10/11/2020
AGBOGUNGBORO
BY DAVIDSON AYOADE OJENIYI
OGEDENGBE
His real name was Orisarayibi Ogundamola. He was born to the family of Apasan Borijiwa and Juola Orisatomi of Ilesa during the destruction of Owu Ipole and the occupation of Ibadan and Ijaye by Yoruba war marauders in the early 1820s. Few months to his birth, prediction was made in Ijesa land that the liberator of the Ijesa and Ekiti people was on his way. He was nicknamed Ogedengbe due to his war exploits and Leadership quality.
Ogedengbe was the youngest among them all. These were the boys driven out of Ilesa for their wild and lawless habit by Chief Odole, an Ijesa chief . Others were Omole, Ayibiowu, Fayise, etc. They all came to Ibadan where they could find for their energies the scope which was denied them at home. They distributed themselves under the Ibadan principal chiefs. Ogedengbe was placed under Bada Aki iko o, a distinguished warrior under whom he learnt the act of war. They fought for these Ibadan chiefs in all their Expeditions. They often betrayed their countrymen by leading Ibadan kidnappers to kidnap their own people and bring them captive to Ibadan.
Ogedengbe joined his countrymen to lay siege against Ibadan at Igbajo campaign. Captured after the defeat of the Ijesas and charged for treason. He was ordered to be executed by Ogunmola for joining the rebels against the country of his adoption. His friends Ayibiowu and Omole pleaded for his life through Latosisa. Basorun Ogunmola granted his release but disfigured his face with the A bunu marks. Ogunmola was made to know through his Ifa priest that the boy whose face was so disfigured was destined to become a great man and he will cause the Ibadans any amount of trouble. Ogedengbe never forget this act of deliverance until the day of his death. He spared many Ibadan young men that fell into his hands years after.
After Basorun Ogunmola’s experience, Ogedemgbe escaped back to Ilesa. He brought together other young ijesa men who had escaped at the defeat at Igbajo to Odo, Iperindo, and other places in Ijesa land and headed a conspiracy against Chief Odole who had warned them against the siege of Igbajo, A civil war ensued. Odole was overpowered by numbers and fell by his own hands..
Immediately the news of the death of Basorun Ogunmola of Ibadan reached them at Ilesa, the ijesas including Ogedengbe again rebelled openly against Ibadan and war was declared against them. On the 22nd of December, 1868 Ibadan army met ijesa warriors at Ibala where the first battle was fought. Ilesa was dislodged from Ibala forcing them to fall back on Afara Jegede.
Soon after the dislodgement, an ambuscade was laid at Fejeboju River by Ibadan soldiers headed by Ayibiowu. They were discovered by the Ijesas and waylaid. Ayibiowu their leader, an ijesa man who was fighting against his people was taken alive by his countrymen and butchered to pieces.
The Ijesas, though for a whole year refused to be totally dislodged by Ibadan but they considered it prudent to surrender, as sooner or later they would surely be taken. They negotiated for peace and there was an armistice. During the negotiation, they brought over 400 bags of cowries into the Ibadan camp as submission money, but the chiefs feared to touch the gift thinking that it has been poisoned but Ajayi Ogboriefon being a poor man as at this time was willing to take all. "Let me die if poisoned," said he, "I do not mind." Balogun Akere, Ibadan commander-in-chief died during the peace negotiation. The next day Ibadan confronted the Ijesas, telling them that they had killed their Balogun because he was inclined to peace, the armistice therefore was now at an end. A terrible battle ensued on February 15th, 1869. They fought till sunset. An Ijesa eye-witness reported that in the first day's fight a heap of 140 corpses was made, the corpses not being allowed to be removed home for fear of causing a panic. Before Ilesa was taken, the Ibadans discovered that the Ijesas were well supplied with food and ammunition from Odo, and it was evident that unless this road was taken there was little hope of taking the town. When the road was eventually taken and food supplies cut off, people died of starvation in the streets by hundreds.
Ogedengbe at length sent word to Ogboriefon to grant him an interview. The two generals leaving their armies in the rear met at the centre of the battlefield. A covenant of friendship was made.. In order to prevent further unnecessary loss of lives by the sword and by famine, they arranged that the Ibadan army should make a way for Ogedemgbe and his followers to go in peace leaving the town a prey to the besiegers. Early in the morning of the 4th of June, 1870, Ogedemgbe with his Ipaiyes left Ilesa and threw the gates open. According to arrangement the Ibadans opened their ranks for them to pass, and closed them against stragglers, and then the town was taken.
