Pictured in his warrior uniform, Ogedengbe is a respected first-generation leader of the great Ogedengbe dynasty. He was born in 1822 and died in 1910 as Orisarayibi Ogundamola (Saraibi) (Ogedengbe) in Atorin village, Ilesa, Osun State (known as Ogedengbe Agbogungboro). “tThe one who doesn’t panic when war comes?”
His parents Pa Apasanforijiwa and Yeye Falupo were blacksmiths, hunters and weavers. Ogedengbe Agbogubgboro, General of the Ekiti Army, was born in Atorin, a village about twenty kilometers from Ilesha in what is now Atakomosa East Local Government. It was his mother’s village; His father’s village was Oke-Orisa, approximately the same distance from Ilesha and in the same regency as Atorin.
Before the birth of Ogedengbe, the Ifa oracle prophesied that he would be the savior of Ijeshaland. The name given to Ogedengbe at birth was ORISARAYIBI, or Saraibi. Ogedengbe also known as Balogun of Ilesha, Seriki Ajanaku of Ijeshaland, General/Commander-in-Chief of the Ekiti Parapo Army during the Kiriji War and Obanla of Ijeshaland (Oba-Ala Ogedengbe of Ilesha I).
The Kiriji War was a series of conflicts fought in Yorubaland, now Nigeria, in the late 19th century. It lasted from 1877 to 1893 and covered several Yoruba states including Ibadan, Egba, Ijebu, Iwo, Igbajo, Offa, Modakeke, Ife, Ilorin, Akure, Offa, Akoko, Ekiti and Oyo. The main cause of the war were power struggles and conflicts over political and economic issues. The Kiriji War is one of the longest and most significant conflicts in Yoruba history. This eventually led to the introduction of the “Modakeke Peace Agreement” in 1886, which established permanent boundaries between the warring factions and ended hostilities. The war had significant social, political and economic consequences for the Yoruba people and shaped the dynamics of the region for years to come.
Ogedengbe was a figure who made history and shaped culture from a young age to adulthood. He was a proud, courageous and confident Ijesa, although it was extremely difficult, he had a true and sincere love for his city and its people. Ogedengbe was a sensible man and feared no one. He was fearless, always ready to fight or attack anyone who dared to challenge him and did not give up until the end. Possessing fame, charisma, wisdom and knowledge, Ogedengbe was the greatest icon of his time. Men want to be him, and women want to be his wife.
He was born a normal child and grew up in Atorina as a healthy and hardworking young man. Already in the first years of his life it was clear that he was very strong and surpassed all his companions in courage. Every time he took part in a fight with his companions, he would strike them down, hence the name “OGEDENGBE”. As an adult, Ogedengbe participated in several campaigns against the Ibadan people who oppressed and attacked the Ijesha people.
In 1864 he was captured while defending Ilary-Mokin against Ibadan.He escaped after being trained by the Ibadan warrior Bada Aki-Iko. During the Igbajo War in 1897, he was captured again but escaped again. These two events taught him military strategy. When the Ijesa chief, Okanle Ariysasunla, allegedly revealed military secrets in Ibadan, Ogedengbe led his warriors to drive him out of Ilesha and became a hero. In 1878, Ogedengbe attacked the town of Idoani in Ondo. He only managed to destroy Idoani and return to Itaogbolu. Later in 1879, after he lost several soldiers in battle.
