*AMAPETU AND MAHIN PEOPLE ARE NOT IN ANY SUPREMACY RACE WITH ANYONE. WE ARE WHO WE ARE BY THE GRACE OF GOD* .
In response to the unprovoked historical position of one Barr Lade Ebiwano, where he claimed Olugbo became first class oba in Ondo State before Amapetu and also went beyond what he knew in history that Olugbo is superior and paramount to Amapetu, I wish to set the records straight because of posterity.
It was a fact of history that Olugbo was promoted to first class position before Amapetu, but that will never alter the superior position of Amapetu over an above Olugbo if archival documents are anything to rely on. The period Olugbo was promoted to first class was when Mahin Kingdom had no Amapetu on the throne. As soon as Oba Festus Ololajulo Isogun was installed the Amapetu of Mahin, Amapetu was subsequently elevated. How this one will be a controversy is what I can not understand.
WHO IS A TRADITIONAL RULER?
In 1983,the Conference of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria held in Kaduna defined a Traditional Ruler as a person who, by virtue of his ancestry, occupies the throne or stool of an area and who has been appointed to it in accordance with the customs and traditions of the area, whose throne has been in existence before the advent of the British rule in Nigeria. The area over which he and his forebears before him have ruled or reigned must at least have a Native Authority created for it in 1910 or the date of the introduction of Native Authority to the area concern. The text of the lecture that was delivered by Omo N'oba Nedo Uku Akpolokpolo Eredinuwa, CFR Oba of Benin, "titled evolution of traditional rulership in Nigeria", on the 11th September, 1984 under the auspices of the University of Ibadan, Institute of African studies, Ibadan at the conference on the role of Traditional Rulers in the Governance of Nigeria, can attest to the fact above.
EVOLUTION OF THE TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION
Traditional Institution in Nigeria has long been established that its history and roles today are verifiable reality. It is not one based on nostalgic or megalomaniac conjecture or fruitless academic reconstruction.
Kingdoms arose and evolved through several factors that could be war (conquest), intrigues, or as may be requested by the people.
The New Webster's Dictionary of English Language defines the word Paramount as "Supreme in rank, importance," etc
Paramount by Oxord Dictionary means having the highest or jurisdiction, superior to all others.
From the above definition, Paramount is used comparatively as it relates to traditional rulership, which refers to that chief who is considered supreme in rank within a given jurisdiction. This points to a situation where we have more than one traditional ruler in the jurisdiction.
Therefore, a paramount traditional ruler in Nigeria may be defined as the traditional head of an ethnic community or kingdom whose stool confirmed the highest traditional authority on the incumbent in a defined sovereign territory before the coming of the British Colonial Rule and subsequently created into a Native Authority.
EARLIEST RECOGNIZED PARAMOUNT RULERS
In 1900, when Colonial Rule was introduced in accordance with its Indirect Rule Policy, the British Administration carefully identified extant traditional authorities and recognised the most organised and supreme in rank as Native Authority in each of the Districts which covered the present Nigeria Federation and part of Cameron which was then part of Nigeria.
Consequent upon the Treaty of Friendship and Protection between the Queen of England and Amapetu of Mahin Kingdom in 1885, Amapetu was made the Native Authority over Mahin District covering the present Ilaje/Ese Odo Local Government and a Native Court established at Ode Mahin 1914. The Amapetu was formally Gazetted in 1917.
The Paramount Native Authorities were formally enacted into law and Gazetted according to section 4 of the Native Authority Ordinance and published in Nigeria Gazette No. 32. Vol 11 of Thursday, June 26, 1924, as Native Authorities appointed by the Governor, which are not subordinate to other Native Authorities.
The Native Authorities affected in the present Ondo State are:
1. Osemawe of Ondo, Ondo District
2. Abodi of Ikoya, Ikale District
3. Amapetu of Mahin, Mahin District
4. Owa of Idanre, Idanre District
5. Oba of Ijaws(Kalasuwe), the territory of Ijaw Confederation
6. Owa of Owo (now Olowo), Owo District
7. Alonge of Ifon (now Olufon), Ifon District
8. Olukare of Ikare, Ikare District
9. Olubaka of Oka, Oka District
10. Olisua of Isua, Isua District
11. Akala of Ikaramu, Ikaramu District
12. Owa of Ogbagi, Ogbagi District
From the above, a paramount ruler could still be described as a ruler, which existed before the introduction of Colonial Administration but recognised and appointed by the Colonial Governor of Nigeria in a given jurisdiction or District as a Native Authority which is not subordinate to any other Native Authority.
MAHIN EUROPEAN TRADE AGREEMENTS/TREATIES
Trade Agreements/Treaties were signed between Mahin and European powers, notably the Mahin/German Deed of Sale and Treaty of 29th January, 1885, signed at Mahin between Herr Eugen Fischer on behalf of the firm of Gottlieb Leonhard Gaiser of Hamburg and Amapetu Ogunsemoyin of Mahin Kingdom in the presence of the acting Imperial German Consul.
On the 11th of March, 1885, at Mahin, Dr. Nachtigal, on behalf of the British government, signed a Treaty of Protection with the Amapetu of Mahin.
MAHIN/BRITISH TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP AND PROTECTION 1885
Following the Berlin Conference of European powers 1885 scrambling for and partitioning of Africa, Mahin Kingdom, after centuries of existence and extensive socio-economic interaction with the Portuguese, Germans and finally the British, entered into and signed a Treaty of Friendship and Protection at Aboto on the 24th of October, 1885 with the representatives of the Queen Victoria of England
It must be noted that shortly before this Treaty, the British within Mahin territory purportedly signed a Treaty with some of Ugbo chiefs in December 1884, but having realised the error of this Treaty within the sovereignty of the Amapetu, the so called Ugbo Treaty was not ratified.
