IYALODES: THE AMAZONS OF IBADAN THE PAST,THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

 

IYALODES: THE AMAZONS OF IBADAN

THE PAST,THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

Ibadan was created in 1829 as a war camp for warriors coming from Oyo, Ife and Ijebu. A forest site and several ranges of hills, varying in elevation from 160 to 275 metres, offered strategic defence opportunities.

As a major trading center along the rail route Ibadan grew rapidly and prospered because the surrounding region produced cassava, cocoa, cotton, rubber, timber, and palm oil. As its population grew, the city also developed manufacturing and service industries.

Ibadan is the capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, with a total population of 3,649,000 as of 2021, and over 6 million people within its metropolitan area.

It is the country's largest city by geographical area. At the time of Nigeria's independence in 1960, Ibadan was the largest and most populated city in the country, and the second most populous in Africa behind Cairo.

Ibadan is ranked the second fastest growing city on the African continent according to the UN Human settlements research program. It is also ranked third in West Africa in the tech startups index. Ibadan joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016.

Ibadan is traditionally governed by a council of High Chiefs call the Olubadan in Council.

There are two ruling lines to the throne of Olubadan, Egbe Agba (civil) and Balogun (military), from where Olubadans are appointed on rotational basis to occupy the stool on the death of a monarch. The next to Olubadan and most senior on both lines are the Otun Olubadan and Balogun.

There is also a female line from where an Iyalode emerges. The Ìyálóde has not only served as a representative of women in the council, but also as a political and economic influencer since precolonial and colonial Nigeria.

THE LIST OF RECORDED IYALODES OF IBADAN.

1.Iyalode subola 1850-1867

2.Iyalode Efunsetan Aniwura 1867-1874

3.Iyalode Iyaola 1874-1893

4.Iyalode Lanlatu Asabi Giwa 1894-1913

5.Iyalode Isale Osun 1914-1917

6.Iyalode Ronilatu Ajisomo 1917-1934

7.Iyalode Rukayat Awosa Akande 1935-1948

8.Iyalode Abimbola 1948-1961

9.Iyalode Adebisi Abeo 1961-1974

10.Iyalode Wuraola Esan 1975-1985

11.Iyalode Hunmani Alade 1985-1995

12.Iyalode Aminatu Abiodun 1995-2018

13. Laduntan Oyekanmi 2019 to date

CHIEF THERESA LADUNTAN OYEKANMI is the current Iyalode of Ibadan. She is a scion of the Ladapo family of Abebi Ibadan and the Ayeye Area's Balogun Ibikunle family.

Laduntan Oyekanmi was born in Ibadan, Nigeria on October 3, 1933. In the 1960s, she studied nursing in England and married Prince 'Diti Oyekanmi of the royal Matanmi Family of Osogbo, Osun State, on August 12, 1961. She worked as a nurse at the University College Hospital in Ibadan until her retirement.

IYALODE WURAOLA ESAN was a pioneering Nigerian women’s rights activist, educator, and nationalist. In 1960, she became the first woman member of the Nigerian Senate in the First Republic.

Throughout her life, Wuraola Esan campaigned for women and girls’ education. In the 1940s, she established the Ibadan People’s Girls Grammar School in Molete, Ibadan.

CHIEF (MRS) MOJISOLA LADIPO, FNIM, MNI is a quintessential University Administrator, eloquent Public Speaker, elegant and ageless, Philanthropist, devoted Mother and grandmother, unrepentantly proud alumnae of the University of Ibadan, distinguished daughter of Ibadanland, amazing Trainer, Coach and Mentor of many past and present University Administrators and Managers, an undisputed living legend of University Administration in Nigeria. She was appointed as the first female Registrar of the University of Ibadan with effect from 1 January 1996, 4 years after attaining the position of Deputy Registrar. She served for 10 years as Registrar and chose to retire from service with loud encomiums on 31 December 2006.

IYALODE EFUNSETAN ANIWURA was the second Iyalode of Ibadan. Revered as a successful merchant and trader, her impact encompassed the political, military, economic and religious spheres of Ibadan.

She is arguably the most powerful – and certainly one of the wealthiest – Yoruba women that ever lived.

These great women have one thing in common. They excelled in whatever they laid their hands on. They also impacted positively on society and people around them. They were found everywhere; Trade, Academics, Industry, Civil Administration and Politics.

They share and manifested an uncommon passion for Ibadan and her development.

A look through the present Iyalode Chieftaincy line in Ibadan will reveal a kaleidoscope of women towering over every facet of life. They are everywhere.

The current Chiefs include Nigeria’s first female Minister of Industry, Chief Onikepo Akande, wife of a former governor of Oyo State, Alhaja Mutiat Ladoja, and a former Head of Service in the state, Alhaja Kudirat Adeleke and Chief Mrs.Taye Soyege, Others are Yewande Durosaro,  Nimota Agbaje, Ayo Adegbite, Chief Mrs Kuye, Wosilat Ekeolu, Moji Ladipo and Mojisola Oyebola as the Ekefa Iyalode.

They don’t compete with their men in the Balogun (Warlords), Egbe Agba (Civil) and Seriki (Elites) lines. They just complement them by creating a niche of their own and adding value.

There are other younger and middle aged women of Ibadan extraction making waves all over the world who have similar passion for Ibadan and by extension, Yoruba.

Bringing them into the Iyalode line and/or creating roles for them in Ibadan land will further enhance the impact of Ibadan women in the development and growth of Ibadan.

One of such them readily comes to mind.

Rashidat Bolanle Hassan- Fassan, senior mental health nurse, certified psychopharmacology and physical health provider, qualified independent non-medical/supplementary prescriber, and expert clinical supervisor, is an accomplished and celebrated medical practitioner whose tremendous contribution to the development of primary mental health in the United Kingdom cannot be underestimated.

Self-driven, hardworking, proactive and focused, Bolanle with an experience of over two decades, has worked in different psychiatric settings both in primary and secondary care services and in various capacities.

Interestingly, despite her long sojourn in the White man's land, Bolanle has never been disconnected from her roots quite unlike many Nigerians and Yorubas who hide their identities because they lack the positivity and self-assurance that come with a sense of filiation. She flaunts her identity where ever she finds herself, as a full blooded member of the Yoruba race and proud daughter of Olalokiki section of Aliiwo political and traditional dynasty in Ibadan.

Bolanle plays very crucial and impactful roles in all Yoruba sociocultural groups of which she is a member among which is Aliiwo in Diaspora Association U.K chapter, where she is the financial secretary.

Her hand of generosity stretches beyond family members and friends to the underprivileged whose families are unknown to her. It has become a ritual to this woman with a heart of gold to, whenever she visits the homeland, spare some time to visit the Homes for the indigent where she presents special packages to the occupants.

Her predisposition to being her brother’s keeper, a character trait she had demonstrated from her youthful days, had earned her various gracious appellations; Aunty Agba, Iya Gbogbo, Iya Meto, Iya Awon Omo, Iya Rere.

Certainly, Ibadan needs this gracious, ebullient, brave, virtuous and amiable daughter of Aliiwo in its traditional system.