The Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi is a man of history. He has succeeded in breaking an 80 years old jinx by hosting the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remo Land in Ogun State, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, Torungbuwa 2 on Tuesday, 18th June, 2018. The Akarigbo also repeated history as he paid a historic visit to the palace of the Ayangbure of Ikorodu in Lagos State. The last Akarigbo to visit Ikorodu did so in 1939.
History was repeated on Tuesday, 18th June, 2018 as the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remo Land in Ogun State, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, Torungbuwa 2 paid a historic visit to the palace of the Ayangbure of Ikorodu in Lagos State.
It was a nostalgic moment for many sons and daughters of Ikorodu and Sagamu who witnessed the epoch-making royal visit, described by many as a re-enactment of history, considering the fact that the last Akarogbo of Remo Land, who paid such visit to Ikorodu was Oba Williams Adedoyin who visited the then Oloja of Ikorodu I939.
According to Ikorodu’s History, Oga a Prince of Oba Koyelu, the then Akarigbo of Remo Land was the progenitor and founder of Ikorodu town. He was a hunter and farmer. But, Akarigbo however ceded today’s Ikorodu to the Colonial masters as part of the Lagos Protectorate on the payment of an annualroyalty. This led to the severing of the administrative link between Ikorodu and Sagamu. While Sagamu remained in the then Ijebu Remo Local government of Ogun State, Ikorodu became one of the founding divisions of Lagos State.
Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, the Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Ijebu Land touched ground at the Ikorodu roundabout, by the Oga statue into the waiting hands of the gbedu drummers and his host, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi who was accompanied by a retinue of top Ikorodu chiefs, traditional singers, NURTW members and several other groups who came to receive the visiting Monarch.
The entire Ayangbure road was nearly shut down as the two royal fathers rode in Ayangbure C Class, with a procession of many Remo and Sagamu Kings that accompanied the Akarigbo walking in royal procession amidst hundreds of excited Ikorodu indigenes, residents and some Remo groups that accompanied Oba Ajayi on the historic visit.
Oba Ajayi was ushered into the Ayangbure palace with traditional Gbedu drum rendition and Kakaki display. The elated crowd surged to catch a glimpse of the handsome light-skinned paramount ruler of Remo Land who was decked in white lace and a matching royal staff and shoe.
In his brief remarks, Oba Shotobi recalled the mutual and cordial historic connection between Sagamu and Ikorodu, noting that the last Akarigbo who visited Ikorodu was the Oba Williams Adedoyin who visited Ikorodu in 1939, exactly 80 years ago.
Responding, Oba Ajayi thanked his host, Oba Shotobi for initiating the visit and also for proposing the need to strengthen the century long historic connection with the appointment of a joint Ambassador from Sagamu, who will be responsible for the sustenance of the renewed historic renaissance.
A major highpoint of the historic visit was the formal presentation of Otunba Lawal Sholarin, from the Anoko-Ogbonyari ruling house, Sagamu as the Ambassador-Designate by the Asiwaju of Remo Land, Asiwaju S.K Onafowokan, on behalf of Oba Babatunde Ajayi. The nominee was promptly accepted and approved by the Ayangbure, who promised that the formal installation of Omo’ba Sholarin will be performed at the next ‘Odun Osu’ festival, an event dedicated for celebrating Princes and Princesses.
The historic visit climaxed with entertainment of the visiting Akarigbo by many Ikorodu traditional groups like the Oro traditional singers, Obatala group, WADESH Babes among many others.
To express their joy and appreciation to the visiting Akarigbo, the Anoko-Ogbonyari ruling house, Ikorodu, Ikorodu Division Resource Group and many other groups later presented gifts to Oba Adewale Ajayi.