One important implication of the Mahin/British Treaty was the abolition of slave trade in every part of the riverine area of the present Ondo State. Thus, the British flag staff were set up in different parts of the area covered by the Treaty, including Atijere, Aboto, and Arogbo, all in 1885 to serve as formal sanctuary for runaway slaves. It must be emphasised that the Treaty served as the only basis of British Colonial relationship with the people of the present day Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Governments determining among other things Salaries of deserving minor chiefs.
MAHIN COUNTRY/DISTRICT ADMINISTERED AS PART OF LAGOS COLONY (12TH NOVEMBER 1885)
The entire Mahin Country and Coast, which covers the present Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Governments, was by a Legislative Order of the Colony of Lagos on 12th November, 1885 signed by Acting Governor Gearge C. Denton and made subject to the laws of the Colony. Consequent upon this, the Amapetu was placed on a monthly stipend of ( Five pound) to be the first Oba to be placed on a monthly stipend or salary in the Southern Protectorate of Nigeria but second to the Sultan of Sokoto in Nigeria.
GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF MAHIN TERRITORY UNDER COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION.
As a result of British Colonial Rule, the traditional authority of the Amapetu was restricted by the merger of part of the Western axis of Mahin territory with the Ijebu. Thus, by the letter of the Acting Commissioner Ijebu Province dated 8th January 1915, the geographical description of Mahin District with Headquarters at Ode Mahin was given as "all that area bounded on the North by Atijere, the Ofara creek, Arogbo and Koko; on the East by the old boundary dividing the old Western from the old central province; on the South by the sea, on the west by a line drawn from a point six miles west of Atijere due to the sea"
AMAPETU AS PRESIDENT OF OKITIPUPA DIVISIONAL NATIVE AUTHORITY
From the inception of the Okitipupa Divisional Native Authority in 1934, Amapetu of Mahin was the president. He exercises both traditional and judicial authority over the entire Okitipupa Division. This earned Amapetu of Mahin a presidential sitting fee of (sixty pound)
AMAPETU IN YORUBA LAND (PELUPELU)
The Amapetu of Mahin was prominent among the Obas in the then Western Region, which attended the conference of Yoruba Obas from 1937 to 1942. The Amapetu of Mahin's name was number 5 on the list of the attendance consisting of 18 Obas at the very first meeting of the Obas (PELUPELU) held on April 1, 1937 at Ibadan
Those who were invited and attended the 1941 meeting were:
1. Olowo of Owo, 2. Oshemowe of Ondo, 3. Owa of Idanre, 4. Amapetu of Mahin, 5. Olisua of Isua.
AMAPETU AND YORUBA BEADED CROWN.
The preeminent position of the Amapetu of Mahin among Yoruba Obas was established in a letter dated February 12, 1923, written by Governor High Clifford to Lord Duke confirming Amapetu of Mahin as one of the few Yoruba Obas recognised to wear the beaded crown.
AMAPETU OF MAHIN'S LEGISLATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTSTIVES GAZETTE No 28 OF 14TH
OCTOBER, 1957 OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA
At the wake of the attainment of self-rule in Nigeria, it required an enactment of the House of Representatives to terminate the 1885 Treaty between Her Majesty, Queen Victoria of England, and Amapetu, King of Mahin, on the payment of a monthly stipend to the Amapetu in lieu of relinquishing his (Amapetu) tax collection authority in Mahin Country and Coast. The enactment, which was cited as "Amapetu of Mahin (Termination of Monthly Stipend) Ordinance 1957" was published in Gazette No. 28 of 14TH October, 1957.
AMAPETU AS PARAMOUNT RULER OF THE ILAJE DISTRICT COUNCIL
Part of Mahin territory was created into Ilaje District Council in 1955, and Amapetu of Mahin made the Paramount Ruler of the District Council. For that period of 20 years of the Administration of the District Council spanning between 1955 and 1976, Amapetu was the permanent president of the Council. Amapetu, for the entire period, earned the highest salary
AMAPETU AS THE PARAMOUNT RULER OF ILAJE ESE-ODO LOCAL GOVERNMENT- 1976-1996
In Ilaje Ese-Odo Local Government 1976-1996, which was a merger of the two parts of the Mahin District, Amapetu was the Paramount ruler and permanent chairman of the council of traditional rulers. Amapetu, throughout the period, earned the highest salary as a traditional and paramount ruler.
CONSTITUTION AND LAUNCHING OF THE COUNCIL OF TRADITIONAL RULERS OF ONDO STATE
The Amapetu of Mahin was a member of the 17-man Council of Traditional Rulers of the old Ondo State when the Council was first constituted and launched on Thursday, 23rd December, 1976, by the State Military Governor, Wing Commander Ita Ikpeme.
The traditional rulers who are members in the present Ondo State and who represented each of the local governments as paramount rulers are:
1. Olukare of Ikare, Akoko North LG
2. Olubaka of Oka, Akoko South LG
3. Deji of Akure, Akure North LG
4. Owa of Idanre, Idanre/Ifedore LG
5. Jegun of Ile-Oluji, Ifesowapo LG
6. Abodi of Ikoya, Ikale LG
7. Amapetu of Mahin, Ilaje Ese-Odo LG
Considering all the avalanches of documentary facts, the Amapetu of Mahin and indeed the entire people of Mahin Land have no reason to be in any supremacy contest with anyone. We are people who have no need to be in the public domain every day to blow our trumpets. Whoever is not satisfied with our vantage historical position can go to court.
