Alake of Egba (title)

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The Alake of Egba is the paramount Yoruba king of the Egba, a clan in Abeokuta, Ogun State, southwestern Nigeria. [1] Egba consists of Egba Alake, Owu kingdom, Oke-Ona and Gbagura. [2]

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.

Abeokuta City in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abeokuta is the largest city and state capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; 77 kilometres (48 mi) north of Lagos by railway, or 130 kilometres (81 mi) by water. As of 2006, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 449,088.

Ogun State State in Nigeria

Ogun State is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Created in 1976, it borders Lagos State to the south, Oyo and Osun states to the north, Ondo to the east and the Republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state. The state's appellation is "Gateway to Nigeria". It was created in February 1976 from the former Western State. The 2006 census recorded a total population of 3,751,140 residents.

Contents

History

The first Alake of Egbaland was Sagbua Okukenu who ruled between August 8, 1854 to August 31, 1862. [3] Prior to the appointment of the Sagbua Okukenu in 1846, Shomoye was installed as regent for one year, between 1845 and 1846, and following the demise of Oba Okukenu in 1862, Shomoye returned to the throne of the Alake of Egbaland as a regent, where he spent four years between 1862 and 1866. Following this, Oba Ademola I was appointed on November 28, 1869. [4] [5] He ruled for eight years until his demise on December 30, 1877. [6] In January 1, 1878, Oba Oyekan was appointed as the Alake of Egbaland. He spent three years on the throne before dying on December 18, 1881. Thereafter, Oluwaji was appointed on February 9, 1885, and ruled in this capacity for four years (Januaey 27, 1889). [7] After a two year vacancy, Oba Oshokalu was appointed Alake on September 18, 1891. He ruled in this capacity for seven years until his demise on the 11th of June, 1898. [8] On August 8, 1898 Oba Gbadebo I became the Alake of Egbaland. He spent twenty-two years on the throne until his death on the 28th of May, 1920. [9] He died at the age of 66 years old (1854–1920). Following the demise of Oba Gbadebo I in 1920, Oba Ladapo Ademola II became the new ruler. [10] He ruled for 42 years, two of which were spent in exile between 1948 and December 1950. [11] After his death on Deceber 27, 1962, the throne was vacant for one year and on August 12, 1963, Oba Adesina Samuel Gbadebo II was appointed as the new Alake of Egbaland. [12] After the death of Adesina Samuel Gbadebo on 26 October 1971, Samuel Oyebade Lipede became the king. [13] He ruled in this capacity for 33 years until his demise in February 2005, which led to the appointment of Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III [14] [15] [16]

Oba Sir Ladapo Samuel Ademola KBE, CMG (1872–1962), also known as Ademola II, was the Alake of Abeokuta from 1920 to 1962. Before he was crowned Alake, Ademola was involved in the affairs of the Egba United Government. As a member of the Egba council, he was a leading participant in negotiations with the Lagos State colonial government in 1889 for the rights to construct railway tracks passing through Egbaland. In 1904 he travelled with Alake Gbadebo to the U.K., where they were received by King Edward VII. He succeeded Oba Gbadebo in 1920 with overwhelming votes from the Egba council.

Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III Alake of Egba, Nigeria

Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III is the current Alake of Egba, a clan in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He has ruled since 2 August 2005.


List of Alake of Egbaland, originally Ake

Rulers title (Alake)
Alake Somoye (1st time) -Regent(1845-1846)
Alake Sagbuwa Okunkenu(August 28, 1854 till August 31, 1862)
Alake Somoye (2nd time) -Regent1862–1866
Alake Ademola I(November 28, 1869 till December 30, 1877)
Alake Oyekan(January 1, 1878 till December 18, 1881)
Alake Oluwaji(February 9, 1885 till January 27, 1889)
Alake Osokalu(September 18, 1891 till June 11, 1898)
Alake Gbadebo I(August 8, 1898 till May 8, 1920)
Alake Ladapo Ademola II(July 10, 1920 till December 27, 1962)
Alake Adesina Samuel Gbadebo II(August 12, 1963 till October 26, 1971)
Alake Samuel Oyebade Lipede I(August 10, 1972 till February 3, 2005
Alake Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III(August 2, 2005 till present)

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "The Egbas, the Owus, and the Dahomeans – African History".
  2. ↑ "Nigeriaworld Feature Article - Egba-Owu controversy: The distortion of history".
  3. ↑ Adewunmi Elegbede. "Kingdoms of Nigeria, The Nigerian Database of Rulers, Kings, Kingdoms, Political and Traditional Leaders".
  4. ↑ "pointblanknews.com".
  5. ↑ "USA/Africa Dialogue, No 353: The King is not dead!".
  6. ↑ "Egba Progressive Association, Inc. - Alakes Of Egbaland".
  7. ↑ ""Chieftaincy and the State in Abacha's Nigeria: Kingship, Political Rivalry and Competing Histories in Abeokuta during the 1990s" by Nolte, Insa - Africa, Vol. 72, Issue 3, Summer 2002 - Online Research Library: Questia".
  8. ↑ "Nigeriaworld Feature Article - Alake of Egbaland dies, Who's next?".
  9. ↑ "National Portrait Gallery - Person - Ladapo Samuel Ademola II, King of Abeokuta".
  10. ↑ http://allafrica.com/stories/200506060487.html
  11. ↑ "LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN WESTERN NIGERIA: ABEOKUTA, 1830-1952".
  12. ↑ "Nigerian Nostalgia Project".
  13. ↑ "Nigeriaworld Feature Article - Oba Lipede restored the glory of Egbaland".
  14. ↑ Oba Oyebade Lipede.
  15. ↑ "Alake restores Lawson as Iyalode of Egbaland". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 2015-01-03.Cite uses deprecated parameter |dead-url= (help)
  16. ↑ Our Reporter. "Lisabi Festival: Markets close in Abeokuta".
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