Mogaji Moshood Gbolagade Akere, Present Mogaji Beyioku Akere of Ibadanland
Akere was not just an ordinary Balogun. He was a professional warrior, hunter, courageous and noble farmer. He was very famous among the Warlords of Ibadanland.
The historian said that Akere migrated from Igbeti to Ogbomosho. He established his presence at Ogbomosho where he lived for many years with his two brothers- OLUPE and OLUFAJO, before Alaafin Oluewu sent a messenger (Ilari) to Baale Ogbomosho to send Akere to Oyo to help him in the war that was about to be waged against Oyo Ile by FULANI'S from Ilorin.
At last Oyo Ile was already destroyed and the Alaafin Oluewu killed before the arrival of Akere in Oyo Ile.
It was Alaafin Atiba, and notable Yoruba Warriors including Akere who founded the new Oyo and called AGO-DOYO by then, but presently known as Oyo Alaafin.
Alaafin instructed Akere to move out of Oyo and settled towards Ibadan in order to guard against any invading war that may be waged against Oyo Alaafin. In compliance to Alaafin's instruction, Akere and his two brothers moved towards Ibadan and settled at a place in the forest with high hills from where he sent to Alaafin that- " IBIYI NI MOFIDITI SI O" meaning Here I rest my Buttocks. That was why the place is now called "FIDITI" till today.
There was a hill in Fiditi on which Akere and his brothers settled initially. Before the departure of Akere from Fiditi, he removed his War Cap and placed it on the head of OLUFAJO ( one of his younger brothers) as a sign for him to be the Head Hunter (OLUODE) of Fiditi town. But, it was agreed that he would settled for a while on another far away hill near Fiditi but towards Ijaye. There he would prepared a camp fire on daily basis at a specific time of the day, whose smoke would served as a sign of his continued existence on that hill. Immediately they stop seen the smoke sign from the hill at that time of day agreed upon, that signified that he had left for Ibadan. His two brothers also promised to prepared a smoke sign from their settlement in Fiditi to informed him that all is peaceful in Fiditi and that was the reason why the compound of the Head Hunter of Fiditi is called "ILE-ARUNA" meaning "Compound of rising smoke up to date.
Akere left the hill from where he makes his daily smoke sign and moved towards Ijaye. The Kunrunmi of Ijaye heard of Akere's intention to cross Ijaye land on his way to Ibadan. Kunrunmi quickly sent emissaries to Akere with lot of beads, cowries, slaves and other gift items and implored him not to passed through Ijaye land but find another alternative path to Ibadan.
Akere accepted Kunrunmi's gifts, did not passed through Ijaye land but circumvented Ijaye land and moved towards ODO-OGUN. On his way he met the Egbas and Owus who had been scattered by war that ravaged their lands. The Owus and Egbas who had heard of Akere as a great Warrior ran away from their settlements on hearing his approach towards their new settlements till they moved beyond OSETOLA-RIVER which is the boundary between the Ibadan and the Egbas.
Akere continued his movement until he got to a junction where he settled and built some huts. It was there he met a farmer who had also heard of Akere as a great warrior from the fleeing Egbas and Owus. This farmer attempted to run away but was caught by Akere's followers and slaves who brought him to Akere. Akere put the man mind at rest by assuring him of his safety. Akere sent the farmer a message to Fiditi, the actual message given to the farmer to tell the brothers was that "IBIYI NI MO JOKOSI, NIBITI OJO KO GBODO JOKO" meaning "Here I have settled, where coward cannot stayed. Till date the settlement of Akere is referred to as "IJOKODO" in Ibadan.
Akere finally entered Ibadan after the ELEDUWE WAR and his settlement in Ijokodo, where he was when Baale Oluyole who had heard of Akere as a great warrior sent for him. Oluyole settled Akere at a place called Igbo Ipara, which eventually becomes "ORITA-MERIN" (ILE-AKERE) today.
Akere participated in all the wars that were fought during the reign of Baale Oluyole. Some of the ears were: Oniyefun war, Sagamu war, Iberekodo war, Oshogbo war, Egba war, and the first Ijaye war.
Other wars in which Akere participated during the reign of Baale Olugbode and Basorun Ogunmola were: Ara war, Koro and Ijero war, Efon war, second Ijaye war, Kutuje war, Arakanga war, Igbajo war.
Akere became the Balogun of Ibadanland during the reign of Basorun Ogunmola. It was this period that the Ijesha's waged war against the Igbajos.
The Igbajo sought the assistance of Basorun Ogunmola to help quenched Ijesha war.
Basorun Ogunmola then assigned Osuntoki the then Maye of Ibadanland in 1866 to go and assisted the Igbajos. On getting there Maye discovered that he could not cope with the Ijesha war which was beyond his power. Maye sent a message to Basorun Ogunmola that he could not cope with the situation. This prompted Basorun Ogunmola to send Balogun Akere and the other Warlords of Ibadanland to go and quenched the war. Ibadan Warlords under the leadership of Balogun Akere defeated the Ijesha Warriors in 1867. It was Governor Glovers, who pleaded with Basorun Ogunmola to withdraw the Ibadan Warlords from Ijesha land, and which he complied with.
