Egbado
Encyclopedia
The Egbado, now Yewa, are a clan of the Yoruba people
, and inhabit the eastern area of Ogun West Senatorial District, Ogun State
, in south-west Nigeria
, Africa
. In 1995 they changed their name to the Yewa. Yewa clan is now comprises 4 local Governments Yewa-South, Yewa-North, Imeko-Afon and Ipokia
while the Ado-Odo/Ota LGA forms the 5th Awori part of the senatorial district
, Ile-Ife, or Oyo
- to their current area early in the 18th century. Egbado towns, most importantly Ilaro
, Ayetoro
, Imeko, Ipokia
and Igbogila, were established in the 18th century to take advantage of the slave trade
routes from the inland Oyo empire to the coast at Porto-Novo
. Other towns were Ilobi and Ijanna, which were strategic in protecting the flanks of the slaving routes. The Egbado were subject to the rule of the Oyo kingdom, which managed them via governor Onisare of Ijanna. The Oyo were unable to deploy their cavalry force to protect the routes, due to tsetse fly
and lack of horse-fodder - and thus had to rely on the Egbado to manage the routes. The historians Akinjogbin, Morton-Williams and Smith all agree that by the early 18th century this route to the coast was heavily engaged in slave trading, and that slaves were the mainstay of the Oyo economy.
The Egbado later achieved a fragile independence after the fall of the Oyo kingdom, but were subject to frequent attacks from other groups such as the slave-raiding Dahomey
(who seized, among others, Princess
Sara Forbes Bonetta), and various tribes who wished to force open their own slave-trading routes to the sea. Ilaro and Ijanna towns had been destroyed by the 1830s. By the 1840s the Egbado had come under the control of the adjacent Egba
group, who used the Egbado territory to forge routes to Badagry
and the port of Lagos
. By the 1860s the Egba abandoned the route because the British were actively using their formidable navy
to try to abolish the slave trade. As a consequence the Egba expelled British missionaries and traders from the area in 1867.
After 1890 the Egbado asked for a British
protectorate and got a small armed garrison, thus becoming independent of the Egba. The area became part of the British Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria in 1914, as Egbado Division in Abeokuta Province. The administrative headquarters were later transferred away, after the creation of the new Ogun State subsumed the old Abeokuta Province.
textile
processing. They are located mainly in the areas of: Ado-Odo/Ota, Ipokia
, Yewa South
, Yewa North
, Imeko Afon, and part of Abeokuta North
. There are complaints that the system of patronage
and nepotism
in Nigerian politics has caused the area to be negelected in terms of investment.
The area developed a popular style of music, called Bolojo, in the 1970s.
The population level is uncertain, but may be around 400,000.
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
, and inhabit the eastern area of Ogun West Senatorial District, Ogun State
Ogun State
Ogun State is a state in South-western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state...
, in south-west Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. In 1995 they changed their name to the Yewa. Yewa clan is now comprises 4 local Governments Yewa-South, Yewa-North, Imeko-Afon and Ipokia
Ipokia
Ipokia is a Local Government Area in the west of Ogun State, Nigeria bordering the Republic of Benin. Its headquarters are in the town of Ipokia at.It has an area of 629 km² and a population of 150,426 at the 2006 census....
while the Ado-Odo/Ota LGA forms the 5th Awori part of the senatorial district
History
The Egbado appear to have migrated - possibly from the KetuKetu (Benin)
Ketu is a historical location in present day Republic of Benin. It is one of the oldest capitals of the Yoruba speaking people, tracing its establishment to a settlement founded by a daughter of Oduduwa, also known as Odudua, Oòdua and Eleduwa...
, Ile-Ife, or Oyo
Oyo Empire
The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today southwestern Nigeria. The empire was established before the 14th century and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by European explorers. It rose to preeminence through its possession of a powerful cavalry and wealth...
- to their current area early in the 18th century. Egbado towns, most importantly Ilaro
Ilaro
Ilaro, Ogun State is a town in Ogun State, Nigeria.Ilaro [3] is the headquarters of the Yewa South[1] Local government area of Nigeria, west of Africa. Ilaro town is about 50 km from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, and about 100 km from Ikeja, the capital city of Lagos State...
, Ayetoro
Ayetoro
Ayetoro lies on the latitude 70 12’N and longitude 30 3’ E in a deciduous- derived savannah zone of Ogun State. The climate is sub-humid tropical with a longtime average annual rainfall of 1,909.30mm. Ayetoro is about 35 km northwest of Abeokuta, a town in south-west part of Nigeria and the...
