HISTORY OF GBEDE, A YORUBA KINGDOM IN KOGI STATE

Gbede comprises of 11 villages (some already extinct). Some are presently existing in their original settlement while a few numbers migrated from their initial settlement decades and some up to a century ago.
Iya Gbede migrated from an old settlement called Iyà Loké to their present location to gain access to basic amenities such as road and portable water supply.
Ayegunle Gbede is another example of a Gbede town with nine villages (àku méhan) coming together to form a settlement. These villages; Agóh, Agbara, Okeleti, Iluesho, Akure, Esseh, Eguru, Igah, and Ofede, were Independently existing at their various locations distance apart before the conception of Ohi-Oná or Ohono (Ayegunle).
In 1927, these nine villages came together to build roads, and drainages in the present site, followed by the allocation of lands to the uniting villages. Ágbàrá was initially meant to follow Iyah Gbede due to the proximity they enjoyed when the two communities were neighbors at old Iyá Loké and Àpáto. Ágbàrá however migrated to their present location despite having religion differences with most communities they moved in with. The reigning King of Ayegunle Gbede is Oba, M.O. Ayeni.

The nine villages finally settled in their present location in 1928 and remains the second largest Gbede community with five access roads and boarders with nine neighboring communities.

Copied

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

Ayegunle Gbede is located at the North-Eastern part of Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. Ijumu Local Government Area is on coordinates 70 51’N, 50 58’E. Ayegunle Gbede is the second largest and most populous town in Gbede land. The town is a nodal town in which five roads from different villages and towns intersected at the heart of the town. Ayegunle Gbede shares common borders with Oleh Bunu, Ayeh Gbede, Ayetoro Gbede, Iyah Gbede, Idoyi Bunu, Iluhafon Gbede, and Ayedayo Amuro. It is a settlement essentially on ridges of mountains. Thus, it is a much cooler town to live than all the neighboring villages and towns. The neighboring villages and towns are Ayetoro Gbede, Iyah Gbede, Iluhafon Gbede, Agringbon-Oke Gbede, Okoro Gbede, Ayeh Gbede, Odokoro Gbede, Araromi Gbede and Iluagba Gbede. Ayegunle Gbede community settlement in her present location started on 1st August, 1927. On this date, the then nine (9) communities known as “Aku Mehan” in Gbede, who were hitherto living scattered on separate lands agreed to come together since there was need for total protection from the intruders who often invade their land at a meeting point under an “Ohon” fruit tree believed to be central to all for convenience. On this fateful day, the portion of land surrounding the Ohon tree was cleared and was agreed to be used as a market to be named Ohi-ona market (foreshortened as Ohona market) where all shall meet every five days. The name Ohi-Ona (Ohona) was chosen because the land cleared belongs to Ohi and Ona in parts. Thereafter, residential plots were assigned for clearing and issuance of economic trees such as palm trees, iroko and awo trees i.e. mahogany were also resolved by the Forestry Officers, Mr. Jacob Ojo, Late Rev. James Osadare Olorunyomi, and Olu Maiyaki Ibimodi of Igah Quarters. On the 16th August, 1927, late Olorunyomi went along with Mr. Ojo to Olu Ibimodi at Igah village on the subject of the forest clearing that was required at Ohon Market.

