Offa, Nigeria

The supreme traditional ruler (king) of the town is the Olofa who is assisted by five High Chiefs namely Asalofa, Essa, Ojomu, Sawo, and Balogun. There are two hundred and five thousand traditional households. Since the founding of the town in late 14th century, twenty four Kings, (Olofas) have ruled as follows:

Offa indigenes are well educated and the town has over one hundred professors in varied academic fields. There are several secondary schools,[13][14] three polytechnics, and a university. The first primary school, St. Mark's (Anglican) Primary School was established in 1912 by the Church Missionary Society,[15] and Offa Grammar School which is the first community secondary school in defunct Northern Nigeria was established in 1943.[16] The Kwara State College of Health Technology was also established earlier in 1976[17] The Federal Polytechnic,Offa was established in 1992.[18] Other tertiary institutions include the Navy School of Health Sciences, Pan Africa College of Education[19] Graceland Polytechnic,[20] Lens Polytechnic[21][22] and Summit University, Offa (the University of Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria). Summit University was established in 2015 and commenced academic activities in 2017.[23] In 2020, it obtained full accreditation from the National Universities Commission for all its academic Courses.[24] University of Offa, (UNIOFFA) Offa, Kwara State, founded in 2021, is a Tertiary Institution on with some programs accredited by the National Universities Commission, NUC.[25]

Lens polytechnic offa

The umbrella socio-cultural organisation in Offa is Offa Descendants Union which was founded in Lagos, Nigeria by Offa indigenes on 13 October 1935.[26] All other socio-cultural groups in the town are affiliates of ODU. The union has branches in all states of Nigeria and abroad.[27][28] It has been involved in development efforts like the establishment of secondary schools, encouragement of investors, medical outreaches, supporting artisans, and other professional bodies.[29][30][31]

"Offa" means arrow in the Yoruba language, and the founder of the town was known as Olofagangan-the warrior with a sharp arrow. Offa is the cultural headquarters of the Ibolo[32] people, which was regarded as an integral part of the old Oyo Empire.[33] The Ibolos are also found in the present Osun State.[32][34] The major traditional ceremony is 'Onimoka', which is an annual event to celebrate the memory of Queen Moremi an Offa indigene who saved the Ile-Ife kingdom from invaders.[35] During the ceremony, wrestling contests are held in which the traditional Chiefs including the Olofa will engage in mock wrestling contests (Ijakadi).[35][36] According to the Olofa, during the eight editions of the festival in December 2019, the festival demonstrates Offa people's “love for equity, justice, and fairness as well as the resilience and unity of the community (the Sun news online).[35] Offa is also well known for the Owode market, the foremost market and pivot of economic activities not only for Offa and its environment but also for Kwara and neighbouring states.[37]

The present king is the Olofa of Offa, Oba Alhaji Mufutau Mohammed Gbadamosi Okikiola Esuwoye II. The prominent knighted chiefs of Offa include Esa, Ojomu, Sawo and Balogun. The praise name of Offa is Ijakadi Loro Offa, a Yoruba phrase meaning wrestling is our game. The citys mascot is the peacock bird which is one of the most prominent exotic avian species in the region.[38]

The provincial figure for the population of Offa Local Government Area by the National population Commission (FRN official Gazette no24 of May, 2007 Government Notice) is 89,674 comprising of 46,266 males and 43,428 females. Offa has the reputation of being the home of sweet potatoes.[39]

The people of OFFA celebrate a host of annual festivals including Onimoka and Egungun, Onimoka, the most famous of these festivals is celebrated by OFFA people, gathered at the town square, to witness a blindfolded man slice a yam tuber into two equal parts, with miraculous precision. A high point during the festival is a ceremonial wrestling contest between the Olofa and Eesa – one of the chiefs. Another important aspect of the Onimoka festival is the celebration of Moremi deity. Legend has it that Moremi was married to the Ooni of Ife from conquest. Olofa offer prayers for peace and prosperity, perform rituals, and make offerings to the spirit of Moremi. Egungun (Masquerades) festival is celebrated with youths in colorful masks and robes entertaining the people by making rounds at various locations in the town. They are rewarded with cash gift for the performance. The Egunguns also offer prayers and blessing to their benefactors and the town in general.[40]

On the movement of Offa people to Ido-Osun I wish to draw your attention to the following:

It was during the reign of Oba Okunoye that the war between Offa and Ilorin occurred; this commenced in 1878 and terminated 1886 a period of nine years.[41]

Out of the nine years of the war, Oba Okunoye reigned for five years before he died in military.  Oba Adegboye took over from him, and fought four years as the Oba before he left town together with his chiefs and people. (For other details consult “gazetteer of Ilorin province “by H.B Hermon Hodge pg. 99).

