SETTLEMENT IN ABEOKUTA
We, the Egba people started to settle in
Abeokuta in 1830 or thereabout; each
section settling in a separate quarter of
the town. A strong system of relating
with each other and general governance
of the kingdom was later developed. At
its peak, the Kingdom covered a vast
expanse of land that stretched from
River Oba on the North to Ebuta Metta
on the South, Osun River on the East to
Ipokia and River Yewa on the West. The
four sections that formed the Egba
nation are EGBA ALAKE (Eku, Aarin and
Agbeyin) EGBA OKE ONA, EGBA
GBAGURA, EGBA OWU.
Separation of powers: Governance was
carried out through a delicate balance of
responsibilities among the following
Institutions: OGBONI, OLOROGUN,
OLOGUN, PARAKOYIS & ODE.
The Ogbonis were the elite ruling class.
They were in charge of making laws.
They also judged cases, discussed and
advised the king in all affairs of the
state. The society has a chamber (ile
Ogboni) in every township where
meeting were held to adjudicate on the
affairs of the Townships.
The Oloroguns were the war chiefs.
They deliberated on military matter and
advised the Obas on Wars and disputes.
The Parakoyis were the members of the
Chamber of Commerce. They were
charged with furthering the commercial
interests of their towns. They regulated
and protected free trade and visited
markets to settle disputes.
The Odes were the warriors and they
performed many war duties which
included scouting, spying and guarding
townships against marauders and
enemies.
August 8, 1854, Okukenu, First Alake in
Abeokuta was elected. In 1855, Pawu,
First Olowu in Abeokuta was elected;
1859, Iwe Irohin, Nigeria's first
newspaper was published; 1870, Jamolu,
the first Agura was elected in Abeokuta;
1897, Karounwi, the first Osile in
Abeokuta elected.
TREATY OF INDEPENDENCE
The treaty of independence, dated 18
January, 1893, made between his
Excellency Gilbert Thomas Carter, Esq,
Companion of the most distinguished
order of St. Michael and St George,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief of
the colony of Lagos and on behalf of her
Majesty the Queen of Britain and
Ireland, Empress of India, etc., her Heirs
and Successors, on the one part. We, the
undersigned King and Authorities do, in
the presence of Elders, Headmen and
people assembled at the palace hereby
promise:
*That there should be complete freedom
of trade between the Egba Nation and
Lagos, and in view of the injury to
commerce arising from arbitrary closing
of roads, we the King and authorities,
hereby declare that no road shall in
future be closed without the approval of
the Governor of Lagos.
*That we, the said King and authorities
pledge ourselves to use every means in
our power to foster and promote trade
with the countries adjoining Egba with
Lagos.
*That we, the said King and authorities
will, as henceforth, afford complete
protection and every assistance and
encouragement to all ministers of the
Christians' religion.
*It is further agreed and stipulated by
the said Gilbert Thomas Carter, on
behalf of the Queen of England, that so
long as the provisions of this Treaty are
strictly kept, no annexation on any
portion of Egba Nation shall be made by
her Majesty's Government without the
consent of the lawful authorities of the
Nation; no aggressive action shall be
taken against the said Nation and its
independence shall be fully recognized.
*The said King and authorities, having
promised that the practice of offering
human sacrifices shall be abolished in
the one township where it at present
exists and having explained that British
subjects already have freedom to occupy
lands, build houses and carry on trade
and manufacture in any part of Egba
Nation, and likewise that there is no
possibility of cession of any portion by
Her Majesty's Government, and it
desired that no special provision be
made in regard to these subject in a
third treaty.
1st February 1898 Egba United
Government Formed
Judicial agreement signed: January 1904
Governor MacGregor of Lagos entered
into a judicial agreement with the Egba
Government whereby jurisdiction was
ceded to the British Government for
nineteen years in all cases where one or
both parties to the suits are natives of
the Egba Nation, and in all cases of
murder and manslaughter.
April 20, 1904 First Native Court Opened
State visit to United Kingdom: May 25 –
July 8, 1904
Alake Gbedebo, accompanied by Prince
Ladapo Ademola of Ake, Mr. Adegboyega
Edun, Mr. R.B Blaize, a Lagos merchant
of Owu extraction went to England on a
state visit.
They left Lagos on May 5 and arrived in
England on May 25. On May 30, Alake
Gbadebo was honoured with an
audience and dinner by King Edward VII.
On June 7, he was presented to the
Duke of Marlborough and Sir Montague
Ommaney at the Colonial Offices and on
June 14, he interviewed the C.M.S.
Committee. He visited many places
including Aberdeen College and was
presented with a Bible by King Edward
VII on the eve of his return to Lagos.
August 26, 1904 E.U.G. Police Force
established.
Government Hospital Established; 1908:
Government established medical offices
and employed a British Trained Medical
Officer Dr. Ayodeji Oyejola an Egba man
who studied at the University of London
and returned to Nigeria in 1906. He was
later appointed the Egba Government
Medical Officer. A government hospital
was also established.
EGBA UNITED GOVERNMETN OBTAINS
A 30,000 pounds loan: December 31,
1910
The Egba Government faced a lot of
difficulties in providing potable water.
Case of guinea-worm and other water-
borne diseases were reported
throughout Egba Nation. In 1905, the
government sank wells but due to the
rocky nature of the town the project
failed.
In 1910, the Egba United Government
approached the British government for a
loan of {30,000 pounds (N60,000) to build
a water treatment plant and pumping
stations. The pumping machines bought
consisted of three locomotives of self-
contained boilers, two Marsha Triple
expansion surface condensing horizontal
engines and a duplicate set of Ashley
three-throw well pumps. Each seat of
