Egba people
The Egba people are a subgroup of the Yoruba people, an ethnic group of western Nigeria, a majority of whom are from the central part of Ogun State that is Ogun Central Senatorial District.
Ogun Central Senatorial District comprises six local government areas in Ogun State: Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Ewekoro, Ifo, Obafemi Owode and Odeda local governments.
Etymology
The origination of the word Egba is disputed. THe first meaning may come from the word Ẹ̀gbálugbó, meaning wanderers towards the forest, and this comes from the fact that the ancestors of the Egba people came from the region of the Oyo Empire to the "Egba Forest" and formed what we now know as the city of Abeokuta. The "Egbalugbo" were in conjuction with the Ẹ̀gbáluwẹ or Ẹ̀gbálodó, meaning the wanderers towards the river, who later shortened there name to "Egbado," another subethnic group of the Yoruba. Another possible meaning may come from the word Ẹsẹ̀gbá, the title of a chief which led several groups of the Egba to their present location. [1][2]
History
The Egba group, originally under the Oyo Empire, became independent following the spectacular collapse of Oyo in the first half of the 19th century.[3] Wars with the Dahomey, in which the Egbas were successful partly due to the protection afforded by the Olumo Rock, led to the founding of the city of Abeokuta, which literally means "under the rock".
The Egba nation is made up of the following subdivisions: the Ake, Owu, Oke Ona and Gbagura, each with its own king. (Historically, the Egba nation is made up of these four divisions; Ibara, though geographically located in Abeokuta as well, is part of Yewaland.) During colonial rule the British recognised the Alake (or King of Ake) as the paramount ruler of the whole clan and their territory, and so, his successor is now referred to as the Alake of Egbaland. The titles of the kings of the aforementioned subdivisions are therefore Alake of Egbaland, Oshile of Oke Ona, Agura of Gbagura, and Olowu of Owu, in order of settlement and seniority in the Egba nation.
It is worthy of note that the original town and settlement of the Egba nation in Egbaland was under and around Olumo Rock, which is in the Ikija/Ikereku area of the Egba Oke Ona. The Jagunna of Itoko, an Oke Ona chief, is the high priest of Olumo. Olumo Rock is in the territory of and under the control of the Itokos.
Another reference name for Abeokuta by the founding fathers is Oko Adagba (Adagba's Farm) in reference to the hunter that discovered Olumo Rock. Adagba went hunting in search of game animals from the Obantoko township where his fellow Itoko citizens were stationed while wandering for a settlement. He then came across the mountain.
Egbaland was where Henry Townsend lived, and was also the home of the first newspaper in Nigeria (Iwe Irohin). Its people went on to serve as the first of the many Nigerian nations (until recently, the only one of them) to have an anthem.
Egba anthem
- Lori oke o'un petele
- Ibe l'agbe bi mi o
- Ibe l'agbe to mi d'agba oo
- Ile ominira
- Chorus: Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo
- Abeokuta ilu Egba
- N ko ni gbagbe e re
- N o gbe o l'eke okan mi
- Bii ilu odo oya
- Emi o f'Abeokuta sogo
- N o duro l'ori Olumo
- Maayo l'oruko Egba ooo
- Emi omoo Lisabi
- E e
- Chorus: Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo
- Emi o maayo l'ori Olumo
- Emi o s'ogoo yi l'okan mi
- Wipe ilu olokiki o
- L'awa Egba n gbe
- Chorus: Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo; Maa yo, maa yo, maa yo o; l'Ori Olumo
Traditional attire
Notable individuals
- Chief Isaac Olufusibi Coker, also known as Aderupoko, a merchant and the first Oluwo Of Abeokuta
- Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, a businessman and politician
- Chief Fatai Ajani Areago, an industrialist, businessman and politician
- Akin Fayomi, Nigerian diplomat, Ambassador to France, Monaco, Liberia
- Chief Akintoye Coker S.A.N., Nigerian diplomat, Agent-General, Western region to the United Kingdom
- Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007
- Chief Ebenezer Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi, a musician and evangelist
- Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, a musician and activist
- Chief Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a human rights activist and the "Mother of the Nation"
- Reverend Oludotun Israel Ransome-Kuti, clergyman, a teacher and principal (April 30, 1891 – April 6, 1955)
- Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, a pediatrician, activist, and health minister (30 December 1927 – 1 June 2003)
- Chief Ernest Shonekan, Interim President of Nigeria, 26 August 1993 – 17 November 1993
- Prof. Wole Soyinka, an author, activist and Nobel laureate
- Alhaji Abdulateef Adegbite, a former Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs
- Kolawole Banmeke, Lagos State Head of Service and Secretary to the Government (1985–1988)
- Chief F. R. A. Williams S.A.N., a lawyer.
- Adewale Oke Adekola, civil engineer, academic, author, and administrator
- Pastor Tunde Bakare, a lawyer and renowned pastor
- Tunde Kelani, a cinematographer
- Segun Odegbami, a retired footballer
- Dimeji Bankole, a former speaker of Nigeria's house of representatives
- Bukola Elemide, alias Asa, a singer
- Olu Jacobs, an actor
- Sir Shina Peters, a musician
- Alhaji Waheed Ayinla Omowura, a musician
- Prince Bola Ajibola, a retired world court judge
- Chief Simeon Adebo, a lawyer and diplomat
- Chief J.F. Odunjo, Yoruba literary icon, writer of the popular Alawiye series
- Chief Bolu Akin-Olugbade, a billionaire businessman
- Tunde Lemo, a former CBN deputy governor
- John Fashanu, a retired footballer
- Dipo Shodipo, first one-man band in Nigeria
- Femi Kuti, a musician
- Seun Kuti, a musician
- Clarence Peters, amusic video director
- Abioye-Sanusi Shinaayomi, a filmmaker and music video producer
- Senator Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun state from 2011 to 2019
- Chief Olusegun Osoba, a journalist and politician, governor of Ogun state from 1999 to 2003
- Zainab Balogun, an actress and model
Literature
- S. O. Biobaku: The Egba and their neighbours; 1842 - 1914. Oxford 1957.
