Ago-Oba

Ago-Oba is electoral ward 13 in the city of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.[1] It is part of the Abeokuta South Local Government Area.[2]

Location

Ago Oba (Camp of the Oba) is community in the Owu section of Abeokuta whose people claim to originate from the ancient Oba kingdom. It is not clear whether Ago Oba was formed due to migration of Owu people during the 19th Century Yoruba wars, or whether the people arrived at an earlier time.

The main economic activities are trading, textile making, artisan work and transportation activities. Houses tend to be occupied by from six to twenty people, using shallow wells for water. This water does not meet World Health Organization standards, and when untreated creates a serious health risk.[3] In the past, the ward has been subject to perennial flooding, but recently efforts have been made to improve the drainage.[2] The Anglican community in Ago-Oba parish is served by St. Michael's Church.[4]

Notable people

Former Ogun state governor Olusegun Osoba holds the traditional title of Otun of Ago-Oba, among others.[5] In the April 2011 Presidential elections Osoba cast his vote in Ago-Oba for candidate Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria. Ribadu was the clear winner in the ward, with 142 votes to 65 for the PDP and 5 for the CPC.[1] Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is of the Owu people. When his wife Stella Obasanjo died in 2005, her body was brought from Lagos to the Winners Chapel in Ago-Oba, from where she was taken to be buried in the Obasanjo family compound in nearby Ita-Eko.[6][7] Alexander Abiodun Adebayo Bada (1930 - 2000), second leader of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide, was son of the Baale, or paramount head of Ago-Oba, a former president of the Ikeja customary court in Lagos and the organist of the African Church in Ereko-Lagos.[8] The Seriki of Egbaland, Dr. Lateef Adegbite, has his office in Ago-Oba.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Obasanjo, Daniel win units for Jonathan". InDepth Nigeria. April 17, 2011. http://indepthafrica.com/nigeria/headlines/obasanjo-daniel-win-units-for-jonathan/. Retrieved 2011-06-11. 
  2. ^ a b "Abeokuta South". Ogun State Government. http://www.ogunstate.gov.ng/eGovernment/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109&Itemid=113. Retrieved 2011-06-11. 
  3. ^ E.O. Orebiyi, J.A. Awomeso, O.A. Idowu, O. Martins, O. Oguntoke and A.M. Taiwo (2010). "Assessment of Pollution Hazards of Shallow Well Water in Abeokuta and Environs, Southwest, Nigeria". American Journal of Environmental Sciences 6 (1): 50–56. ISSN 1553-345X. http://www.scipub.org/fulltext/ajes/ajes6150-56.pdf. 
  4. ^ "ABEOKUTA WEST ARCHDEACONRY". Church of Nigeria. http://www.anglican-nig.org/xlagosp_egba.pdf. Retrieved 2011-06-11. 
  5. ^ George Oji (January 13, 2002). "PDP Should Forget Yorubaland, Says Adesanya". ThisDay. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Naija-news/message/1769. Retrieved 2011-06-11. 
  6. ^ "Stella Obasanjo interred in Abeokuta". The Guardian. Oct 28, 2005. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Naija-news/message/3872. Retrieved 2011-06-11. 
  7. ^ "Stella's body arrives in Abeokuta, burial rites begin". BNW News. October 28, 2005. http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/guardian/2005/10/28/stellas_body_arrives_in_abeokuta_burial_rites_begin.php. Retrieved 2011-06-11. 
  8. ^ "Bada, Alexander Abiodun Adebayo". Dictionary of African Christian Biography. http://www.dacb.org/stories/nigeria/bada_alexander_abiodun_adebayo.html. Retrieved 2011-06-11. 
  9. ^ Moshood Adebayo (October 19, 2008). "Egba chiefs to Daniel: Apologise to Alake". The Sun (Nigeria). http://64.182.81.172/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2008/oct/19/newsbreak-19-10-2008-001.htm. Retrieved 2011-06-11.