By Steve Olugbolahan KUKU
AWÙJALÈ… The royal title of the traditional king and paramount ruler of the great Ijebu land and people! His kingdom span across an area of about 12,321km2. This great kingdom is home to the most industrious people group of the Yoruba race in South West Nigeria; amongst many other outstanding qualities… The first Awùjalè of Ijebuland in written historical record was Olu-Iwa, while the popular Obanta was actually the 3rd Awùjalè and grandson of Olu-Iwa. Oba Dr. Sikiru Oluwakayode Adetona was the 55th Awujale of Ijebu land…
1. OBA OLU-IWA
2. OBA OSHIN
3. OBANTA; 1430 to 1445
4. OBA GURU; 1445 to 1455
5. OBA MUNIGBUWA; 1455 to 1460
6. OBANTA II; 1460 to 1470
7. OBA LOJA; 1470 to 1482
8. OBA LOFIN; 1482 to 1496
9. OBA APASA; 1496 to 1508
10. OBA GANJU; 1508 to 1516
11. OBA TEWOGBOYE; 1516 to 1520
12. OBA RUWAMUDA; 1520 to 1532
13. OBA OFINRAN; 1532 to 1537
14. OBA LAPENGBUWA; 1537
15. OBA OTUTUBIOSUN; 1537 to 1540
16. OBA MOKO IDOWA AJUWAKALE; 1540 to 1552
17. OBA ADISA; 1552 to 1561
18. OBA JEWO; 1561 to 1576
19. OBA ELEWU ILEKE; 1576 to 1590
20. OBA OLUMISODAN ELEWU ILEKE; 1590 to 1620
21. OBA MASE; 1620 to 1625
22. OBA OLOTUSESO; 1625 to 1635
23. OBA MOLA; 1635 to 1642
24. OBA AJANA; 1642 to 1644
25. OBA ORE OR GADEGUN; 1644 to 1655
(The first female Awùjalè)
26. OBA GUNWAJA; 1655 to 1660
27. OBA JADIARA OR OLOWOJOYEMEJI; 1660 to 1675
28. OBA SAPOKUN; 1675 to 1687
29. OBA FALOKUN; 1687 to 1692
30. OBA MEKUN; 1692 to 1702
31. OBA GBODOGI; 1702 to 1710
32. OBA OJIGI AMOYEGESO; 1710 to 1730
33. OBA LIYEWE AROJOFAYE; 1730
34. OBA MOYEGE OLOPE; 1730 to 1735
35. OBA OJORA; 1735 to 1745
36. OBA FESOJOYE; 1745 to 1749
37. OBA ORE JEJE (Female); 1749 to 1750
38. OBA SAPENNUWA RUBA KOYE; 1750 to 1755
39. OBA ORODUDU JOYE; 1755 to 1758
40. OBA TEWOGBUWA I; 1758 to 1760
41. OBA GBELEGBUWA I; 1760 to 1790
(Approved Ruling House 1)
42. OBA FUSENGBUWA; 1790 to 1820
(Approved Ruling House 2)
43. OBA SETEJOYE; 1820 to 1821
44. OBA ANIKINAYA FIGBAJOYE; 1821 to 1850
(Approved Ruling House 3)
45. OBA AFIDIPOTEMOLE ADEMUYEWO; 1850 to 1886
(Approved Ruling House 4)
46. OBA ATUNWASE (ABOKI) ADESIMBO; 1886 to 1895
47. OBA ADELEKE OGBAGBA AGBOTEWOLE I; 1895 to 1906
48. OBA FUSIGBOYE ADEONA; 1906 to 1915
49. OBA FESOGBADE ADEMOLU (Dethroned); 1915
50. OBA ADEKOYA ELERUJA; 1915 to 1916
51. OBA FESOGBADE ADEMOLU; 1916 to 1925
(Enthroned again)
52. OBA ADENUGA AFOLAGBADE; 1925 to 1929
53. OBA OGUNNAIKE FIBIWOGA; 1929 to 1933
54. OBA DANIEL ADESANYA (GBELEGBUWA II); 1933 to 1959
55. OBA Dr. SIKIRU OLUWAKAYODE ADETONA, OGBAGBA AGBOTEWOLE II; 1960 to July 13, 2025
By the declaration made in section 4(2) of the Chiefs law of 1957 under the Customary Law regulating the selection of the Awùjalè of Ijebuland, there are Four Ruling Houses in Ijebu land. The implication is that the ascendancy to the exalted throne of the Awùjalè of Ijebu land has to be by rotation amongst these four Royal Dynasties. They include:
The Gbelegbuwa Ruling House
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House
The Anikinaiya Ruling House and
The Fidipote Ruling House.
This Declaration was approved on 25th August, 1959, and registered on 1st September, 1959.
The above register of all the AWÙJALÈs of Ijebu land shows that the just departed Awùjalè was the 55th one. The founding Awùjalè was Oba Olu-Iwa. Followed by Oba Oshin, they both reigned at unknown dates. The first Awùjalè whose reign was dated was Obanta (1430 to 1445). There were two Awùjalès of the female gender; the first was Oba Ore (aka Gbadegun) who reigned from 1644 to 1655, while the second was Oba Ore Jeje whose short reign lasted only a year, being 1749 to 1750. The direct ancestors of the four approved ruling houses are identified from the above chronicle.
The first of them was Oba Gelegbuwa who reigned from 1760 to 1790.
The next was his direct successor who incidentally also reigned for 30 years like his predecessor; Oba Fusengbuwa reigned from 1790 to 1820.
The third was Oba Anikinaya Figbajoye who reigned for 29 years from 1821 to 1850, he is direct ancestor to Awùjalè; Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.
And finally, his successor Oba Afidipotemole Ademuyewo who reigned for 36 years from 1850 to 1886.
While we leave the kingmakers/regency council to do their job, I would guess that the next Awujale of Ijebu land will come from either the Fusengbuwa Ruling House or the Fidipote Ruling House. Fingers crossed…
But first, may we all concentrate on giving a befitting farewell honour to the great Oba Dr. Sikiru Kayode Adetona; Ogbagba II, Awujale of Ijebu land.
