Prince Adelegan Adegbola, historian, cultural scholar, expert in Africa studies and an authority of Yoruba history, tradition and culture was born in Ile-Ipetu, Ipetu-Ijesa, on March 2, 1952 into the Aristocracy of Ipetu, the prestigious and Princely family of Oba Adedini Orisabiyi Oyeyebiakun Arigbabowo ruling house of Ipetu Kingdom, Osun State, Nigeria. He attended St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Aiyetoro-Apoti via Ipetu-Ijesa from 1962 – 1967.

Because of financial constraints due to the death of his father, he could not benefit at that tender age from Secondary School education. “Education is the horizontal and vertical development of any man,” Agbola said. He struggled and labored and later enrolled for the GCE Examination as a private student and passed all the subjects he enrolled for in 1997. Today, Adegbola has become a rallying point of cultural bias and historian of a sort.

Quoting Winston Churchill, Agbola said, “there comes a special moment in everyone’s life, a moment for which that person was born, when he seizes it, it is his finest hours”.  Determined to further his education, Adegbola studied Public Administration at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso in Oyo State. He also studied Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria (CILGPAN) in 2007, and he was elected a FELLOW of Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria (FCPA).

“The world was built by people who crossed bridges in their mind long before anyone else did,” says Adegbola, as he continued his quest for education at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he studied Industrial Relations, Personnel Management and Human Resources Management. He also proceeded to the Institute of Journalism in Lagos to study Corporate Journalism. As an administrator and human capacity development expert, he believes that ideas, innovation, products and services are the ingredients of nation-building.

According to him, “better people are produced by better knowledge while rich people have rich knowledge and people of excellence are excellent in their quest for knowledge and education and Intellectuals solve problems, genius prevents them, ”  quoted Albert Einstein.

Prince Adelegan Adegbola is a cultural consultant, author and publishers. Some of his works are “The source of Yoruba Civilization; Ooni Obalufon Alayemore, the founder of Efon-Alaaye kingdom and others. He is the publisher of historical and cultural magazine “Oduduwa Heritage Magazine”.

Adegbola’s Mission and Vision

Adegbola in this chat with vanguard enumerated some of his life mission and vision which include “To undertake research into the histories and antiquities of every kingdom in Yoruba land; to be a think-tank as cultural rescue mission and to add values to the society; to propagate the embodiment of culture as tools for human behavior, code of conduct for integrity, honesty, morality and discipline for Yoruba unity; to protect and safeguard the traditional institution of Obaship in Yoruba land. Others are: to use instrument of history to settle the historical differences between kingdoms and personal differences and to always champion the peace-keeping, peace building and conflict resolution among Yoruba people and beyond.

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This mission and vision has been a propelling force of Adegbola’s giant stride in cultural matters. He has written different history and culture of the people in Yorubaland and has also settled different historical tussles, believing a lot need to be done.

According to Adegbola, who says he never regarded himself as having a monopoly of wisdom and knowledge of Yoruba history, culture and tradition, but said, “the trouble is that when some people in public life and in the position of leadership spend time to enjoy or fight for political appointments and leadership tussles, people like us spend time to search for truth and solutions to the hidden facts about Yoruba history and tradition, for the development of Yoruba people. It is my firm believe that a knowledge of the Yoruba past must be gleaned from myths, legends, folklores, praise-songs, rituals, rights, festivals and the likes all of which are rapidly forgotten,” says Adegbola.

Adegbola noted that the secrets and information of the past of the people lie in the hands of the traditional priests and cultural custodians. “The history of Yoruba resides in the hallowed chambers of the chief priests and traditionalists. For instance, during the coronation of Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, I was the chairman of historical committee. Not only that, he personally observed the three months seclusion of Kabiyesi, and followed all the rights, sacrifices, worship, prayers, offerings, homage, invocation, thanksgiving under our supervision as a project. I possess some historical materials which are also used in all Yoruba kingdoms for such purposes,” Adegbola said.

Adegbola have been known to play critical roles historically and traditionally in establishing and reshaping Oduduwa nation. He has impacted the subconscious mind of the Yoruba people with pride as the offspring of Oduduwa descendants through his publications, journals and involvement in traditional issues in the land. He believes that culture is a knowledge, experience, judgment, discovery and revelation of the people’s way of life.

