Akarigbo of Remo
| Akarigbo of Remo |
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The Akarigbo of Remo or Lord of Remo is a title of Kingship attributed to the Obas or Lords of the Yoruba town of Sagamu (pronounced Shagamu). This town and its surrounding areas are part of a larger community known as the Ijebu Kingdom.
Background
The Obas of Remo have been in existence since the founding of the Ijebu Kingdom by a prince of Oyo named Obanta and the arrival of the Prince Akarigbo to the western area of the kingdom roughly around the early 16th century. The title given to the Obas of Sagamu, Akarigbo, is in honor of this first prince of their line.
The original seat of the Akarigbos was in the area of Remo near Offin, two towns located further to the west of the present seat of rulership. With the advent of the slave trade in Dahomey and the wars between the Chiefs of Abeokuta and the Kings of Dahomey, a mass exodus of Yorubas from the areas of Abeokuta and western Dahomey began to migrate eastward thus enfusing the population of the area's subject to the control of the Akarigbos. Further adding to the instability, were the collapse of the Kingdom of Oyo to the north of the Ijebus and the Jihads of the Hausaland led by the Fulani Caliph Usman dan Fodio. To combat these threats, the Akarigbo and the leaders of various groups founded the present city of Sagamu as safehaven for persons fleeing the fighting in the north and west.
Members of four ruling families are eligible to ascend the seat of the Akarigbo, these persons descending from four of the sons of the first Akarigbo. The present Lord of Remo is His Royal Highness, Oba Adeniyi Sonariwo.
See also
- List of the Lords of Remo