pumps is capable of delivering 500,000
gallons of water in ten hours into the
reservoir at a height of 301 ft above the
river level.
The water scheme started immediately.
This scheme greatly displeased a section
of the public as some educated people
agitated against the Government action
in employing foreign Engineers, saying
the Government ought to have waited
till their children were qualified to fill
the post but the Government felt
differently as it was eager to destroy the
guinea worm and other water borne
diseases caused by drinking impure
water. The scheme was however
completed in 1914. Sir Fedrick Lugard,
Governor-General of Nigeria, performed
the formal opening of Abeokuta
waterworks on the invitation of
Alayeluwa Oba Gbadebo 1, Alake of
Abeokuta.
The loan was to be repaid by installation
of 4000 pounds and the first payment
was made before the opening of the
project. Every drawer of water was
charged one penny for every ten potfuls
(about two gallons) drawn.
COMMERCE
Egba United Government played a
prominent role in the commerce of
those days. It built custom houses and
improved on existing ones. By 1901, the
European Merchants agitated against
payment of tolls to the Egba United
Government. The settlement of the
dispute was in favour of Egba United
Government. This was a major
achievement for the Egba United
Government for the Government would
have been overthrown had the tolls
been abolished.
The tools provided the necessary
revenue for the administration. In 1904,
the government passed the Customs,
Ordinance (Revision). In order to raise
funds, the Government passed an order
for licensing bicycles and carriages in
1911. In 1912, it passed the shop licence
Ordinance and auction Licence
Ordinance.
The public protested against the former
on the ground that it was an attempt to
introduce house taxing. The Native
traders petitioned the Government.
Even Prince Eleko from Lagos and the
white cap Chief "Idejo" pleaded with
Egba United Government to cancel the
ordinance but to no avail.
With these and many other achievement
scored by the Egba United Government,
there was much progress in Abeokuta.
Nevertheless, the government did record
naturally, a few setbacks, one of which
was in the sinking of wells. A stream
carriage scheme by the government
(Framers' Association Scheme) in 1908,
was a total failure as the machine could
not operate properly due to the solidity
in the roads. Besides, there were other
issues creeping up. These features were
minor when compared with the
successes of the Egba United
Government. They did not dispute the
fact that the Egba United Government
encouraged commerce, paid attention to
schools, hastened economic
development by improving
communication, maintained law and
order, provided health services and
public utilities and in general gave
Egbaland one of its most significant
administrations.
INDUSTRY:
Egba United Government established the
Abeokuta Industrial Institute in 1908.
The establishment of the Institute was
made possible by R.B. Blaize who
provided {3000 (N6000) from his estate
for free training of the Egbas in
technical work. Every apprentice was
bound for four (4) years and at the
expiration of the training, the
participant was presented with a set of
tools worth {6 (N12).
RAILWAY:
The Railway line from Lagos to Aro was
opened for traffic in 1900 and extended
to Ibara (Abeokuta Station) in 1901. The
Railway made the journey from Lagos to
Abeokuta easier. It also helped to
improve and advance the country; for it
led to the opening of roads for traffic
and carriages and the construction of
bridges over rivers and streams.
Between 1900 and 1901 the government
started to widen and level the existing
roads and by 1905, was constructing
many good roads in the Kingdom. Mr.
David A. Taylor ( a Surveyor and an
Egba man) was appointed as the
Superintendent of work and roads.
The first concrete bridge in Abeokuta,
Sokori Bridge, built by Egba United
Government was opened by Governor
MacGregor of Lagos in 1903. The bridge
was constructed by Mr. John Israel
Adenekan without the supervision of
any European Civil Engineer.
Lafenwa Bridge over Ogun River was
opened in 1911 in the year Egba United
government introduced Motor Lorries
into Egbaland.
EDUCATION
Egba United Government realized that
the destiny of Egba's future generation
very much depended on Education and
gave much attention to the
establishment of schools and promotion
of Education. In 1908, Abeokuta
Grammar School was established as the
only secondary School then in Abeokuta
city. The school started in a rented small
room at Ijemo Agbadu owned by Mr.
John Macaulay. God used Ariyo Sorinolu
as an instrument in his hands to revive
the Secondary School in Abeokuta until
when in 1910, the school moved to Isale
Igbein in Abeokuta. After a short time,
the school was taken over by Abeokuta
District Council and by gradual
improvement, the school was developed
into its present stage at Idi Aba,
Abeokuta.
Although, late Oba Gbadebo, the then
Alake, was not educated, he took very
great and unflagging interest in all that
concerned Christian Religion and
Education in Egbaland during his reign.
He was the first to carry the first
foundation stone of the building of the
Abeokuta Grammar school.
It would be interesting to know that the
very spot on which Abeokuta Grammar
school formerly stood is rather
historical. It is the first place in the
whole Egbaland where higher school
was established in the year 1861 for the
purpose of imparting secondary school
education, not only in Egbaland but in
Nigeria as a whole and for some reasons,
had to be moved to Lagos which is still
referred to as CMS Grammar school,
Lagos, today.
In 1907, Egba United Government
appointed a custom officer – Mr.
Feyisara Sopein as the first Inspector of
Schools. His appointment marked the
introduction of a proper system in school
management. After the government
passed on Ordinance relating to
education for the organization of the
schools in Abeokuta, yearly grants were
awarded to each school.

