a
Senior Manager before he retired.
He has
continuously used his rich educational background and corporate experience,
coupled with his vast connection with people in high places to attract
development to the town.
There is no
doubt that Ago-Iwoye has witnessed impressive turnaround since Ebumawe ascended
the throne.
Although
Ago-Iwoye is not where it ought to be, but definitely, it is not where it used
to be.
As Oba
Abdul-Razaq Adesina Adenugba clocks fifteen years on the throne, it is
imperative that all sons and daughters, as well as residents of Ago-Iwoye
should support and join hands together with him to take the town to the next
level, and bring to fruition all the good things that the people desire.
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