In 1869, the death of Owa Agunlejika 1, The King of Ilesa was announced. Ibadan, the overlord of the ijesas whose duty was to install another Owa was informed. Princes Odigbadigba and Oweweniye signified their intention and they both seek for help among Ibadan Chiefs. Odigbadigba who was Ogedengbe’s candidate sent about 50 slaves and other presents to Balogun Ajobo in Ibadan. Ajobo received these presents and never informed the Chiefs in council about it. He singlehandedly ordered that Odigbadigba be crowned.
When Ibadan Chiefs came to know about it, they invited the 2 candidates to Ibadan and Odigbadigba was regarded as been irregularly crowned. On 22nd of May, 1871, Oweweniye was authentically crowned at Ibadan while Ogedengbe’s candidate was detained.
For usurping the rights of the Baale and that of the chiefs, on 23rd of June, 1871, the war staff which is the symbol of office was demanded from Ajobo, a sign that he was deprived of his tittle. Ajobo was not only forbidden from attending council meeting, he was also deprived of all his tributary towns. The next thing was for Ajobo to die. He ordered his coffin to be made and his grave to be dug. He returned the war staff to Bale on the 5th of July, 1871. And on the 6th when everyone was expecting Ajobo’s death to be announced, he escaped to Ipara.
When the news came to Bale Orowusi, he felt unsaved in the midst of his two younger war chiefs (Latosisa and Ajayi Ogboriefon) as he saw the news surrounding the escape of Ajobo as a scheming exercise by these war chiefs to get rid of Ajobo . The bale’s death was announced shortly after. Odigbadigba, seen by Ibadan Chiefs as the cause of Ibadan’s predicaments, was ordered to be murdered.
When Ogedengbe heard that Odigbadigba has been murdered at Ibadan, he came with an army from Ita-ogbolu, Akure, his place of exile, captured Ilesa and drove away the Owa who was newly crowned by the Ibadans. Thus Ilesa was destroyed a second time within a short period. Ogedemgbe remained at Ilesa in defiance of Ibadan.
IGBO ALAWUN BATTLE
After the installation of Latosisa as the Are ona kakanfo, Ibadan responded to Ogedengbe’s challenge. The standard of war was propitiated on the 28th of December, 1872, and on the 30th Balogun Ajayi Ogboriefon marched out. His orders were simply to capture or drive away Ogedengbe and restore the Owa. But Ogedengbe who did not want to risk another war with the Ibadans so shortly within the walls of Ilesa left the town at the approach of the Ibadan army.
Ogedengbe was pursued from place to place until he lured them to a great forest called Igbo Alawun, east of Ikere-Ekiti. Ogedengbe encamped at Ita Ogbolu and the Ibadans at Ogotun with Igbo alawun forest between them. There they fought several battles.
The third battle fought here was simply disastrous to the Ibadans. Ogedengbe and his allies including Aduloju of Ado-Ekiti laid an ambush. While Ibadan war chiefs were sitting on that very spot where the ambuscade was laid, their war boys scattered in the pursuit for slaves catching. All of a sudden, the Ijesas opened fire upon them. The Seriki of Ibadan was shot off his horse while his otun and osi were killed on the spot and their head were taken off. When the pursuers knew that they were hemmed in, they began to fight their way back, and the pursued now became the pursuers. It took the courage of Balogun Ajayi Ogboriefon to rescue those Ibadan warriors who have been cut off by the ambuscade.
To military skill, Ogedemgbe added state craftiness. He sent large presents to Latosisa at home and tendered his submission. Latosisa now sent messengers to recall Balogun Ogboriefon but from shame the Balogun would not return untill the arrival of the third messenger.
THE EKITIPARAPO SOCIETY
From 1861 onward, librated Africans (former slaves and their children) established themselves with the tribes from which they originated. The most effective hinterland ethnic organization among the liberated Africans groups was formed by the Ekitis and Ijesas. Liberated Africans from Sierra Leone and the Americas who were of Ekiti and Ijesa origin and a number of Ekiti and Ijesa men who had been captured and sold as slaves but not shipped away from Lagos formed the Ijesa association during the 1850s.
