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Finally, the much talked about Oba Adesimbo Tunwase Museum of History built by Otunba Subomi Balogun has taken off in Ijebu-Ode. And word has gone out to all Ijebu indigenes that historical activities, academic conferences, presentation of papers including submission of reliable, tested and verified oral or documentary evidence have begun to be gathered at the above named centre at Agunsebi, Olode Street, Ijebu-Ode. Activities began there last month, with the appointment of a curator, in the person of a distinguished Professor, Bankole Okuwa. Last week, Prof. Baankole Okuwa, a political historian spoke to City People Magazine in Ijebu-Ode about his new job as Curator and what stands the Museum out. “What Otunba Balogun has done here is unprecedented in Yorubaland he explains. “For someone to establish a Museum of history for historical research into the royalty of Ijebu and Yorubaland is no mean feat”.
On why Otunba Balogun made him a Curator, Prof. Okuwa explained that it is because of his academic training as a historian and specialisation in political history. “Otunba Balogun wants someone who can be trusted. He decided on me because I am a Professor of History and I am from Ijebu”. “Years back I taught at Ibadan Poly before I left to represent Ijebu-Ode in the 1st legislature in Ogun State, I became one of the pioneer lecturers at OAU and headed the Political Science department from 1983 to 1997 when I left to teach at New York University. I taught pure history of Africa. I also taught at Rutgers University in New Jersey, my alma mater. That is where I earned my professorship. I also taught at Arkansas State University, Pine Bluff in Arkansas.” ”That is where former US President Clinton taught. He taught in their Law school. I also worked at the US State department of Defence, Fortbragg, North Carolina, as their Research Fellow on African Affairs”.
Now, Prof. Okuwa has retired and is fully back home, but he says he is fully prepared to make this Museum function properly. “My main duty is to serve this Museum. I am in touch with other universities, especially their Department of African Affairs from time to time, we would invite Professors of history to come deliver papers here. The proprietor of this place, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun, who is the Oloori Omooba of Akile Ijebu and the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians and who is also the head of the Funsegbuwa royal family in Ijebu-Ode, is poised to make this place a research centre, so, that Ijebu people will know their history more, to know who they are and how they arrived here. Otunba Balogun is from one of the 4 ruling houses in Ijebu-Ode. The four consists of, one of the Ogbagba Anikilaya ruling house. They produced the present Awujale. There is also the Funsegbewa ruling house. That is where Otunba Balogun belongs. It is the largest ruling house in Ijebu-Ode. It has produced 22 Awujales out of 57.
There is also Fidipote ruling house and the fourth is Gbegbuwa ruling house. “Now, that the Funsegbuwa ruling house has taken the lead, will other ruling houses emulate them. As a Curator try to copy or follow the example of Funsegbuwa and what Otunba Subomi has done”. “But I know most ruling houses are limited in terms of funds. This kind of Museum does not exist anywhere else, it costs so much to build. Otunba spent a fortune here. Since June we said this place will become fully operational in September and it is now. At the commissioning of the Museum by the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona on March 15, 2014, the Olori Omo Oba, Akile Ijebu and the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians, Otunba (Dr.) Michael Olasubomi Balogun whose idea and efforts got the museum established, indicated the purpose of the Tunwase Museum. The main obligation and responsibility of the museum is to establish some authentic and proven history of the membership of the Fusengbuwa royal family.
The hope and legitimate determination of the Museum Curator.Is to establish a coherent historical account of the Fusengbuwa royal family members over the years to the present. The Fusengbuwa royal family has produced as many as 21 or 22 Awujales out of 57 monarchs that have ruled Ijebu Kingdom or Ijebuland since inception. The number which is more than a 3rd of the total number of the Awujales seems to leave room for a wide and unverified membership among a lot of people who make false claims about their relationship to the Fusengbuwa royal family or Oba Adesimbo Tunwase who was on the throne between 1886 and 1895. Taken at face value that the history of Ijebu people and its monarchy could not avoid suffering from lack of written records and documents because of the total absence of western education until shortly before and after the Imagbon war of 1892 much can stili be done to establish the authentic relationship between Oba Fusengbuwa who was on the throne in 1790 and Oba Adesimbo Tunwase who ascended the throne in 1886.
The Fusengbuwa ruling house has more than one unit with some of them located in Idowa, Isonyin, Oke-Ako and other Ijebu villages. Members need to check and confirm their legitimate connections and claims and have their history verified in order to feel free to operate with confidence as Omo Obas (children of the king) of the Fusengbuwa royal family. Ultimately, this Centre for Research is trying to put together a composite documentary account of membership of the Fusengbuwa royal family in order to promote the authenticity of members and to avoid unnecessary doubts about who is who in the contemporary relationship of its members. Members will have the opportunity of knowing their history better than before and relate more closely with utmost confidence. The centre will also display available collections of beads, crowns and other paraphernalia that the past Awujales of the Fusengbuwa royal family lineage group wore during their times as kings of Ijebu Kingdom or Land. Scholars from the Institute of African Studies, the University of Ibadan, and from the department of History of the University of Lagos and other relevant universities would be of assistance to our research efforts explained Prof. Okuwa.
About Unknown
Deji Sadiq, a.k.a DEJI OF LAGOS is a LASU trained Economist turned freelance journalist, a Blogger, an information strategist, a public affairs analyst and a committed activist with a passion for equal opportunities.
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