Egba Alake

Egba Alake
Traditional state
Egba Alake Location in Nigeria
Coordinates:
Country	Nigeria
State	Ogun State

Egba Alake is one of the four sections of Egbaland, the others being Oke-Ona, Gbagura and the Owu, and is a traditional state which joins with its bordering sections to form something of a high kingship. The Alake of Abeokuta or Alake of Egbaland is the traditional ruler of the Egba clan of Yoruba in the city of Abeokuta in southwestern Nigeria.

History

Abeokuta was founded around 1830 by Egba people after the collapse of the Oyo Empire and the Yoruba people's subsequent descent into internecine warfare. The city was founded because of its strong defensive physical position by refugees trying to protect themselves against slave raiders from Dahomey, who were trying to benefit from the war.

In 1832, Abeokuta was involved in war with the people of Ijebu Remo, and in 1834 with the Ibadan people, resulting in the defeat of the Ibadan army in the Battle of Arakanga. Sporadic fighting continued with the people of Ota (1842), Ado (1844), Ibarapa (1849), Dahomey (1851), Ijebu-Ere (1851), Ijaye (1860–1862) and the Makun War of 1862–1864.

On 18 January 1893, a treaty was signed with the governor and commander-in-chief of the British Lagos Colony for the purpose of trade; the British recognized Egbaland as an independent state. In 1898, the Egba United Government was formed.

In 1904, an agreement was made where the British assumed jurisdiction in certain legal cases, and in the same year, the Alake Gbadebo paid a state visit to England. Over the following years, the British steadily assumed more responsibility for administration while continuing to formally recognize the Egba state. In 1914, the kingdom was incorporated into the newly amalgamated British Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.

In 1949, as a result of agitation by the women's rights leader Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, the Alake Ladipo Samuel Ademola was forced to abdicate. He later returned.

Rulers

Rulers of the Egba in Abeokuta, who took the title "Alake" in 1854, were:

Start	End	Ruler
1829	1845	Shodeke
1845	1846	Shomoye -Regent (1st time)
1846	1854	Sagbua Okukenun -Regent
8 Aug 1854	1862	Okukenun (Sagbua Okukenun) First Alake
1862	1868	Shomoye -Regent (2nd time)
28 Nov 1869	20 Dec 1877	Ademola I
Jan 1879	15 Sep 1881	Oyeekan (d. 1881)
9 Feb 1885	27 Jan 1889	Oluwajin
18 Sep 1891	11 Jun 1898	Oshokalu
8 Aug 1898	28 May 1920	Gbadebo I (1854–1920)
27 Sep 1920	27 Dec 1962	Ladapo Samuel Ademola II (1872–1962) (in exile 1948 – 3 Dec 1950)
29 Sep 1963	26 Oct 1971	Adesiinan Samuel Gbadebo II (1908–1971)
5 Aug 1972	3 Feb 2005	Samuel Oyebade Mofolorunsho Lipede (1915–2005)
24 Aug 2005		Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III (b. 1943)