Balogun Agidiako who was to become the instrument of treachery to Offa people was appointed by Okunoye to succeed his father Balogun Asegbe, as compensation for the support Balogun Asegbe gave to Okunoye to ascend the throne. As soon as Agidiako became Balogun, enmity began between him and Okunoye; Agidiako made frantic efforts to topple Okunoye as the Oba. The was highly respected at that time. It was during the enmity between Okunoye and Agidiako that the Ilorin people went the Jalumi War. Most Ilorin warriors were reported killed in the war. Owode After the Jalumi war, Ilorin wanted to go to war with Erin-Ile, Okoku, Inisa, Ijabe and as far a town as Ibadan. Ilorin army under the Leadership of Balogun Karara solicited for Oba Okunoye’s assistance, which was rejected, after three months of silence, Balogun Agidiako (the then head of Offa army) decided to meet Oba Okunoye without success and this led to the movement of the former with his army people of Ilorin. We were told that the on the way to Ilorin, Agidiako met prince Oyewale; the don of Temileke, and killed him. Balogun Agidiako, on getting to Ilorin he informed the Ilorin people that he was the only ‘man’ in Offa having left, Ilorin could wage war on Offa. Oba Okunoye solicited for the assistance of Ibadan (which was granted) to fight Ilorin. Oba Okunoye died in 1882 five years after the war commenced. Oba Adegboye Atoloyetele became the next Olofa in 1882. The Friday following the day of his father’s Burial, Okunoye. The war between Offa and Ilorin continued and five years after, the war was still on.[42]

At the time Offa people move to offatedo, Alimi was the Emir of Ilorin and he was succeded by emir monmon. Emir monmon pleaded with Oba adegboye to return but he refused. Emir sule who succeeded monmon also pleade with Oba Adeboye for the return of people to Offa and the offer was again rejected.

Thereafter, Oba Adegboye was approached by Captain Bower who was then the “District Officer” if he wanted to return home. Oba rejected initially; but after continuous plea by Captain Bower, Oba Adeboye reconsidered his position and return home, particularly in view of the promise by Ilorin that Offa people will no longer be disturbed.

The decision to return home by Oba Adegboye and some of his followers was not well received by Ibadan people. Oba Adegboye had to apologize to his friends. The Ibadan people for his decision to return home and Offa people left Ido-Osun in 1900. On the day Oba Adegboye was to leave offatedo. Some of his people refused to go with him. This did not go down well with Oba Adegboye and he had to curse the people concerned.

On getting to Offa, Oba Adegboye met Otakogbaiye or Arookan on the throne as Oba. The latter was on the sons of Olugbense and so there was no room for Adegboye since there could not be two Oba’s in a town. Oba Adegboye had to leave Offa on the 6th day to settle at Okoku for a year. He went back to Offa in 1901, when he was finally declared as being the appropriate person to occupy the throne.Oba Adegboye was said to have ruled the whole for a period of about 25 years on the throne, including the years in Offatedo.[43]

History was made recently in the ancient town of Offa, the second largest city and perhaps the most cosmopolitan in Kwara State, when Oba Mufutau Muhammed Gbadamosi conferred the title of Aare Bobagunwa of Offa Kingdom on an illustrious son of the soil and former Managing Director of Bank of Industry, Dr. Waheed Olagunju.As captured by Raheem Akingbolu, the three-day event was full of lessons, glitz and expectations

It was not the first time an Offa man or woman would be honoured at home. It was also not the first time Offa would attract prominent Nigerians from far and near to their ancient city. And of course, it was not the first time the Juju Maestro, King Sunny Ade, would perform in Offa.[44]

But, it was the first time a traditional chieftaincy ceremony would be intellectualised in South-west Nigeria as stated by Professor Adebayo Ninalowo, a renowned development and political sociologist, one of the discussants at the Pre-investiture that was delivered by erudite legal luminary Professor Akin Oyebode on Thursday, May 26, 2022.

The conferment of Aare Bobagunwa of Offa and Yeye Aare Bobagunwa of Offa on Dr. Waheed Olagunju and his wife, Hajia Mobolaji Olagunjurespectively, on Saturday, May 28, 2022 was also one of the rare occasions, when a Nigerian President, his vice and those that matter in the corridor of power in Kwara State, including the state governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq and his deputy, Mr Kayode Alabi, would unite in honour of an Offa man.

