Ijebu people never wanted Abeokuta as Ogun capital-Obasanjo 

Forty- nine years after the creation of Ogun State, a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday revealed some of the politicking and intrigues that played behind the scene saying that the leaders of Ijebu in Ogun East senatorial district never wanted Abeokuta as the capital of the state created in February 1976

Obasanjo said the Ijebu leaders lobbied his boss, the then Nigeria military Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed, to have the state capital in Sagamu.

He disclosed this at the induction ceremony and Gala Night of Egba Legacy Network held at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.

The former President recalled how he confronted General Murtala to make Abeokuta the state capital.

He said, “When we wanted to establish Ogun State, our brothers from Ijebu did their exercise very well, they said we don’t have land and they did campaign against the capital of the state to be cited in Abeokuta. When we got to the table of discussion, they said Sagamu should be the headquarters of Ogun State.

“This place we called Ogun State, before 1932 it was named Abeokuta province, including Ijebu. When Ijebu province was to be established, it was DO that was in Ijebu.

“They said we don’t have land, that was why it is called Abeokuta. My boss then, Murtala Muhammed, had been briefed and agreed that Sagamu should be the state capital and said we are going that way. I then told him, since we are going to have Kano State, Rago would be the Kano capital.

“He attacked me and said how dare you, I said, ‘How dare you too’. That was how we ended the discussion.”

He, therefore, charged the leadership of Egba Legacy Network to trace the historical background of the ancient Abeokuta cities and ensure that notable personalities involved in the development of Egbaland were given recognition in their heritage tourist project.

Obasanjo urged them to take advantage of Abeokuta’s proximity to Lagos by ensuring the ancient town became a tourist attraction.

Earlier, the Osi Apagunpote of Egbaland and Chairman of the Egba Legacy Network, Chief Lai Labode, Jnr enjoined the new inductees to live up to expectations and join hands with the leaders of the group and Egbaland to facilitate a development roadmap that will beautify the town.

Labode said the motive was in a bid to retain the good memories of Egba culture, traditions, past and present heroes of Egbaland.

According to him, part of the projects the group wanted to embark upon is the Egba history and heritage areas where statues of iconic Egba sons and daughters like Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, Prof. Saburi Biobaku, Madam Efunroye Tinubu, Fela Anikulapo, Chief Beko Ransome Kuti, Chief MKO Abiola, Ayinla Omowura and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo would be engraved to beautify the towns.

Labode highlighted Ibara GRA, Oke-mosan-Kobape expressway and Alake Palace as areas that will witness the first phase of the historic turnaround.

He explained that the group made up of professional like-minds was founded 18 months ago to unify all Egba sons and daughters of social networks both home and diaspora.