After the death of Basorun Ogunmola, Balogun Akere was to become the next Baale of Ibadanland, but he insisted on going to war against the Ijesha because immediately the Ijeshas heard of the death of Basorun Ogunmola, they revolted against Igbajos again. Akere vowed to quenched the Ijesha war once and for all before coming for his coronation. None of the Warlords of Ibadanland except "OYEWO" the son of IBIKUNLE Akere's bosom friend agreed to follow him to the war front.
Akere worshiped at ORAYAN shrine on the night preceding his departure in December, 1867. He and Oyewo left Ibadanland and spent the night behind the walls of Ibadanland. The remaining Warlords refused to join them, until 17th of December of the same year. They finally joined Akere and Oyewo, because of the fear that if the two warriors eventually win the war, they may run into problems. When they got to the war front, the Ibadan Warlords abandoned Akere and Oyewo and did not fight accordingly. These attitudes of theirs did not bother Akere and Oyewo because the two of them alone are capable of winning the war
Akere had a small Calabash that he normally used whenever the war becomes very hot, immediately he raised this Calabash up and pointed it to the front any of the enemy that sighted this Calabash will fall and died instantly. When it became glearing that Akere and Oyewo would defeat the Ijeshas without the help of other Warlords, they quickly called themselves to order and make peace with Akere. After the issue had been resolved they fought fervently, and the battle was jointly won, after they have crossed the bridge of Jegede and settled at a place called "FEJEBOJU" meaning ",Washing the face with blood". At FEJEBOJU the Ijesha surrendered to Akere and paid a sum of ONE HUNDRED POUND to the Ibadan Warlords. Akere gave a ceased fire order.
Though they have ceased battling, yet the Ibadan Warlords did not return to Ibadan. Within the little time of peace, the Warlords called a meeting on how to revolt against Akere. These Warlords gathered in the night to suggest how best to deal with Akere. One of the Warlords named- "AJOBO SERIKI" said, Ibadan people are very hard to help, because at the end of the whole issue he may be abandoned to face the consequence alone. The echo of support ran through the whole Warlords camp, and AJOBO SERIKI disclosed to them that he has a special wand (ONDE) tightened around his waist and whosoever, he prostrated for with this wand, no matter how strong must answer the call of his ancestors on the third day. Even if he prostrated for an "IROKO TREE", it must shed its leaves and died on the third day. This, they agreed upon and AJOBO SERIKI executed the plan, which was successful, Akere and his friend Oyewo died on the third day, after AJOBO SERIKI prostrated for them. So Balogun Akere died in AD 1869.
After the death of Balogun Akere, the Warlords decided on how to handled the Ijeshas. Some suggested that since the Ijesha have surrendered to them, they should return back to Ibadan. Some did not agree to this and said that immediately the news of Akere's death got to the Ijeshas, there is possibility that they may revolt against the Ibadan again. It was then resolved that they would start the fight all over again.
The second day, they sent emissaries to the King of Ijesha land to tell him that the man (Balogun Akere) who makes peace with him has died and he was killed because he made peace with the Ijeshas, so the Ijeshas should be prepared for another war from Ibadan.
This was how the Ibadan Warlords started a fresh war with the Ijeshas and the Ijeshas were defeated on the 4th of June, 1870. The Ibadan Warlords returned home on July, 1870, after spending three good years at the battlefield.
As a result of their long delay in returning home, that was why they song a song while returning to Ibadan that:---
ASO GBO, SOKOTO GBO, LAWANI SONU NI IBOKUN.
BI AKOBA KO ILESHA A
KO LO
Meaning:--
The Kaftans and Trousers have become old, the Turban had got lost at Ibokun. If we did not defeated and looted Ilesha, we should not returned home.
From the last war with Ijesha Orowusi was made the leader of Ibadan Warlords. On returning home Orowusi was crowned as Baale of Ibadanland after they have paid homage to late Balogun Akere.
THESE ARE THE NAMES OF BALOGUN BEYIOKU AKERE SUCCESSORS:--
1)Late Chief Akintaro Akere (Osi Balogun)
2)Late Chief Bangbegbin Akere (Otun Balogun)
3)Late Oba Subaru Fagbinrin Akere (Olubadan)
4)Late Wintola Ajagbe Akere (Ikolaba Balogun)
5)Late Sanusi Okunola Akere (Balogun)
6)Late Salawu Durodola Akere (Mogaji)
7)Late Mustafa Oyeleke Wintola Akere (Mogaji)
8) Present Mogaji:
Mogaji Moshood Gbolagade Akere (Present Mogaji Beyioku Akere)
ORIKI BALOGUN BEYIOKU AKERE
Beyioku Akere buru
O ho dugbe rebi ija
Baba nile, baba loju ogun
Awa gongo fa a loju Alarm
Agbara ojo ni Akere, ti Barika
Ti si gba ojude baba eni loja lo
Oki ki ni irun-gbon
Oti tori ogun
O da irungbon si Silomi Silomi
Mako Masa
Most oro re kehinde
Enitabu lehin to si gba
Akere abeti lu kara bi Ajere
Ore Oyewo Omo Ibikunle
Baba Bangbegbin tije Akete Keri
To so Igbo di ile, to so Akitan doja
On na lo so idi opo di igbejo
Beyioku o wo kenbe rebija.
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