Awujale is the royal title of the monarch of the Ijebu Kingdom. The holder is addressed as the Awujale of Ijebuland.[1] The most recent Awujale was Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Ogbagba II, who served as the Awujale from 1960 until his death in 2025.[2] He was from the House of Anikinaiya.
By the declaration made under section 4(2) of the Chiefs Law 1957 of the Customary Law regulating the selection of the Awujale of Ijebuland Chieftaincy, there are four ruling houses:[3]
House of Gbelegbuwa
House of Anikinaiya
House of Fusengbuwa
House of Fidipote
The Declaration was approved 25 August 1959 and registered on 1 September 1959.
Background
According to one tradition, the title Awujale originated from the nickname Amujaile, meaning a person who understands the art of wrestling on land. This nickname was given to Obanta (Ogboroban) after he reached a village ruled by a chief named Olu-Igbo, who refused him passage, and the issue was resolved by a wrestling march between them in which Obanta was victorious.[4]
List of past and present Awujales
OBA OLU-IWA (Technically Olu-Iwa was not an Oba, He was one of those that discovered Ijebu Ode)
OBA OSHIN (Oshin was also not an Oba, He was Regent When Olu-Iwa died, he was a placeholder for OBANTA who journeyed from Ile Ife)
OBANTA – 1430
OBA GURU – 1445
OBA MUNIGBUWA – 1455
OBANTA II – 1460
OBA LOJA – 1470
OBA LOFIN – 1482
OBA APASA – 1496
OBA GANJU – 1508
OBA TEWOGBOYE – 1516
OBA RUWAMUDA – 1520
OBA OFINRAN – 1532
OBA LAPENGBUA – 1537
OBA OTUTUBIOSUN – 1537
OBA MOKO IDOWA AJUWAKALE – 1540
OBA ADISA – 1552
OBA ABIMBOLA - 1555
OBA JEWO – 1561
OBA ELEWU ILEKE – 1576
OBA OLUMISODAN ELEWU ILEKE – 1590
OBA MASE – 1620
OBA OLOTUSESO – 1625
OBA MOLA – 1635
OBA AJANA – 1642
OBA ORE OR GADEGUN – 1644 (The first female Awujale)
OBA GUNWAJA – 1655
OBA JADIARA OR OLOWOJOYEMEJI – 1660
OBA SAPOKUN – 1675
OBA FALOKUN – 1687
OBA MEKUN – 1692
OBA GBODOGI – 1702
OBA OJIGI AMOYEGESO – 1710
OBA LIYEWE AROJOFAYE – 1730
OBA MOYEGE OLOPE – 1730
OBA OJORA – 1735
OBA FESOJOYE – 1745
OBA ORE JEJE – 1749 (Female)
OBA SAPENNUWA RUBA KOYE – 1750 (Female)
OBA ORODUDU JOYE – 1755
OBA TEWOGBUWA I – 1758
OBA GBELEGBUWA I – 1760
OBA FUSENGBUWA – 1790
OBA SETEJOYE – 1820
OBA ANIKILAYA FIGBAJOYE AGBOOGUNSA – 1821
OBA AFIDIPOTEMOLE ADEMUYEWO – 1850
OBA ATUNWASE ADESINBO – 1886
OBA OGBAGBA AGBOTEWOLE I – 1895
OBA FUSIGBOYE ADEONA – 1906
OBA FESOGBADE ADEMOLU – 1916 (Dethroned)
OBA ADEKOYA ELERUJA – 1916
OBA ADEMOLU FESOGBADE – 1917 (Enthroned again)
OBA ADENUGA AFOLAGBADE – 1925
OBA OGUNNAIKE FIBIWOGA – 1929–1933
OBA DANIEL ADESANYA GBELEGBUWA II – 1933–1959
OBA Dr. SIKIRU OLUWAKAYODE ADETONA, OGBAGBA AGBOTEWOLE II – 1960–2025
↑ Ogunkoya, T. O. (December 1956). "The Early History of Ijebu". Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria. 1 (1): 50 – via JSTOR.
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