High hopes

Timi Abibu Lagunju

Timi Abibu Lagunju was an eminent Yoruba monarchs and leaders of the 19th century. He made history not only as the first Muslim Timi that Ede produced, he also belonged to the first generation of Yoruba Muslims who held high political office in the pre-colonial era and who used their positions to enhance the growth of his town, Ede and his religion, Islam. Indeed, Abibu Lagunju was also the first Muslim Oba in Yorubaland given the fact that he was already on the throne for a few years when, in November 1857, the American Baptist Missionary, Reverend W.H. Clarke, visited Ede. This position is further buttressed by the fact that other Yoruba Muslim strongholds only produced their Muslim Obas at a much later date: Lamuye of Iwo in 1860, Momodu Latoosa of Ibadan in 1871, Iyanda Oloko of Epe in 1875, Ewi Aladesanmi Ajimudaoro of Ado Ekiti in 1892, Aseyin "Noo" (Nuruddin) of Iseyin in 1895, Alaafin Lawani Agogoja of New Oyo in 1905 and Awujale Adeona Fusigboye of Ijebu-Ode in 1906. Lagunju was certainly a force to reckon with in the history of Islam in Ede. [1]
Timi Lagunju also deserves historical attention because he was certainly one of the most outstanding personalities and warrior-rulers of the 19th century Yorubaland. He knew personally and was well acquainted with most Yoruba military, political and religious leaders of note between 1840 and 1900. Lagunju's era is also worthy of study because he was the most enigmatic Timi to have ruled Ede since the 19th century till date. He set the record of being the only Timi to have been dethroned thrice, got himself reinstated twice but eventually lost out on the third count. [2]
Biography
Timi Abibu (Sangolami) (O)lagunju was born before 1817 to the Oduniyi-Olagunju royal household of Ede, the descendant of Lalemo dynasty in Osun State. He was given the name Sangolami by his parents who were Sango (god of thunder) devotees because his birth was bizarre as he held a thunder stone in his left hand and a piece of paper with Qur’anic inscription on it in his right hand. This prompted the family, as it was practice among the Yoruba in those days to consult the Ifa oracle whenever a baby was born to the family, especially with strange event. The Oduniyi-Olagunju family consulted the oracle and they were told that the boy would be a ruler and added a clause that he would switch his father’s traditional religion to a strange religion of Arab. This prophecy angered the reigning Timi then, so he ordered that the boy be beheaded, but his father Oduniyi prevented that to happen. In his youth, he left Ede for Ilorin where he embraced Islam. When he returned to Ede, he drew opposition from some residents in Ede and he moved to a location far from the main centre of the town. In the new location, he practised Islam with a few other adherents. It is on record that despite his many travail, he remained the longest serving Timi, having reigned for 60 years before he died at a ripe age of 90 years. [3]
Lagunju Years On The Throne
Sangolami Abibu Lagunju was certainly born before 1817 when the New Ede was established by Timi Kubolaje Agbonran. Existing traditions also indicate that Abibu Lagubju succeeded Timi Ojo Arohanran, the reigning Timi at the outbreak of Batedo War (involving Ibadan and
Ijaiye ) of 1844. And given Olunlade's account that Timi Ojo Arohanran "spent about three years on the throne," and that the stool of the Timi was vacant for nine years after Arohanran's death, it is plausible to suggest that Lagunju was crowned the Timi around 1855/ 1856. [3]
Revd. W.H. Clarke and Prof. J. F. Ade-Ajayi have, in fact, lent credence to this suggestion. During Clarke’s visit to Ede in November 1857, as evidence in the latter’s book as thus: ... This young follower of the Prophet (Muhammad), a short time since, became the ruler of this town in the place of his father, the deceased, and brings with him into office, the influence of his new religion.... [2]