In the 1860s, the egbas and Ijebus frequently refused Ibadan and other towns free access across their territories to Lagos costal markets. This persistent closure of roads negatively affected the revenue base of Lagos government. The only solution was for Lagos Governor to look for alternative route through which the people of the interior can have direct and free access to Lagos.
In 1872, Governor Glover successfully opened a route to the interior via the developing ports of eastern lagoon which runs through Ondo. The Ondo road created an opportunity for the Ijesa repartrates in Lagos who have been thinking of how to help their country men in the interior against Ibadan. In the 1870s when Ilesa has been made a tribute to Ibadan, the Ekiti and Ijesa people became convinced that only an armed uprising against Ibadan would alter the condition of their people. They also come to the view that military enhancement was needed and applied to the government of Lagos for training. Ijesa association which was formerly a Christian group was politicized and led by Phillip Jose Meffre, a Brazilian returnee (former slave). By 1876, the group has re-named itself Ekitiparapo society (Ekiti confederation). The change in name was to broaden the regional base of its appeal. What really put the association into business was the uprising against Ibadan rule that broke out in 1878.
Ijesa traders were soon to be found in numbers in the eastern lagoon and in 1881 founded a new settlement there named Aiyesan (the world gets well) which was a vital staging post for sophisticated weapons and ammunition supplies. Ekitiparapo merchants in Lagos also used their influence and commercial contacts to procure modern weaponry such as breach loading guns with riffled barrels for the confederation of the Ijesa/Ekiti armies. They organized a fairly strong riffle corps, trained and led by volunteers and representatives sent up from Lagos.
EKITIPARAPO WAR
The Ekitis, Ijesas, Akoko etc under the umbrella of Ekitiparapo were determined not only to liberate themselves but also to overrun the Oyo tribes. They raised a formidable army and invited Ogedemgbe to come over to lead them. But Ogedengbe having crossed swords more than once with the Ibadans was not ready to do so again. But rather tried to see what might be done to ameliorate the condition of his people. Ogedengbe was a very straight-forward man, he was always true to his word. Although a sworn enemy to the Ibadans, yet he wished to be faithful to his covenant with them, for he had sworn never to oppose them. This was one of the reasons why Ogedengbe was reluctant to be part of the war.
Meanwhile Fabumi of Oke Mesin had headed the confederates and was on the march again for Ikirun. The Ibadans were surprised to see the allies advancing to attack them in their camp. They concluded that the Ekitis must have received reinforcement from Ogedengbe. After a long resistance from the federation, Ibadan was able to secure a prisoner. It was through this prisoner they realized that it was Fabunmi and not Ogedengbe who was Ekitiparapo generalissimo. It was from this same prisoner that Ibadans knew that Ogedengbe was not yet part of Ekitiparapo army.
Ogedengbe received invitations from all the allies, as well as from other enemies of Ibadan who were not part of Ekitiparapo like the Egbas and Ijebus. When the pressure was too much for him to bear, Ogedengbe finally succumbed. He issued from Ita Ogbolu his retreat, and took the field as the head of the Ekiti parapos against the Ibadans. On hearing this, the Ibadan war chiefs sent home again for more reinforcements, and on the 3rd November, 1879 Are Latosisa sent his deadliest war chiefs.
\In those days, solidarity among war veterans and comrades was highly considered in Yoruba country. Great warriors break war rules to save old colleagues or to pay homage to senior war leaders from enemy camps. Ogedengbe benefitted from this rule during the Ekitiparapo war when he was captured by an Ibadan slave soldier. The slave soldier released Ogedengbe after he has collected his charms and amulets. He said to him ‘Ologun yara, Oyo nbo (Captain be quick, Oyos are coming).
OGEDENGBE AND LATOSISA
Are Latosisa was 2 times benefactor of Ogedengbe:
• Latosisa was the man who single handedly pleaded for the release of Ogedengbe when he was ordered to be killed by Basorun Ogunmola for fighting against Ibadan during the Igbajo campaign.
• Again, before Ogedengbe’s excursion into the igbo Ani country from his base in ita Ogbolu, he sent to Ibadan for assistance. Are Latosisa gave him a war standard. He also sent him a contingent consisting of his slaves and volunteers among the restless and warlike youths of Ibadan.
