Ikosi District

AGBOWA
Historical Background

The 31st Oni of Ife by name Lafogido from Okerewe Oliworo Ruling House of Oranmiyan Odede gave Birth to Owa Otutubiosun. Owa Otutubiosun later became Awujale of Ijebu Ode in 1537. Awujale Owa Otutubiosun begat many sons, out of whom there were to be brave one among them according to the predication of Ifa Oracle. This brave one is later to be known as ONA-OSA.

OLAYENI OWA OTUTUBIOSUN, alias: ONA-OSA left Ijebu-Ode and set out for a journey. Being directed by a virgin soothsayer at Iwopin, they settled at the first camp and named the place IBUDO-ONA-OSA. They later left there again and settled near a Lagoon and named the place EGUN-Mo-OSA-WO. After some years, OLAYENI OWA OTUTUBIOSUN decided to visit his father at Ijebu-Ode which when he got there, he met his father being attacked with foot yaws (OGODO-ESE). He then brought his father down to Egunmosawo to be cured with Lagoon water. After cure, he took his father back to Ijebu-Ode. On his way coming back with his entourage, they got to a virgin forest which was good for farming, they settled down there and named the place IBUDO-OWA = IDOWA.

OLAYENI LIWORU and his entourage later returned to Egunmosawo where they all lived happily till the time of the raiding of riverine area by the Portuguese in the name of slave trading. This happened in 1670.

In 1891, the Portuguese came back again which made them to shift their settlement back to ORIWU after consultation with Ifa Oracle. At this same period, there were a lot of wars in various places in Yoruba land generally. These wars made a lot of strangers migrated to ORIWU. The ruler (Olori Ilu) of Agbowa at this time was OKIKIESO OGUNDE 1. This was when they moved to ALE-ODO = ALEDO.

DAGBUREWE OWA OTUTUBIOSUN was crowned the OBA OFIBUDO-OWA = IDOWA in 1540 and his son ONOSA was crowned Oba Agbowa in 1608. ONOSA gave birth to six children: OGUNDE, OGUNNOWO, IFESHILE, GBODI, OGUNDE and OGUNJA.

In 1899, BELLO AMOSUNOLA ODUMERU OGUNDE ONOSA became the Oba of Agbowa. He was a wealthy and civilized king, having travelled and being in rapport with the Europeans then. During his tenure as a king, he brought many white men to Ikosi for trading. He organised Local Police, Local Court, etc. It was during his time that western education was introduced. He brought both Islamic and Christian Religious by inviting both Muslim Teachers and Missioners. Missionary then was J.H Rickettts.

During the tenure of OBA BELLO AMOSUNOLA ODUMERU OGUNDE II, Agbowa was having 18 villages under his rulership. Even the law court recognised and affirmed that by virtue of descendant and ownership, these 18 villages belong to Agbowa. The villages are IPONMI, AGURA, MURA, ALARU, OKOOTO, OKELISA, OKEAGBO, OJUAGBEMO, AYETORO AJAKAYE, OKETELE ORIYANRIN, OKE ELETU, IGBOKUTA, GBERIGBE, IGBOSAN and IGBENE. ODUMERU OGUNDE II ruled for 22years, he died on Friday, Seventh day of January 1921 (07-01-1921).

Ikosi=Iko-ko-si- meaning, Raft which they use to make mat is not near. Agbowa was formerly headquarters of Ikosi District Council Area. It is now the Headquarters of IKOSI/EJINRIN Local Council Development Area in Lagos State. It is a multi-tribal community where people from various cultural backgrounds had lived together in peace and harmony for several decades. Agbowa can best be described as ‘Mini Lagos’.

There are several socio-religious groups and festivals in Agbowa-Ikosi. These include Ileya Festival, Eid-el-Fitri Festival, Easter Festival, Christmas Festival, Agbo Remireke Festival, Jigbo/Agemo/Eluku Festivals, etc. H.R.M Oba Joseph Akinlolu Odumeru is the Oba of Agbowa

Economic Activities of Agbowa

The people of Agbowa are predominantly farmers, fishermen, palm wine tappers and traders of farm produce.
Economic Potentials

  • Availability of sharp sand that can be tapped
  • Availability of land for industry and farm settlements
  • Availability of Kolanut plantation

Here are a few towns under Agbowa
ADO-IKOSI
Economic Activities Of Ado-Ikosi
Ado Community lives solely on subsistence farming, boat making, fishing and timber selling etc.
Economic Potentials

  • Availability of local dry gin (Ogogoro).
  • Availability of rubber plantation
  • Availability of untapped and Virgin Land for farm settlement and industrialization.

Mr. Mr. Adesanya (Baale of ADO-IKOSI)
IKOSI
Economic Activities
Farming, fishing, timber merchandise etc
Economic Potentials

  • Availability of water front for tourism.
  • Availability of wide water view for water transportation.
  • Availability of large market for fish caught.

Chief Muibi Rufai is the Baale of Ikosi

MOSAFEJO
Economic Activities
Farming, Fishing, Petty trading
Economic Potentials
Availability of Land for Industrial and Agricultural purposes
Chief Noah Ligali is the Baale of Mosafejo

OWU
Economic Activities
Farming, Fishing, Petty trading
Economic Potentials
There is availability of large Banana Plantation.

OTTA-IKOSI
Economic Activities
People of Otta are predominantly farmers, of cash crops, little of vegetable and large quantities of Kolanut.
Economic Potentials
Availability of large Kolanut plantation
H.R.H. Oba Adeyemi Ajagbe is the Oba of OTTA-IKOSI

ODO-AYANDELU
Economic Activities
Subsistence farming and farmers of cassava
Economic Potentials
There is availability of Kolanut farm amongst others.

IGANKE
Economic Activities
Farmers of cassava, Petty trading etc

Economic Potentials

  • Availability of Kolanut Plantation
  • Availability of large land that can be used for industrialisation

IMOPE
Economic Activities
Fishing, Palm wine tapping, Mat weaving and farming mainly on cassava and plantain
Economic Potentials

  • Wide Lagoon front for tourism
  • Presence of plantain plantation that is economically viable
  • Presence of crude oil detected by the community

ORUGBO
Economic Activities
Fishing, Farming and Trading of farm produce

WARD G1 AJEBO
Economic Activities
Farming, Trading and Hunting
Economic Potentials
Large land for farming inherited not acquired by Government.

AGO-HAUSA
Economic activities
Farming and Fishing
Economic Potentials
Availability of land

Chief F. A Akinpelu (Baale Ago-Hausa) is the Baale of Ago-Hauasa