Nigeria the homeland of the Yoruba people, is Africa’s most populous country, and the Yoruba, who can also be found in Benin, Togo, and Sierra Leon, Are one of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups. According to Harvard professorJacob Olupona and Temple professor Terry Rey, the Yoruba number about 25million in West Africa alone, and over 40million all over the world.

Yoruba as a race are all children of Oduduwa with Ile-Ife as their cradle. Apart from population explosion which compelled them to spread out from Ile-Ife and scatter all over places in pockets of settlements in villages and hamlets (which invariably became known and referred to as homesteads) with their respective cultural heritage, one other principal factor that precipitated their vagrancy and wandering from one forest location to another was the incessant inter- tribal hostilities and warfare.

As they moved from one place to the other, they regrouped and formed larger and formidable settlements to ward-off enemy attacks. In most cases, such settlements later developed and metamorphosed into towns and cities.

In essence, the genesis of the founding of Egba settlement known as Abeokuta began with different Yoruba Nations and groups, which met one another in Egba Forest, and later aligned themselves into a federal set-up. One of such groups were the Gbaguras.

GBAGURA

They all finally settled down and took shelter and domicile under and around Olumo Rock. So anyone from Abeokuta are also known and referred to as Omo Olumo. “Awa Omo Olumo”

The period in focus, 1830, was selected for its relevance. First, was the year that Gbagura people, as other section of Egbaland, arrived Abeokuta from their different homesteads. Next, it was the year Gbagura heroes together with other Egba warriors fought for their survival in Egbaland. After the war, Gbagura people deferred the coronation of the first Oba in Ęgbaland until 1870 when Oba Jamolu was crowned. This was so to ensure that all insurrections had ended, and all invasions contained, before the installation of a traditional head could be considered. Gbagura, like other places in Abeokuta, used to be hamlet and absorbed into the Ęgba Federation.

Within the area of Yoruba Country, there were no less than three successive waves of emigrations from Ile-Ife in the 13th and 14th Centuries (AD), and from these, eventually, came the three major sections of Egba Federation, namely, Egba Ake, Egba Oke Ona and Egba Agura. The Gbagura people migrated from their respective homesteads situated on an imaginary line drawn from the present day Iddo-Osun-Offa-Awe-Ejigbo-Akinmorin-Fiditi-Ilora-Oyo-Ojoo-Ibadan-Omi Adio and coming west-wards past Ibadan and ending on the outskirts of the present Abeokuta. As a result of the internecine wars in the Yoruba country, the aftermath of Owu War resulted in Owu settling in Abeokuta in 1834. It is well known, however, that these three sections, later joined by Owu, built a stronghold at Abeokuta. The founding of Abeokuta itself is well documented in oral history. In the Gbagura section of Abeokuta, there were at one time 144 townships (or wards) from homestead, that made Gbagura, 72 of which were under Onigu of Ilugun who did not agree that Agura was his senior. The remaining 72 townships (wards) swore allegiance to the Agura of Gbagura Oba Ajiboso. Oba Ajiboso had many children one of them and the last born was AYODEJI. This Ayodeji’s descendants now settled in Itoko and Ake Abeokuta.

As the process of the Federation was inevitably demanded, the 144 towns were eventually merged under Agura. The Onigu, indeed the Ilugun towns, which lost the capital status to Iddo town, finally left the Gbagura section and joined Oke-ona section. Much later, Idomapa and Ilawo towns also left Gbagura section to join Oke-Ona. In the process of primary Federation, Gbagura emerged as the largest entity in the old Egba Forest with the AGURA as its Oba and Iddo as its capital town.

The Gbagura section played commendable roles in the struggle of the Egbas to free themselves from the tyranny of the Ilari or the emissary of the Oloyo (Alafin Oyo), who in the turbulent days of war of conquest were stationed in each of the Egba towns. A glaring example was the garrison stationed on the outskirts of Egba forest now known as Osiele to face any external aggression. The garrison was headed by Akaashi – a great warlord from Ibadan section of Gbagura. Since then, the Akaashi military Cantonment in Osiele has metamorphosed into a large Gbagura settlement with a Baale. till today, Akaashi has remained a Gbagura titled Chieftaincy for Osiele town on the outskirts of Abeokuta.

It was Akila of Iddo who could rightly be described as the first Osi Egba – the commander of the left wing of Egba army. During the war, Gbagura fought alongside the Egba army. It is no gainsaying that they played prominent roles, and distinguished themselves during the war. Among those that distinguished themselves were:- Oluwole Agbo Balogun Ojoo; who offered his pregnant wife for a sacrifice during the war. Anoba, the Balogun Ika; Dada Ojigan, the first Honourary Aare; Oluseye Balogun of Ika the great man-Olalekan; late Balogun Iddo and Madam Efunroye Tinubu of Ojokodo fame. They were so outstanding that but for the formidable arrangement, Akila of Iddo Gbagura could have rightly been acclaimed as the first Osi-Egba-the commandment of the left wing of Egba Army. Anoba would have assumed the title of Balogun Egba reserved for Igbein. Anoba was somehow permitted to import the extra-constitutional title of Aare Onakakanfo from Oluyole Ibadan.

During the war, Gbagura occupied the area next to Ogun River. Indeed, Gbagura became a force to be reckoned with in the Egbado, Ijebu-Remo as well as the Awori wars until they made Abeokuta an impregnable fortress which even the invincible Dahomey warriors could not conquer.

Although records about the Gbaguras are scarce, it is thought there was an war leader in the rank of General in the Army called Ajiboso- he was said to have a military training ground at Kęmbi, a village in Ogun state. This Ajiboso trained soldiers there and his training ground is still there up till today. He led so many wars, leading the Gbaguras. He was said to be the first king of Gbagura. He was from Idomapa in Gbagura. One of his children was the Otun of Late Oba Adetokunbo Ademola and the best Balogun of Itoko before Chief Fatai Shonekan was allowed to take over because the son of Marayesa , (the Olori Olorogun Of Itoko Chief Ruffai Ayodeji was getting old. He finally died at age of 110 in 1976.

In all walks of life, Gbagura people played noble art and distinguished themselves in all endeavours. It is worthy of note that bravery and the indomitable spirit of their Ancestors were manifested in their contribution to the solution of Egba problems. One such pedigree of distinguished old Gbagura warriors was the late Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola ( GCFR). The Balogun Ojoo. He was the modern symbol of Gbagura in Egba, Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole. Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola is the sacrificial lamb of politics in Nigeria for the annulled June 12 election. He’s was a pillar behind the Gbaguras. May his soul continue to rest in peace.

The status of the Agura as a major Oba in Abeokuta has been well established. Despite the antics of modern day politics and government formation, the Agura has retained his status as a King of Gbagura within Egba Federation in Abeokuta since the days when Obas had legislative roles in the Western Regional House of Chiefs. In the present Ogun state council of Obas and Egba Chieftaincy Committee, kabiyesi, the Agura of Gbagura's place remains a palace with prescribed authority to honour sons and daughters of Gbagura including others from Egba and other tribes in Nigeria and abroad with chieftaincy titles in recognition of their attainments in life and their services to the fatherland,

The Gbaguras are part of the Yoruba nation whose religion varies widely across time and space - from the traditional practices of West Africa to the contemporary Yoruba derived adaptations of Candomble in Brazil and Santeria Cuba. They are mostly Traditionalists, Christians and Muslims . The traditional Yoruba religion is reciprocal - a system of communication and exchange between human beings and divine mediated by a vast pantheon of powers( many of the former human beings) with one foot in the natural realm and the other in the supernatural. Here both sides speak and both sides listened