So when the rumour came to Ogedngbe that Latosisa was coming to the war front, Ogedengbe being a honest and faithful man sent a messenger to osogbo to confirm if the report was true. His plan was to honour Latosisa by vacating the war with half of Ekitiparapo army and leave the remaining army for an easy conquest. He saw this as the best way to honour someone from whose he has received past favours. Also, he felt it will sound ungrateful for him to meet in the field a chief who gave him his war standard.
But Latosisa instead of acknowledging Ogedengbe’s loyalty, he proudly asked him to vanish before his arrival else he will teach him the lesson of his life. On hearing this, Ogedengbe’s next plan was to waylay and take Latosisa alive if he enters the warfront through Otan as planned. He left his command with Olubayode, a great Ekitiparapo war chief, and took with him his well-trained veterans. He was disappointed when Latosisa was advised by his boys to take another route.
IBADAN AND WEAPONS OF PRECISION
The Ijesas at Lagos purchased a large quantity of snider riffles with cartridges for their country people for the defense of their fatherland. At first the Ibadans did not know what they were. They compared the guns to to***co pipes simply because Ekitiparapo soldiers did not know how to handle them. But the scene was soon changed when Ijesa young men who had learnt the use of these weapons at Abeokuta during the Dahomian invasions came over to teach and to help their people in the use of them, these new weapons of precision now struck terror into the Ibadans. In the battle fought on the 15th May, 1881, Chief Akintola was shot through the leg as he sat on horse-back, the same bullet killed the horse and a page standing by. Men, women and children were shot dead within the Ibadan camp, some seriously wounded, others crippled for life!
As powerful as these guns were, Ogedengbe never allowed himself to be carried away. He wondered what will happen in Ekitiparapo camp the day Ibadan possesess similar weapons. The only solution was to finish them before they do, the possibility which is very remote.
THE DISPERSAL OF COMBATANTS AT KIRIJI AND FIRING OF KIRIJI WAR CAMP
In 1886, the dispersal of the combatants at kiriji and the firing of war camps were carried out by special commissioners appointed by Lagos acting Governor, F. Evans.
After the treaty has been duly signed by the 2 warring sides, Ibadan and Ekitiparapo, Mr. Henry Higgins, the Asst. Colonial Secretary and Mr. Oliver Smith, Queen's Advocate, were appointed Special Commissioners for the business. They were to be attended by an es**rt of 50 Hausa soldiers. Capt. W. Speeding, the Harbour Master, also accompanied the expedition, with instructions to make geographical observations all along the route.
The expedition left Lagos on the i6th August and arrived kiriji on 10th September, 1886. They stopped over at Ijebu-ode, Ibadan and Oyo.
On Thursday, 23rd September 1886, people began to come from the camps and took up their places at a short distance from either end of the camp. By nine o'clock there was a crowd of several thousand persons on horseback and foot collected on either side.
At about ten o'clock the Balogun of Ibadan, Ajayi Osungbekun arrived accompanied by the principal chiefs in the Ibadan camp,with the Ijebu, Oyo and Modakeke signatories of the Treaty. In all some 200 people. They took their seats on the chairs to the right of the marquee.
A few minutes later the Seriki of Ijesa land, Ogedemgbe and the principal chiefs of the Ekitiparapo army with the Ijesa, Ife and Ekiti signatories of the Treaty arrived. The Seriki and his party, about the same number as the Ibadans, took their seats on the left of the marquee.
The commissioners came out of their hut and accompanied by Capt. Speeding, Bishop Charles Phillips, Rev. Samuel Johnson and Mr. Willoughby proceeded to their seats
The Balogun of Ibadan in the person of Ajayi Osungbekun and the Seriki of Ilesa in the person of Ogedengbe then swore eternal friendship to each other by their respective fetishes.
"The Governor's proclamation was then read and interpreted. The Treaty was next read and interpreted and after a few remarks from the commissioners, the ratification of the Treaty was read and interpreted. Each signatory then came to the table as his name was called and affixed his mark and seal to the document. The commissioners then congratulated all in the name of the Queen of England, and the Governor of Lagos, upon the peace which they had concluded and ratified.
The proclamation of peace was then read and interpreted after which a salute of seven guns was fired at 12.20 p.m.
