200 Years of Delesolu in Ibadan, Establishment of Oja Oje and Onpetu Connection
pannigeriannews
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By Adewuyi Adegbite
Saturday December 21, 2024 was a great day for Oluoje lineage in Ibadan and Yorubaland as Delesolu family at Oje in Ibadan marked 200 years of Delesolu’s arrival in Ibadan. As shown in the picture below, Onpetu of Ijeru and head Oluoje lineage worldwide, Alayeluwa Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran Lagbami Osekun III was the royal guest of honour on the occasion. In the picture with him are his Olori, Subuola Oyediran and Ayingun Olubadan and the head of Delesolu dynasty, Alhaji Chief Abdul Rauf Yesufu Delesolu. At the occasion were His Royal Majesty Oba Sikiru Adeniji Adeyeba Onpetu and Olojudo of Ido Ile Ife , His Royal Highness Onpetu Afolabi Kazerm Adekunle , Onpetu Oluoje of Gbogan and Senator Sarafadeen Ali who is also an Ibadan High Chief and many dignitaries too numerous to mention. Delesolu was a scion of Onpetu family at Ile Oje.
He left Oje Ile during the Owu war of 1823 with other warrior brothers like Babalola the founder of Fijabi dynasty in Ibadan, Lajubutan and Ogidi all Onpetu children to join allied forces at Owu war against Owu and their Egba allies. After the victory of Ife Ijebu and Oyo forces over Owu, they pursued Egba people to Ibadan where Egba were forced out of the town. The allied then occupied the town. Later on civil war broke out among the allies and Oyo elements got rid of Ife and Ijebu people making Ibadan an Oyo town till date.
Delesolu became prominent and established his quarter outside the then Ibadan that is Oje of today in remembrance of his home where he came from and equally established Oja Oje for the same purpose. He was however implored by Iba Oluyole to move to the town around Oja Iba like other prominent warriors but declined insisted that he would serve as buffer for the nascent town. He was however made Areago Basorun during the time of Oluyole and his descendants have continued to occupy prominent positions in Ibadan chieftaincy hierarchy.
The highest the family has gone is Osi Olubadan occupied by Alhaji High Chief Yesufu Adio Ekanoye Delesolu between 1940-1965. It was memorialization of this Oluoje scion that was done yesterday. The sprawling Oje market was partially closed because this is the case when an Onpetu is visiting the compound.
It is was a carnival like program where two lectures were given by prominent historians on the place of Delesolu compound in Ibadan history and the future of the family. There was also fund raising for the projects being executed by the family including rehabilitation of Delesolu palace and her court within the compound. It also includes the home of a crocodile which is a pet you find in the palaces of Oluojes. The major import of the outing is the preservation of our identities which shows our history and personality.
Major Yoruba people especially Oyo have good heritages which included our our identities which is preserved through their oriki and Orile. Anyone who do not has an oriki and Orile can not be regarded as a true born among Oyo Yoruba. That is why many adopted those of their maternal lines. His Royal Majesty and one of the classical Obas in Yorubaland congratulates and applauds Delesolu descendants for upholding the traits of Oluoje and Onpetu lineage which included bravery and for given honor to whom honor is due. He advised the family to strive to produce Olubadan like their relatives at Fijabi family having gone to Ibadan about the same time and had produced Olubadan twice. Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran Lagbami Osekun III also admonished his children to look for their relatives in Ibadan answering to Oluoje cognomen among whom is Engineer Seyi Makinde , Oloye Dotun Sanusi and families of many past Olubadan who bear Oluoje and Aro as their oriki and Orile and found a formidable organization for the betterment of all Oluojes.