Describing what cultural knowledge entails, he said, “All the knowledge that man gained and added to nature is culture and values. Culture brought integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief and behaviour that depends upon man’s capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.” He also noted that the flexibility of culture and the rapidity with which it can change have worked exceptionally well for the people saying that the solution to the practical problems of culture depends on proper understanding of the first principles of culture.

As a member of many professional bodies and organizations, he has been engaged in public affairs matters, national development issues, international cultural cooperation engagement and advocacy of good governance and gender equality between men and women in Nigeria. He also believes in the concept of peace keeping, peace building and conflict resolution among ethnic nationalities in Nigeria through cultural integration.

In this stade, he has engaged in impactful works that covers prominent Yoruba kingdoms like Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Ijero-Ekiti, Ogotun, Oye, Otun, Ise, Efon-Alaye, Igede, Ikole, Ido-Ekiti, Okemesi, Itaji, Emure, Omuo, Isan, all in Ekiti state, including other towns like Egbaland, Abeokuta, Ake, Oke-ona, Egba, Owu, Ibara, Agura, Ijebu-ode and all the 33 Remo kingdoms. Others are the Awori kingdoms of Ogunfunminire, Idejos, Lagos.

The history of the ancient Oyo kingdom, Ogbomoso, Igboho, Saki, Ibadan, Orile-Igbon furthering down to Ondo, Owo, Ikare-Akoko, Oka-Akoko, Idanre, Ikale, Ilaje, Ile-Oluji are parts of his cultural coverage, while in Osun, Ile-Ife, Ipetu-Ijesa, Ila-Orangun, Ilesa, Iwo, Osogbo, Owu, Orile-Owu, Esa-Oke, Ijebu-Ijesa, Ede, Ipetumodu still come to bear. He also worked on the history of Kabba, Egbe and all Okun people in Kogi and Kwara-Ilorin.  These are just to mention few towns and kingdoms where Adegbola has researched and published books of their histories.

Many traditional rulers and royal fathers had praised his works. These include His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto at the presentation of Adegbola’s book: “Ile-Ife: the source of Yoruba civilization”, and also, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi who said Adegbola’s book helped him so much to become Ooni of Ife, saying that his works are based on facts and figures. He made the statement in Efon-Alaaye during the launching of Adegbola’s book: Ooni Obalufon, Alayemore the founder of Efon-Alaaye kingdom and finally, Ooni Ogunwusi appointed Prince Adelegan Adegbola as “SPECIAL ASSISTANT ON HISTORY AND CULTURE TO THE HOUSE OF ODUDUWA, ILE-IFE”.

Many others who commended his effort in culturally uniting the Yorubas through book works are Oba (Dr.) Emmanuel Adesanya Aladejare, Obalufon Alayemore, the Alaaye of Efon kingdom; the late Oba Samuel Adegoke Adegboyega Akayejo II, the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti; the late Ambassador (Chief) Segun Olusola, the founder of the famous “The Village Headmaster and African Refuge Foundation”; late Frederick Fasheun, founder Oodua’s Peoples’ Congress (OPC); Pastor Richard Adejuyigbe, JP, Retd Permanent Secretary; Emeritus Professor Abiodun Adediran PhD; Professor Akinaso; Professor Emeritus Richard Olaniyan, FNAL among others.

It has been Adegbola’s dream to promote respect and honour for Africa and for the Yoruba cultural heritage. He has become a consultant to many Yoruba Obas in the areas of history, tradition, cultural matters.

Prince Adelegan Adegbola is the founder and President of Oduduwa Cultural Foundation (OCF), a centre for the Yoruba history, culture and tradition. His books, “Ile-Ife: The Source of Yoruba Civilization”; “Ooni Obalufon Alayemore, the founder of Efon-Alaaye kingdom are making waves in both local and international stands and libraries.”

The late of Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, who reigned from 1980 till his demise in  2015 said during the launching of the book “Ile-Ife: The Source of Yoruba Civilization” that the beauty of the book, celebrates and advertises the social, cultural, traditional and political unity of the Yoruba race. In his commendation he also noted that it promotes kingship or obaship in all the Yoruba speaking states in Nigeria based on a common language, religion, including tradition and above all, a common ancestry in ODUDUWA. To these, Adegbola grimaced with a passionate statement; “That was my EUREKA MOMENT OF MY LIFE.”

Vanguard