The following day, 17th August, 1927, the aforementioned villages began to clear the site of their new settlement around the Ohon Market Square in present Ayegunle Gbede. On the 6th September, 1927, at a meeting conveyed by Late Olorunyomi that was held at Olu Ibimodi of Igah residence attended by all the Chiefs (Ijoye) of the nine villages, the Christian heads and the Muslim leaders, where an irrevocable decision to continue with the clearing work at the resettlement site was taken. Igah people who hosted this meeting fed the people present with pounded yam contained in twenty giant calabashes. On December 2nd, 1927, the District Officer, Mr. P.G Harris and his entourage in the presence of Chief (Oba) Elewa of Odda and a multitude of people who came to Ohi-Ona measured and shared plots of land to all the uniting communities. January 31st, 1928, was historic day when Muslim Ummah (Faithful) made the first public call to Salat (prayer) and thereafter, observed first Salat at the Ohon Market, new settlement.On 31st January, 1928, the name “Ayegunle Gbede’’ was adopted as the name of the combined community. Late Chief Osu Momodu Emetan of Akure made the proclamation. However, the market name Ohona persisted for years. This name derived from ‘Ohi-Ona’ which was the name for a group of villages. The villages are: Akure, Agbara, Okeleti, Iluesho, Agoh, Esseh, Eguru, Igah, and Ofede. To date, the unity and sense of purpose persisted to the glory of Ayegunle Gbede. On the 16th February, 1928, Bojuwon from Igah started his own house at the new settlement, closely followed by Olojo and Moraiyewa, the trio from Igah as cited in “The Baptist New Light–Pastoral and Community Development Work of Late Rev. James Osadare Olorunyomi by Pastor Seth Esan Olorunyomi”. According to oral record, Okeleti Quarters was the first quarter to move in group to the present Ayegunle Gbede due to the wildfire disaster on their building at the old Okeleti.
PEOPLE

Ayegunle Gbede people are well educated, generous, knowledgeable, principled, courageous, intelligent, kind, peace-loving, religious, and accommodative. According to Professor Umaru A. Pate, a Professor of Media and Society from the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria in September 29, 2017, “Without doubt, reading through the text, one cannot but commend Ayegunle Gbede community for significantly contributing to the process of development in the country. Certainly, in writing the history of Nigeria, the name of Ayegunle Gbede and its people are likely to appear in gold. It is a community strategically located in the Centre of Nigeria, thus connecting the north and the west and the south. Not so many communities enjoy such geographical advantage or can boast of an array of stars in academics like Ayegunle Gbede. A few among them are: Professor Suleiman Moh’d Nasirudeen, Botany Professor of Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), Law Professor of University of Jos, Professor Sulaiman Ola Idris, Chemistry Professor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Kashim Isah Bolaji, Industrial Design Professor of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Professor (Dr.) Momoh-Jimoh Salami Eyiomika, Mechatronics Engineering Professor of International Islamic University, Malaysia, Professor John Adesiji Olorunmaiye, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Vice Chancellor of Crown-Hill University, Eyenkorin, Ilorin, Professor Abdullateef Olorunfemi Onundi, Professor of Structural Engineering of University of Maiduguri, Professor (Sir) Mujtaba Abdullah Muhammad, Professor of Business Administration and Vice Chancellor of Afriford University, Cotonou, Republic of Benin and many others”. Other prominent Ayegunle Gbede sons and Daughters of note are prof. Nasir Sulaiman Federal University Lokoja, Dr M Bashir Chief librarian kogi state University kabba, Dr A. A Zikkrullah Lecturer University of Abuja, Dr. Habeeb Abdullah Yaqeen proprietor, Al Azhar College, a former lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Ilorin, Chief Barr.David Shola Site sitcom CEO Chavid Limited, Hon. Architect Salman Idris representing Kabba/Bunun/Ijunmu Federal House of Representatives, Dr Abdulrahman Abdulganiyu lecturer at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger state, Chief Femi Ajisafe, Miliki Abdul Idris, Oladele John formal Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kogi State, Engr. Adam Amupitan Onundi, Dapo Olorunyomi (The Publisher of Premium Times), Alhaji Sumaila Olaniyi Aminu, Elder Elijah Edubi, Alhaji Ismaila Jebe Elega, Pastor Seth Esan Olorunyomi, Hon. Stephen Bamidele Abodunde (Former Member of the Federal House of Representatives, Lagos), Alhaji Hudu Abdulsalam, Mrs. Bernice Bamitale Adebo-Oladele (Dallas Texas, United State of America), Babayemi Olorunfemi (Canada), Fatai Ade-Ahmed Federal University Lokoja, Dr. Yisau Adekunle Abdulkadir, Dr. Haliru Alhaji Umar, Alhaji Abdulkareem Onundi, Dr. Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam, Yusuf Adeyanju Yisau, and so on.