, Imeko, Ipokia
Ipokia
Ipokia is a Local Government Area in the west of Ogun State, Nigeria bordering the Republic of Benin. Its headquarters are in the town of Ipokia at.It has an area of 629 km² and a population of 150,426 at the 2006 census....
and Igbogila, were established in the 18th century to take advantage of the slave trade
African slave trade
Systems of servitude and slavery were common in many parts of Africa, as they were in much of the ancient world. In some African societies, the enslaved people were also indentured servants and fully integrated; in others, they were treated much worse...
routes from the inland Oyo empire to the coast at Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo is the official capital of the West African nation of Benin, and was the capital of French Dahomey. The commune covers an area of 110 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 223,552 people.Porto-Novo is a port on an inlet of the Gulf of Guinea, in the southeastern portion...
. Other towns were Ilobi and Ijanna, which were strategic in protecting the flanks of the slaving routes. The Egbado were subject to the rule of the Oyo kingdom, which managed them via governor Onisare of Ijanna. The Oyo were unable to deploy their cavalry force to protect the routes, due to tsetse fly
Tsetse fly
Tsetse , sometimes spelled tzetze and also known as tik-tik flies, are large biting flies that inhabit much of mid-continental Africa between the Sahara and the Kalahari deserts. They live by feeding on the blood of vertebrate animals and are the primary biological vectors of trypanosomes, which...
and lack of horse-fodder - and thus had to rely on the Egbado to manage the routes. The historians Akinjogbin, Morton-Williams and Smith all agree that by the early 18th century this route to the coast was heavily engaged in slave trading, and that slaves were the mainstay of the Oyo economy.
The Egbado later achieved a fragile independence after the fall of the Oyo kingdom, but were subject to frequent attacks from other groups such as the slave-raiding Dahomey
Dahomey
Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
(who seized, among others, Princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
Sara Forbes Bonetta), and various tribes who wished to force open their own slave-trading routes to the sea. Ilaro and Ijanna towns had been destroyed by the 1830s. By the 1840s the Egbado had come under the control of the adjacent Egba
Egba
The Egba are a clan of the Yoruba people who live in western Nigeria. Many Egba live in the city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.- History :...
group, who used the Egbado territory to forge routes to Badagry
Badagry
Badagry is a coastal town and Local Government Area in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is situated between Metropolitan Lagos, and the border with Benin at Seme...
and the port of Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
. By the 1860s the Egba abandoned the route because the British were actively using their formidable navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
to try to abolish the slave trade. As a consequence the Egba expelled British missionaries and traders from the area in 1867.
After 1890 the Egbado asked for a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
protectorate and got a small armed garrison, thus becoming independent of the Egba. The area became part of the British Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria in 1914, as Egbado Division in Abeokuta Province. The administrative headquarters were later transferred away, after the creation of the new Ogun State subsumed the old Abeokuta Province.
The modern Egbado/Yewa
In 1995 the Egbado chose to rename themselves the "Yewa", after the name of the Yewa River that passes through the area they inhabit. They are primarily agriculturalists, but there is some artisanArtisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
processing. They are located mainly in the areas of: Ado-Odo/Ota, Ipokia
Ipokia
Ipokia is a Local Government Area in the west of Ogun State, Nigeria bordering the Republic of Benin. Its headquarters are in the town of Ipokia at.It has an area of 629 km² and a population of 150,426 at the 2006 census....
, Yewa South
Yewa South
Yewa South, , is a Local Government Area in the west of Ogun State, Nigeria bordering the Republic of Benin. Its headquarters are in the town of Ilaro at in the north of the Area....
, Yewa North
Yewa North
Yewa North is a Local Government Area in the west of Ogun State, Nigeria bordering the Republic of Benin. Its headquarters are in the town of Aiyetoro at in the north-east of the Area....
, Imeko Afon, and part of Abeokuta North
Abeokuta North
Abeokuta North is a National Assembly delegation in Ogun State, Nigeria. It has been represented by Kayode Amusan since 2007....
. There are complaints that the system of patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
and nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
in Nigerian politics has caused the area to be negelected in terms of investment.
The area developed a popular style of music, called Bolojo, in the 1970s.
The population level is uncertain, but may be around 400,000.
Further reading
- Ogunsiji, O. (1988). Pastoralism in Egbado division of Ogun State. Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
- Kola Folayan. (1967). "Egbado to 1832: the birth of a dilemma", Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria, 4, pp. 15–34.