Adebonojo

The Dagburewe of Idowa is one of the major royal titles which has survived within Southern Nigeria for over 300 years.

History

Structurally the Ijebu Native Administration was divided into six districts under district heads. Four of the district heads were crowned, namely (their towns in parentheses), the "Akarigbo" (Sagamu), "Dagburewe" (Idowa), "Olowu" (Owu), and "Ajalorun" (Ijebu-Ife). The other two were the Bale of "Ijebu Igbo" and the "Olisa", the chief next to the Awujale in Ijebu Ode.

Awujale

At the head of the administration was the Awujale, who was designated the Native Authority and invested with statutory executive and legislative powers. He was assisted by a Judicial Council comprising the district heads. In addition to its executive and legislative duties, the Judicial Council functioned as a superior court to the Native Courts, which were presided over by designated town rulers within each court's area of jurisdiction. The administration was run under the overall supervision of the local British officials

The Adebonojo family hail from the Dagburewe Royal family of Ijebu Idowa, a prominent village in Ijebu province, Ogun State Nigeria. The Adebonojo family are from the Yoruba tribe of southern Nigeria.

Unlike a number of similar names in Nigeria like Adebanjo, Adebisi, etc., there is only one Adebonojo family who all descend from the lineage of Oba Dagburewe Adebonojo, the Dagburewe of Ijebu Idowa.

Dagburewe

Oba Dagburewe of Ijebu Idowa was a sanitary inspector in the early 1920’s; he was a very educated man who resided in Ijebu Ode. His surname at the time was Bonojo and he lived on the famous Bonojo Street of Ijebu Ode. His mother was from Ijebu Idowa while his father was from Ijebu Ode. On the passing away of the previous Dagburewe, the people of Ijebu Idowa wanted an individual who was educated and was familiar with the colonial governors at the time to ascend to the throne, because Ijebu Idowa was the second most influential Ijebu community second only to Ijebu Ode which was the seat of the Awujale and the Dagburewe title was the second most prestigious title below the Awujale and was in charge of a number of districts and other areas like Odogbolu, Shagamu (which at the time formed part of Idowa) Ijebu Ife etc. On three occasions in the history of Ijebuland, the reigning Dagburewe had been made the Awujale of Ijebuland.

Mr. S Bonojo was seen as a befitting individual to ascend to the throne, even though his claim to it was via his maternal links. On his ascension Mr S Bonojo added the Ade (crown) to his surname therefore bringing about the Adebonojo family name. On his ascension to the throne, he became Oba Dagburewe Adebonojo, with far reaching powers across Ijebuland and would regularly sit over court proceedings. Oba Dagburewe wore a beaded crown [http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/afr/citi/object?id=132676&collcatid=1] this crown was of significant spiritual relevance and had been passed down from the 17th century.

Oba Dagburewe died in the mid 1950's and was survived by four wives and a total of 13 children. The present Dagurewe of Idowa is Oba Yunusa Adekoya who's got several wives and children with lots of grandchildren.

Further reading

For further information about the history of Ijebuland, please see the following link.
* [http://www.ijebuassociation.org/history.htm Ijebu Community Association of USA]