In a compelling royal narrative that stirred cultural pride and historical clarity, the Orunto Baalufe of Owu Kingdom, Chief Abiodun Lasile, has reaffirmed the foundational place of Owu in Yoruba history, declaring that the kingdom was the first to be established among the descendants of Oduduwa.
Chief Lasile made these remarks during the historic visit of the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, to the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba (Prof.) Saka Adelola Matemilola, at the Owu Palace in Abeokuta.
Compèring the cultural ceremony, Chief Lasile delved into the rich ancestral past of the Yoruba people, stating that the Olowu Ajibosin, the first son of Iyunade, daughter of Oduduwa, and her husband Obatala, was the first crowned king among Oduduwa’s descendants.
“The Olowu Ajibosin and his six companions form the nucleus and foundation of Owu people all over the world,” Lasile declared. “Owu was not just the first, but it stood at the center of early Yoruba civilization. Owu ni a koko da — Owu was created first.”
Lasile explained that Oduduwa, revered as the progenitor of the Yoruba race, had entrusted the future of royal leadership to his lineage, beginning with his daughter and Obatala. Through their union came Ajibosin, who would become a towering symbol of Yoruba royal heritage.
He traced the growth of Owu from its original base in Empe, near old Oyo, noting that the Owu Kingdom once collected tributes from the Bariba and Borgu peoples and even held sway over old Oyo before the era of Sango.
“Our ancestors were warriors and administrators. Their influence extended far into the northern belt of Yorubaland,” he said. “It was not until Sango’s reign that Oyo reasserted itself.”
Chief Lasile identified Owu Orile, near Awe, as the original homeland of the Owu people, a historical site steeped in ancestral reverence.
On the kingdom’s migration southward, he noted that the Owu people settled peacefully in pre-1820 Ibadan, following overtures from Ibadan leaders who wished to avoid war.
“Ibadan leaders offered Owu a peaceful settlement, from Ita Lisa to Owu Ipole near Ikire. That gesture led to a peaceful co-existence that lasted years,” he recounted.
The event was part of a wider royal gathering that underscored the age-long relationship between Owu and Oyo, where both monarchs Oba Matemilola and Oba Owoade emphasized peace, cultural unity, and cooperation among Yoruba traditional institutions.
Dignitaries at the palace, including high chiefs, cultural custodians, and community leaders, applauded Chief Lasile’s historical reflections, describing them as a timely reminder of the importance of heritage in sustaining identity and unity.
