Awori PeopleA brief history and belief of the     original indigenes of Lagos

  

                                                            Origin of Awori people

Legend has it that Prince Olofin and his followers left the palace of King Oduduwa in Ile-Ife and migrated southward along a river.

Olofin is one of Oduduwa's son

King Oduduwa had given Olofin a mud plate, instructing him to place it on the water and follow it until it sank into the river.

It is said that several days after leaving Ile-Ife, the plate suddenly stopped near Olokemeji near present-day Abeokuta. And after seventeen days, it began moving again.

It would later stop for another seventeen days at Oke-Ata.

At the end of seventeen days, the mud plate began moving again, only to stop again on the southern outskirts of present-day Abeokuta, where it stayed for another seventeen days.

It was here some of Olofin's followers decided to remain. This group of people was under the leadership of a man named Osho Aro-bi-ologbo-egan.The mud plate would continue again down the river, only to stop for the fourth time at Isheri, where it remained for a much longer period of time.

Owing to this, Olofin began instructing his followers to begin setting up a permanent settlement, but after 289 days (17 x 17) the plate began moving again.

And when it did, only a few followers joined Olofin to follow the plate. The rest of the group decided to stay behind.

They had only journeyed for two days when the plate stopped briefly at Iddo in Lagos.

It was at Idumota in central Lagos that the mud plate sank into the bottom. After whirling on the water.

When Olofin returned to Iddo to meet his group, it is said that they’d asked him where the plate was. And in answering, he said, "Awo Ti Ri" meaning "The plate has sunk". This is how the name Awori is said to have come into being.

The Awori is a tribe of the Yoruba people speaking a distinct dialect of the Yoruba language. And they are presently found in both Ogun State and Lagos State, Nigeria.

Awori belief system

Among the Aworis, traditional beliefs and practice exist side-by-side Islam and Christianity.

Even some of the Awori combined Islam or Christianity with their traditional beliefs and practices.

However, the use of Ifa Oracle in the determination of certain issues and events such as date of the festival, coronation ceremony, causes of state calamity is in practice among traditional believers.

Picture of one of the masquerades
 in Ota named Ogogo Omokulodo

                                                     

And individual’s future and fortune remain an important aspect of Yoruba civilization, which the Awori still retain.

In addition, the institutions of priesthood and palace society for which the Yoruba of the interior are famous featured prominently between them.

For instance, the possession of Ade crown and recognition of Oba, which is the highest conception of political authority among the Yoruba, is what every tradition leader; especially those from royal lineages in Aworiland aspire to.

                                          OLOTA OF OTA

The Olota of Ota is the traditional, yet ceremonial, sovereign of Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. He is also called an Oba.

Historically, the Olota of Ota was a crowned ruler whose power came from the traditional homeland of the Yoruba, Ile-Ife.^[1] Since the first local elections in 1955, he has had no political power, but is sought as a counsel or sponsor by Nigerian politicians who seek support from the residents of Ota. The official residence of the Oba is a palace within the town.^[2]

Selection of an Olota

When a reigning Olota dies, the Ota Council of Chiefs receives an official report of his death. Burial rites are performed, and last for three months.

Following the end of the three-month mourning period, the selection and enthronement procedures for a new Olota begin. Candidates come from one of the three ruling houses:Ikowogbe, Ijemo-Isolosi, and Ileshi. Ruling houses are rotated so that each has an opportunity to produce an Oba. Proposed candidates must be members of the ruling house whose turn it is to produce candidates and male, though exceptions can be made if there are no qualified male candidates. The competition can be fierce, and sometimes pits family members against one another. Courts are sometimes involved in settling disputes within a ruling house. Eventually, the ruling family meets and presents one or more candidates to a group of Kingmakers. There are twelve Kingmakers: the Balogun of Ota, the Ajana of Ijana Quarter, the Onikotun of Otun Quarter, the Onikosi of Osi Quarter, the Akogun of Oruba Quarter, Seriki of Ota, the Ekerin of Ota, the Odota of Ota, the Lisa of Ota, the Aro of Ota, and the Oluwo of Ota. The Kingmakers then make the final determination of who becomes the Olota.^[3]

See Ota Traditional Chiefs for more information about the Kingmakers and other major and minor chiefs of Ota.

Prior to the installation of a new Oba, members of the Ogboni secret society perform a procession around Ota to perform pre-installation rites. Additionally, other chiefs play important roles in the installation of a new Olota, such as the Odota and the Aro, who perform the installation rites, and the Oluwo, who performs rituals at predetermined dates following the crowning of a new Olota.^[4]

List of Olotas of Ota 

• Oba Akinsewa Ogbolu (1621-1680)
• Oba Morolugbe (Oba Moro) (1701-1725)
• Oba Oromolu (1725-1768)
• Oba Olagoroye (1768-1786)
• Oba Adelu (1794-1821)
• Oba Olukori (1821-1853)
• Oba Oyede I (1853-1882)
• Oba Isiyemi (1882-1901)
• Oba Aina Ako (1902-1927)
• Oba Salami Oyelusi Oyede (1927-1947)
• Oba Timothy Fadina (1949-1954)
• Oba Timothy Talabi Dada (1954-1992)
• Oba Moshood Adetoro Alani Oyede (1997–2016)
• Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege (newly crowned)