FACTS ABOUT EYO ADIMU

What really is Eyo-Adimu? What was its origin? When was it first staged in Lagos and under what circumstances was it first staged? I intent in this short article and in a very concise manner, to give the facts and thus add a bit of factual information to the existing history of Lagos in so far as it relates to the subject matter of Eyo-Adimu.

Oba Ado who was the first king of Lagos (Eko) came from the kingdom of Benin over three centuries ago and brought along with him some notable dignitaries. Two of such people were Ejilu and Malaki – two brothers of noble birth, warriors and hunters in their own right who settled in a locality called Iduntafa in Isale-Eko area of Lagos. From this base, the two brothers went to Benin seasonally, as the time went by, they decided to make Lagos their permanent abode, and having taken such decision, they brought along with them on their last journey from Benin their sister called Olugbani and the following cultural deities: (a) Adimu (b) Ologede (c) Oniko (d) Ogunran (e) Laba, the celebration or worship of which was always heralded by the staging of the eyo-play.

During their journey/voyage from Benin to Lagos (Eko), Ejilu and Malaki deposited the paraphernalia of the above five mentioned deities in a secluded recluse at a fishing
Village at Okepa a few kilometers from Lagos, as tradition then forbade (in fact it was a taboo) for these objects to be kept in the township, and continued their journey to Lagos.

Oba Ado later married Olugbani, the sister of Ejilu and Malaki and bestowed the chieftaincy title of Ogboni Itafa on Ejilu (the first Ogboni Itafa) The marriage was blessed with a daughter Erelu Kuti. When King Ado died, he was succeeded by Oba Gabaro and when he died, he, Oba Gabaro was succeeded by his brother Oba Akinsemoyin who decided to give his daughter in marriage to Lagba an Ifa Oracler whom his daughter did not very much fancy; she therefore failed to turn up for the marriage ceremony and instead Oba Akinsemoyin offered his half sister Erelu Kuti in marriage to Lagba. After a period and there was no issue, Lagba consulted his oracle and it was revealed to him that the marriage would not be blessed with any issue until some rituals were performed in respect of certain deities peculiar to the ancestral origin of Erelu Kuti on the maternal side.

Thus it was that the Malaki who had since succeeded his brother Ejilu as the second Ogboni Itafa, was approached and confirmed the existence of the paraphernalia of these deities and disclosed where they were being ‘housed’ at Okepa. Arrangement were quickly made for the rituals to be performed and the five paraphernalia were brought down from Okepa to Lagos (Eko) and in conformity with tradition they were housed at five different places then considered not strictly the center of the township at Isale-Eko. Thus the first eyo- adimu play with all the rituals and pageantry that usually accompany the play heralded by the ‘call’ ‘Atabatibi, Atibitaba Mole Ejilu Hoo Haha, moyo fun e, moyo ra mi’ was staged in Lagos (Eko)

The deities were subsequently allocated for safe custody among the descendants of Ejilu/Malaki and Olugbani: (a) Oniko to kulugbe (Adamu family) (b) Ologede to Olugbani family (Erelu Kuti) (c) Adamu-Ogunran to Ogunmade family which later gave them in trust to Apena Ajasa, Princess Erelu Kuti was in the family way couple of months or so after the celebration of the eyo play with all the rituals and pageantry and she gave birth to a son Olugunkutere and another son Sokun who respectively became Oba of Lagos and the 7th Ogboni Iduntafa the same day.

How then did the name Ibefun creep into the history of eyo play? Some people who are not very coversant with the history of eyo play stated that eyo play was introduced into Lagos from Ibefun. Chief Ejilu (1st Ogboni Itafa) died without an issue and his brother chief Malaki who became the 2nd Ogboni Tafa had two sons Kulugbe and Olasoru (Oloruntenia) and a daughter Ibiye-Ororye who became the Olori, wife of King Liken Ogunmade who later became the 8th Ogboni Itafa. Ogunmade was an influential and powerful chief who was not only the 8th ogboni Itafa but a prosperous trader who built a second palace of Iga at Ogunmade compound which he used as a resort. Because the people of Ibefun suspended the filling of the vacant stool as they wanted Ogunmade to return ‘home’ to Ibefun and become the king, Ogunmade was popularly reffered to as ‘Omo Olowo je oye meji, o gbe iketa ha emu’ ‘rich prosperous noble man who occupies two thrones and leaves people guessing as to whether he would occupy also the third or not.

Ogunmade later decided to perform the rituals connected with the death of his father King Lioken at Ibefun; and later after the necessary appeasement to the deities, (as it is a taboo for the participants of Eyo-Adimu to cross a river/lagoon during the celebration), Ogunmade started the traditional Eyo-Adimu play at Ibefun in commemoration of his father’s death. This incident might have given some people the wrong impression that Eyo play was introduced into Lagos from Ibefun.

Upon the demise of ogunmade, Jose became the 9th Ogboni Itafa and assumed the title Chief Onilegbale. Up till today, and whenever eyo play is staged for whatever purpose either to honour a departed influential person in the community or to honour deserving member of the community for a worthwhile achievement, the rituals are never commensed without a time-honoured acient song in praise of Ejilu and Malaki, who brought Eyo play and the rituals and pageantry connected with the Eyo and the paraphernalia of the deities from Benin to Lagos (Eko), being sung with gusto.

“ Malaki Nsayye, Isaye Ejilu say a to….” Ofi akala mode mesi kole. Olo mu “kole wa mo eyo. Omowewe abese loni Eko. Edi orikodo si irele”

Awa nlo gbo itan fun yin wa. Itan ile Ejilu ati Malaki. Obi Kukugbe iba Adamu. Owa o Oloruntenia (Olaseru). Owa fi Ibiyerose se ifanu. Olun lo nse iye agbasi ogba (ogunmade), bi omode o gbo itan. A ba aroba, aroba ni baba itan”

It is therefore undisputed facts of history that the Royal family of Ejilu-Malaki the great grandfather of Ogunmade, Sogbo and Adamu, owned and brought the five deities otherwise known as Eyo-Adimu referred to in the previous paragraphs from their ancestral and royal house in Benin to Lagos.