it's about time we part, we have a history and it is documented not like some people chasing a fictional government.

You dont know how prou i am to read about my nation.

Tell that to Awolowo who spoiled our seccesion.we will sink or float as nigerians

VICTORCIZA: Tell that to Awolowo who spoiled our seccesion. we will sink or float as nigerians

i am also an egba man, but i like your last statement that we either sink or float as Nigerians!

Proudly egba but... you want the egba people to pull out Nigeria and form their own what? do you want Abeokuta separate from Ogun state too or? What exactly are you calling for?

Am a proud egba to the bone and marrow. Family house is at kobiti beside mosalasi jimoh

Egba girl: Proudly egba but... you want the egba people to pull out Nigeria and form their own what? do you want Abeokuta separate from Ogun state too or? What exactly are you calling for?

yes because if you go back in history and from what i posted you see that the Egbas were not part of the yoruba kingdom and nigeria. we signed a seperate treaty because we were different. i wil soon post some publication referring to the yoruba people and Egba kingdom

Great Egba people.

juman: Great Egba people.

You are high on cheap weed,what is Egba nation.

odua son: You are high on cheap weed,what is Egba nation.

Nation of Egba people.

juman:

Nation of Egba people.

This is laughable,,then how many nations are we gonna have if nigeria breaks up which i truly doubt would happen
You should be calling for a great yoruba nation and stop being an agent of division.

odua son: This is laughable,,then how many nations are we gonna have if nigeria breaks up which i truly doubt would happen
You should be calling for a great yoruba nation and stop being an agent of division.

did you even read the post. then it would have shown you dat the egba nation may speak something near yoruba but they are not yoruba and do not share their values and way of thinking, and they had always hv their now government.

jemman:
did you even read the post. then it would have shown you dat the egba nation may speak something near yoruba but they are not yoruba and do not share their values and way of thinking, and they had always hv their now government.

because they had their own government does not mean they are not party of the yoruba nation. I think you are quoting yourself out of context. What you have posted simply asserted to the believe that the yoruba nation had a documented and systematic mode of governance neither doe it mean that we egbas are superior to other yoruba tribes. Ours is just an example of how organised various tribes are in the yoruba nation.

odua son: This is laughable,,then how many nations are we gonna have if nigeria breaks up which i truly doubt would happen
You should be calling for a great yoruba nation and stop being an agent of division.

Not agent of division.

We celebrate our little little differences instead of suppressing it. There are many other nations like the Ekiti, Ijebu, Okun, Ijesha, Oyo alafin, and others.

It's enough for some tourists to come and see.

@@@

this is laudable

next is Lagos

SLIDE waxie: i am also an egba man, but i like your last statement that we either sink or float as Nigerians!

i'm also egba bred.IMHO I think the op is high on eva water. I support u jare@ victorciza, we'll float or sink as Nigerians.

Rubbishh, that poster must come from anywhere after Ore.

azeezhy:
because they had their own government does not mean they are not party of the yoruba nation. I think you are quoting yourself out of context. What you have posted simply asserted to the believe that the yoruba nation had a documented and systematic mode of governance neither doe it mean that we egbas are superior to other yoruba tribes. Ours is just an example of how organised various tribes are in the yoruba nation.

yes all yoruba were organised and am not contesting for superiority here. if yo areu truly egba and you your history and how we fought for our indepence from the oyo empire and what we achieved indepently that the british respected us above others you wont say what you are saying.
its like the saying he lives among them but he is not one them!

Lawee007: i'm also egba bred.IMHO I think the op is high on eva water. I support u jare@ victorciza, we'll float or sink as Nigerians.

i doubt if you are because egba are rational beings.
a man says is opinon you dont support it d next to say is that he is high on smth.
sorry are thinking?

jemman:
i doubt if you are because egba are RATIONAL beings.
a man says is opinon you dont support it d next to say is that he is high on smth.
sorry are thinking?

i dey piss u off? Go weewee. @capitalised word, wats ur definition of "rational" and does it mean dt oda ethnic group in Nigeria dnt av properly documented history?