Aiyepe Ijebu is a town where 6 equally ranked traditional rulers reign supreme. Yet, there is no problem and there is no clash of interests. Aiyepe is located between Odogbolu and Ikenne, in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun state and has an estimated population of 25,000 people.
Not many people know that Aiyepe is governed by 6 traditional rulers. All the rulers are rated 2nd class, except one who is yet to be promoted to that grade. And all are recognised by the Ogun State Government. The 5 second class Obas are also members of the Ijebu Traditional Rulers Council under the chairmanship of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba S.K. Adetona.
To ensure that rancour does not tear apart the Aiyepe Traditional Rulers Councils to which all the 6 Obas belong, the Chairmanship is not permanent and it is rotational. The council’s meeting, held periodically, is chaired in rotation by the 6 Obas.
The Obas are as follows:
1 The Alakan
2 The Alayeaba
3 The Obiri
4 The Akalafo
5 The Olubusanwa.
6 The Olowu
The Alakan is an Accountant. He is an FCA. He is a retired CBN Assistant Director. The Alayeaba is an IT expert.
The Obiri of Aiyepe, was formerly a banker with UBA. He retired as DG, Nigerians – British Chamber of Commerce.
There are also the Akalako and the Olowu. The 2 stools are yet to be filled .
The name Aiyepe was derived from an Ijebu dialect Saju Aiye ne pe which literally means “The world is completely gathered here”
The amalgam of 6 Obas in just one town dates back to many centuries when Aiyepe was founded. The 6 prominent communities form Aiyepe Ijebu. The 6 villagers came together to be able to confront the incessant attack by the invading Remo warriors during inter tribal wars. Specifically in 1800, 6 homesteads –Aba, Idobiri, Idolowu, Ilakan, Afo and Idobusanwa held a meeting and agreed to live together in the same vicinity. Before then, they lived at a distance of about 10 to 15 kilometers apart.
Idolowu and Idobusanwa homesteads were near Ikenne Remo . The, Ilakan was very close to Shagamu while Aba settled close to Odogbolu. Ako and Idobiri homesteads were also not far from Shagamu.
Basically, their decision to live together was informed by the internecine wars and the regular disappearance of their folks particularly women and children at the time. Around this period, there were incessant civil wars in Yorubaland and many homesteads were raided where people were killed or capture. To stop their incursions into their territories and the 6 Obas met over how to ward off the enemies and find a lasting solution to the incessant attacks.
The outcome was a resolve to amalgamate, so to speak, with a view to providing a formidable rampart.
As was the tradition, the communities consulted the Ifa oracle for guidance on a new settlement for the union. The oracle picked Irapasogbesan which belonged to Odolowu. According to Obiri of Aiyepe, Oba Oreniyi, prior to the oracular consultation, there was a solid agreement among the communities that anywhere chosen would be regarded as belonging to all.
They then moved to the selected land, apportioning space according to the direction of their original homesteads. Since the union of the 6 homesteads, there has never been any dispute among them. They are all peace-loving people and regard ourselves as one.
When the people founded Aiyepe, they walled the town and declared it a property of all. Nobody could lay claim to the land.
The 6 Obas in the town regard themselves as equals and so meetings are held and presided over by rotation. Although the palace of Ilakan is the secretariat of the town’s rulers council, a meeting is held in the palace of the convener. Oba Also the 6 quarters, do things in common. They have one big central mosque for the Juma’at service on a vast expanse of land and a mighty Anglican Cathedral Church for the people of Aiyepe.
The 6 Obas dine together and have more than 5 dresses they bought together. Recently the Aiyepe central mosque was recently opened and the mosque is No 1 in Nigeria presently.
Aiyepe is located between Odogbolu and Ikenne, in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun state and has an estimated population of 25,000 people.
Not many people know that Aiyepe is governed by 6 traditional rulers. All the rulers are rated 2nd class, except one who is yet to be promoted to that grade. And all are recognised by the Ogun State Government. The 5 second class Obas are also members of the Ijebu Traditional Rulers Council under the chairmanship of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba S.K. Adetona.
To ensure that rancour does not tear apart the Aiyepe Traditional Rulers Councils to which all the 6 Obas belong, the Chairmanship is not permanent and it is rotational. The council’s meeting, held periodically, is chaired in rotation by the 6 Obas.
The Obas are as follows:
1 The Alakan
2 The Alayeaba
3 The Obiri
4 The Akalafo
5 The Olubusanwa.
6 The Olowu
The Alakan is an Accountant. He is an FCA. He is a retired CBN Assistant Director. The Alayeaba is an IT expert.
The Obiri of Aiyepe, was formerly a banker with UBA. He retired as DG, Nigerians – British Chamber of Commerce.
There are also the Akalako and the Olowu. The 2 stools are yet to be filled .
The name Aiyepe was derived from an Ijebu dialect Saju Aiye ne pe which literally means “The world is completely gathered here”
The amalgam of 6 Obas in just one town dates back to many centuries when Aiyepe was founded. The 6 prominent communities form Aiyepe Ijebu. The 6 villagers came together to be able to confront the incessant attack by the invading Remo warriors during inter tribal wars. Specifically in 1800, 6 homesteads –Aba, Idobiri, Idolowu, Ilakan, Afo and Idobusanwa held a meeting and agreed to live together in the same vicinity. Before then, they lived at a distance of about 10 to 15 kilometers apart.
Idolowu and Idobusanwa homesteads were near Ikenne Remo . The, Ilakan was very close to Shagamu while Aba settled close to Odogbolu. Ako and Idobiri homesteads were also not far from Shagamu.
Basically, their decision to live together was informed by the internecine wars and the regular disappearance of their folks particularly women and children at the time. Around this period, there were incessant civil wars in Yorubaland and many homesteads were raided where people were killed or capture. To stop their incursions into their territories and the 6 Obas met over how to ward off the enemies and find a lasting solution to the incessant attacks.
The outcome was a resolve to amalgamate, so to speak, with a view to providing a formidable rampart.
As was the tradition, the communities consulted the Ifa oracle for guidance on a new settlement for the union. The oracle picked Irapasogbesan which belonged to Odolowu. According to Obiri of Aiyepe, Oba Oreniyi, prior to the oracular consultation, there was a solid agreement among the communities that any where chosen would be regarded as belonging to all.
They then moved to the selected land, apportioning space according to the direction of their original homesteads. Since the union of the 6 homesteads, there has never been any dispute among them. They are all peace-loving people and regard ourselves as one.
When the people founded Aiyepe, they walled the town and declared it a property of all. Nobody could lay claim to the land.
The 6 Obas in the town regard themselves as equals and so meetings are held and presided over by rotation. Although the palace of Ilakan is the secretariat of the town’s rulers council, a meeting is held in the palace of the convener.
Oba Also the 6 quarters, do things in common. They have one big central mosque for the Juma’at service on a vast expanse of land and a mighty Anglican Cathedral Church for the people of Aiyepe.
The 6 Obas dine together and have more than 5 dresses they bought together. Recently the Aiyepe central mosque was recently opened and the mosque is No 1 in Nigeria presently.