It is also important to add that the colourful ceremony brought to the fore the age-long harmony between the Christians and Muslims of the town, which has repeatedly been cited as one of the basis for its rapid development.

The well-attended ceremony, which had popular juju maestro, King Sunny Ade, on bandstand to entertain guests also attracted goodwill messages from many prominent Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Abdurahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara and his deputy Mr Koyode Alabi as well as  a former Minister of Industry  Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga.[45]

Dr. Olagunju, a former television broadcaster with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) is a member of Offa Club 80 and Offa Metropolitan Club and was a key figure in the socio-cultural group’s social and infrastructural interventions in Offa including the construction of a township library and an Ultra Modern Medical Centre among others.

He is the Chairman of the Offa Descendants Union’s (ODU) Economic Development Committee, a group that puts in place a technology innovation hub in the town with the view to training 60,000 students/participants from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Kwara State.

In his congratulatory message, which was publicly presented at the event by veteran broadcaster, Ms. Siene Allwell-Brown,  President Muhammadu Buhari, noted  the upwardly mobile career of the former Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Industry (BOI), Dr. Waheed Abiodun Olagunju, spanning over 29 years, where he served diligently and held so many positions and distinguished himself in selflessness, sacrifice and, most significantly, promoting values of diversity, unity and charity in working for the improvement of Small, Medium Scale Enterprises, which serve as live-wire of economies.

In the statement, which was signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari also congratulated Dr. Olagunju’s wife on her investiture as “Yeye Aare Bobagunwa of Offa Kingdom,” rejoicing with the family on the double honour.

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, lauded the contribution of the new Aare Bobagunwa of Offa Kingdom, to national development.[46]

Speaking during the investiture of Olagunju in Offa, AbdulRazaq stated that, “By all accounts, Dr. Waheed Olagunju stands out as one of Nigeria’s role models worthy of emulation by the up-and-coming generation.

“He is well educated with an enriching service career in the Bank of Industry. Until his retirement as MD/CEO of Bank of Industry, he has facilitated employment and access to BOI facilities to develop so many entrepreneurs across the nation, for Kwarans and Offa people in particular.

“And a world-class sportscaster with national and international exposure. Until his retirement in BOI with rich exposure in meetings of IMF and World Bank with international exposure during his service, no doubt, he had served in different capacities.”

Waxing philosophically, Dr. Aganga, justified the conferment of the title on Olagunju on the basis of his passion to impact humanity. “I think when you talk about honour and awards, you have to look at the award and chieftaincy title from two angles. You have to look at first from the point of the giver and then the receiver. Any value, any honour, any chieftaincy title is only as valuable as the reputation and integrity of the giver, in this case, the Offa Kingdom and in fact, His Royal Majesty, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye.[47]

“When you look at Offa itself, the Offa kingdom has a major role to play in Yoruba history. The Offa kingdom has produced so many illustrious sons and daughters for this nation and when you see what they are doing, you will be impressed.

“His Royal Majesty has a 10- year vision for the social economic transformation of Offa Kingdom and they do have a 10-year economic development plan to transform Offa, economically, and socially. When you get your honor, award and chieftaincy title from such an authority, you must regard it and respect it.

“Then look at it from the point of view of the receiver and in this particular case, Dr. Waheed Olagunju, and his wife Hajia Mobolaji Olagunju. I am privileged to know Waheed for a number of years now. He worked closely with me as the Minister of Finance and he worked directly with me when I was in the Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment.

” In fact, it was during my tenure that he became an executive director at BOI and also became an acting CEO of BOI for the first time. Throughout that period, I found him to be a remarkable, unique, talented and hardworking human being.

“I benefitted from him being a member of that team. The Olofa of Offa will benefit from making him the Aare Bobagunwa of Offa and Offa people will benefit also. I can’t think of anybody more worthy of that Chieftaincy title,” the former minister stated.[48]

Another illustrious son of Kwara, who is also the Head of Business Development at BUA Group, Mr. Tajudeen Ahmed, described Olagunju as a global citizen, who deserves nothing but the best. “Dr. Olagunju is our good brother and an illustrious son of our Kwara State. Beyond Offa and Kwara, I think he has impacted humanity and contributed meaningfully to Nigeria. That people turned out to celebrate him today is evidence of his good personality, character and accomplishment.[49]

• Olafimihan, James Bukoye: Iwe Itan Offa (The Book of the History of Offa).

• http://www.lenspolytechnic.edu.ng/
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Offa-Nigeria