IDEWU OJULARI A.D. 1819

1. Little is known as regards the history of this king, for his reign was of a short duration, but suffice it to say that after the reign of Osilokun, Idewu ascended the throne. We learn that peace, prosperity and plenty characterized this reign, everyone enjoyed happiness and trouble was far from being known, there was no civil war of any kind whatsoever.

2. Idewu was a lover of peace and molested no one. it is regrettable to remark that this king had no male issue.

3. The only thing which marred his reign was his extreme avarice towards his people, especially towards the elders. Therefore the elders, in their wicked designs, said among themselves that “A King without a male issue cannot be a good King, as after his death he will have no child to succeed him”. As these words were being constantly repeated, some one mentioned to the king what the elders were saying against him, Idewu therefore began to seek their favour by giving them presents. (For it was not usual with him to be liveral). He did his very best to appease those elders but they remained inexorable.

4. A message was sent to Benin City to inform the Benin King that they would no longer have Idewu as their King, thereupon, the Benin sent a message to Lagos giving two articles to his messenger’s skull (Igba Iwo), and a sword, and commanded them to tell Idewu that, the people of Lagos would no longer recognize him as their King and that he should therefore, make his choice out of the two articles he sent to him.

5. When the messengers from the Benin King got to Idewu and delivered the articles, he called a meeting of his people and relatives, and informed them that the people of Lagos had expressed the desire of deposing him, that he did his best to appease them but his efforts were of no avail. He furthermore told his people that he would die, consequently he opened, and looked into the skull (that is, he took poison). He died during the night of the following day. If this Monarch had not been a shameful creature he would have taken refuge in another country as did other Kings, rather than that, he declared to his people that, if he were to flee another country, he would look like a common chief. His last words were “it is better to die than to live in misery”. Thus this king died in the second year of reign.