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Showing posts from February, 2019

Abeokuta: Wars and the founding of an an historical town By Anago James Akeem Osho

Abeokuta is an historically important town in Africa. It is located in the South West of Nigeria. It was founded around 1830 by the Yorubas who left the hinterland as a result of the Owu war of 1821-1827. Majority of those who first settled there were the Egbas and other groups like the Owus followed them although at first in small numbers until around 1834, when Sodeke, the head of the town heared that the Owu's are heading toward Whydah to resettle. He met the Owu's whom were the lead characters in the Owu wars to settle down in Abeokuta with them. The Owu leader responded to Sodeke that the IFA oracle instructed them to settle down near a river. And excitingly, Sodeke reminded them of the Ogun river in Abeokuta. They settled down there but some members of the group did not stayed but rather continued their journey to Whydah, hence today just as there are Owu Abeokuta, Owu Kuta, Orile Owu, etc. There is Owu Whydah in today's Republic of Benin. The Owus settled in