In the aftermath of the fall of Old Oyo, J.F. Ade-Ajayi, authoritatively writes thus: By 1858, the Timi of Ede was a Muslim... Beyond the testimonies of Clarke and Ade-Ajayi, both Ede and Ibadan traditions also record that Timi Abibu Lagunju was on the throne during the tenure of Basorun Ogunmola of Ibadan (1856-1867), and precisely that Ogunmola intervened in Ede politics when Lagunju was first dethroned. It is recorded that Ogunmola installed Olunloye in place of Lagunju. [2] Ede traditions as preserved by Olunlade further records that Timi Lagunju dethroned two Timis - Olunloye and Lansebe, who were crowned in his place during the first two depositions with the support of Aare Momodu Latoosa (1871-1885), and that Olunloye, in particular, was dethroned shortly before the outbreak of the Kiriji War in 1878. However, it can safely be put that Lagunju's third and final deposition was in 1892, given the traditions that his successor, Timi Mosunloye "reigned for seven years" and that Mosunloye's successor too, Timi Oyelekan, "ascended the throne in 1899." And, finally, Samuel Johnson, Kemi Morgan and Olunlade recorded that Lagunju died in exile in Ibadan in 1900. To- that extent, there is an overwhelming evidence that the period 1855-1900 could be rightly regarded as the "Lagunju Years." [3]
One unassailable fact about Timi Lagunju was that he made history as the first Muslim Oba in nineteenth century Yorubaland. When W. H. Clarke visited Ede during Lagunju's reign (in 1857), he reported that Islam was enjoying royal patronage and support. Apart§ from Timi Lagunju whom Clarke described as a "tolerant Muslim" and "young follower of the prophet (Muhammad)," he also had interview ". . . with a company of civil Muhammedans ... one of whom is a man from Hausaland engaged in the silk trade, and possessed some information..." He also reports that one of the elders who gave the vote of thanks on his departure was a "Muhammedan." He further stress on the grandeur of Ede monarchy: ... Having given some proof of their skill in the evolution of African dancing, I was led off in haste to the house of Daodu or prince, who was to receive me previous to visiting the chief. I was about entering his compound when I heard a pearl of four guns and a rush towards me with a shout as I advanced into the rear. Such as strange and unusual welcome I did not immediately understand. This was my salute of welcome. Thus, some idea of the civilized reception of honored guests had made its way this far into Africa. This kind prince into whose hands I had fallen soon pointed me out an airy and comfortable apartment, from which I could, for the most part, exclude the noisy crowd and vacant gazers, when rest and retirement were demanded and yet enjoyed a sufficiency of air. What a privilege in an African town. About three, o'clock, after enjoying a little rest, I was conducted by the Daodu to the residence of his elder brother, the chief... [4]
One other noteworthy aspect of the career of Timi Lagunju was his attempt to implement Islamic code of law, the Shari’ah, as he understood it in the running of state affairs. One of his intentions in using the Shari’ah was to purge Islam of accretions, syncretism, and adulteration. His Shari’ah court was however presided over by Qadi Sidiq at Agbeni in Ibadan up till 1913. As a committed and zealous Muslim ruler, the moral content of his administration was high. His administration was particularly strict, hard and harsh on prostitutes, hoarders, burglars and thieves. The end product of this style of administration was that Ede, under Timi Lagunju, became a crime free society. Olunlade, again, testifies thus: ... Timi Lagunju effectively checked all forms of stealing and burglary. If anyone was caught in the act of stealing, the Timi would sell him into slavery and would also sell members of his family. A few men having been made examples, all potential thieves were effectively checked.[5]
Part of the progress registered in Ede during Timi Lagunju era was that the subject towns which paid obeisance to Ede increased. It was during this time that Ilorin conquered old Offa, and the reigning Olofa took refuge in Ede, where he was given a site now called Ofatedo (i.e the Offa people colonized this place). Timi Abibu Sangolami gave the then Olofa two hundred hoes, two hundred cutlasses, two hundred baskets, and two hundred of every instrument or household utensils in order to make his new home easy to settle in. [3][6]
In spite of the stormy relationship which Lagunju had with the traditionalists, he was, paradoxically, favourably disposed to Christianity given the testimony of the first American Baptist missionary to the town, W.H. Clarke. In November 1857, Lagunju had permitted the Baptist missionary to visit Ede and preach the gospel of Christ. During his visit, Clarke was not only given civic reception and well treated, he was also allowed "to preach some special truths of the gospel" to the chiefs and "a company of civil Mohammedans