Thousands of people were seen posted on the huge boulders of rock which were scattered through the Kiriji Camp
The sound of the gun which was to announce that peace had been concluded, and that people could go to their homes, was most anxiously awaited in both camps, and received when heard with cheers and hurrahs.
On the 26th the Balogun of Ibadan with the rest of the war chiefs left for Ikirun. Ogedemgbe hearing that the Ibadan chiefs had gone left also with his men for Mesin Ipole. The Commissioners, however, were determined to keep to the letter of the treaty and to fire both camps.
On the 28th September, 1886, the commissioners sent 50 of their carriers to either camp to be in readiness to fire them on the signal gun being fired from the commissioners’ camp. Two guns were fired at 12 o'clock, and three minutes later both camps were in flames. The breeze being slight the smoke did not clear away but hung in dense clouds over the camps. By half-past one o'clock both camps were almost completely burned.
THE ARREST AND DEATH OF OGEDENGBE
Ogedengbe’s Ipaye boys found it difficult to give up their habit after the war. They became terror in the entire countries of Ekiti and Ijesa . Their operation was similar in nature to that of Afonja jama in Ilorin. They commit all sorts of offences ranging from raiding, kidnapping, Robbery, brigandage, murder etc. Ogedengbe who was their leader never cautioned nor warned them as he himself shared part of the b***y and ploders with them. Captain Robert Lister Bower who was the Resident and Travelling Commissioner for Ibadan and the Interior of Yorubaland twice sent warning letters to Ogedengbe to keep his boys in check but Ogedengbe saw this as a huge joke and laugh over it. Their case got to climax when they have a serious encounter with the people of Aramoko-Ekiti.. Captain Bower personally came to Ilesa and summons all the chiefs to the king’s palace where Ogedengbe was arrested. He was detained in Iwo where he spent a little over a year. The real perpetrators of the crime were later arrested and imprisoned at Ibadan.
In 1896, Mr Fredrick Haastrup (Known as Owa Ajimoko 1 of Ijesa land), one of the liberated slaves from Sirra Leone became Owa elect in Ilesa. He was the one who pleaded with the Governor before Ogedengbe could be released. On his arrival, he was given the tittle of Obanla by Owa Ajimoko, the same man who facilitated his release. Obanla tittle is the next in rank to Owa of Ilesa. Ogedengbe died in 1910.
My popular fb friends that have been enthusiastic about Culture and History, we are expecting your comments !!!
See the picture of Iba Ogedengbe immediately was arrested and pacified, before he was banished to Iwo !!! Note that he made himself available to be arrested to prevent further blood sheds.
You are free to share but don't remove all the credits.
DAVIDSON AYOADE OJENIYI
Olusegun Ogundipe concludes:
Alagba Ayo Ojeniyi, you must be another wonder man to be able to work 24/7 non stop. I wonder how you do it anyway. May God continues to strengthen you.
I commend your efforts at recounting the life and time of Ogedengbe Agbogungboro of Ijesa. The narrative is epic and explosive. It will definitely serve as additional information in reconstructing Yoruba history by the new generation of Historians. Writing an account of history of over 200 years by an Accountant, is by no means an easy task. It takes great erudition to dare such task.
You truly illustrated the life of Ogedengbe in way that even non historians will have a clear insight to the adventure of one of the Yoruba war generals of all time. The narrative really gave us opportunities to know about the people around Ijesha, who were directly or indirectly related to the principal. Such additional information validate the narrative and establish its central truth.
However, we would have love to know more about Ogedengbe early life and his childhood. There is a wide gap between his rise to stardom and the beginning of Ekitiparapo war. You wrote Oke Imesin instead of Oke Imesi. Also, the port created by Lagos Governor was Igbokoda not Ondo. There was no wide road as we know it today anywhere throughout Nigeria. The people passed through bush path. Hence, Ibadan were completely unaware of the existence of the town and it's location. Even if they did, they couldn't afford to confront the Ugbo in addition to Ekiti and Ijebu.
It should be on record that the insatiable appetite of Ibadan as notorious slave raiders and their reckless lordship over their vassal territories sparked off the rebellion of Ekiti and Ijesha. The war later became the largest, longest and deadliest of all Yoruba wars. The war eventually involved all the known powers and dialect groups in Yoruba. Ironically, it was the foundation of the present unity among the Yoruba dialect groups.
