Category: Culture


  • Olabisi Ajala, popularly known as “Ajala the traveller”, was the gregarious globe-trotting Nigerian who, in a one-man odyssey which began at his twenty-seventh year, met many leaders of the world and supposedly visited eighty-seven countries, mostly on a bicycle. Ajala, born in 1930 in Ghana, was hailed in the Ebenezer Obey’s popular song of the…

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  • Olajumoke Adenowo is an architect, designer of the Federal Ministry of Finance building in Abuja, and a dozen of outstanding corporate, federal and state government buildings. Olajumoke was as a youth, precocious, graduating at the age of 19 at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and later with record breaking masters degree in Architecture. Born 1968…

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  • Moremi was an important historical figure, wife of one of the ancient heroes of post-Oduduwa times, possibly Oranyan. Moremi is today reckoned as a Yoruba legend due to acclaimed moves she made to end the acts of terrorism that threatened the town of Ile-Ife. As a beautiful woman, Moremi tactically took the risk of allowing herself…

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  • Ore Green was a Nigerian nurse, and celebrated avatar of Lady-like grace, born 1885 in Lagos to an ex-Superintendent of the Detective Force. Ore trained at St. Peter’s School, C.M.S. Girls’ Seminary, St. Mary’s Convent, and by private tuition in Mathematics, Latin, Greek, and Geometry under Rev. W.B. Eugba, principal of Wesleyan Boys’ High School,…

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  • Orompoto was one of the four Alaafins to be buried in Oyo Igoho, the capital established by Eguguoju, his brother. Orompto, during his reign proved to be a gifted soldier, bringing back the military glory of the Oyo Empire. He won many battles, but like Napoleon, met his waterloo at Ilayi. His army was trounced…

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  • Dipomu, in Yoruba language, Di opo mu, meaning ‘catch hold of the post’. Ancient judicial practise in southwest Nigeria in which an offender or anyone who was in trouble sought sanctuary in the king’s palace. A veranda post is usually grabbed to claim the king’s protection. The Dipomu system had been highly effective in divorce…

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  • Anglophonism was the term used in pre-independence times to describe the tendency of the Nigerian to see self as naturally aligned with, or to show allegiance to the English. In Michael Echeruo’s account of Victorian Lagos, he writes about the African Renaissance that became a trend in Lagos through changes in name, dress, politics, among other…

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  • Osinyago was one of the short lived Alaafin of Oyo, whose repressive rule led to an inglorious end. Osinyago dedicated himself to the pursuit of wealth but not even his children lived to enjoy them. His equally covetous son lost his life to this conduct and his second child who was a lady killed her…

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  • Mellor W.F. was the Wesleyan missionary whose leadership in Remo that started in 1921 was widely hailed. Revd. W. F. Mellor established a school at the bamboo church in 1928 built by manual labor at the back of his house. He was the father of the Boys Brigade Movement in Remo Division of Ijebu land…

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  • Òsùgbó was a civic association in nineteenth century Remo in present day Ogun state. In many towns it not only formulated and executed local law, but could also dethrone or execute an unpopular ruler. Òsùgbó’s basic membership was open to freeborn men and women from early adulthood. This association has long been understood as an equivalence…

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