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The untold story of legendary Obadoke Aare Latoosa | By Arowolo-Are Jubril

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Like many other Ibadan war lords and rulers, Mohammad Obadoke Aare Latoosa  was a native of Ilora, near Oyo. His father was Ore Orisa Oyatoosa while the mother bored Oyatooki. Both were river goddess worshippers. 

Being young and adventurous, Obadoke left his parents’ Bantu house of Okutuoje compound at Ilora for Ibadan in search of greener pastures.

Although, an altercation with a prominent Oyo ruler was said to have prompted this move.

On his arrival in Ibadan, Obadoke settled at a place around Oniyanrin-Nalende axis ( in the present Ibadan North Local Government), where he engaged in palm wine selling.

Obadoke was reputed to be versed in the knowledge of palm tree planting that he could tell the harvest period and profits with faultless precision!

Then, his palm wine selling exploits connected him with Beyioku Akere one of the promising warriors in Ibadan land. Akere later introduced him to Ogunmola who held the title of Bada under Iba Oluyole during the period.

During their meeting, Obadoke Oyatoosa’s bravery, confidence and war situation exploits impressed Ogunmola and he drafted Oyatoosa into his private army for which he later became the captain.

In the bid to have Obadoke Oyatoosa closer to him, Ogunmola settled him at a hill top which was then a dreaded forest that harbored a dangerous human eating lion! The choice of the hill top (now Oke Aare) was not particularly the making of Ogunmola who thought Obadoke could not survive the deadly animal. But Oyatoosa opted to settle in, regardless of any kind of threats!

However, within the next few days, Obadoke caught the lion alive and took it on his shoulder to Ogunmola who was dazed with Oyatoosa’s bravery.

It’s interesting to know that Obadoke cut off the lion’s head and adopted it as one of his symbols of authority!

Having settled well at Oke Aare, he got married to Osubunmi, Ibeji and Moriola in succession but the unions were fruitless until after about 16 years when he had Sanusi as the first child. This happened after reverted to Islam and he believed that the change in religion influenced the birth of his son. There after, Obadoke adopted the name ‘Mohammad’ (Momodu in Yoruba pronunciation), with the aid of the then Emir of Ilorin, Abdul Salam who had earlier conquered Katunga, the capital of Old Oyo Empire with the fall of Afonja.

Since then, Mohammad Obadoke Oyatoosa never looked back. He was fully involved in many territorial conquests as the captain of Ogunmola’s private army from where he rose through the ranks until he got the ultimate title: Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land.

He started on the leadership line with the title of Are-Ago Balogun during the reign of Baale Oyesile Olugbode, (1851-1864), Otun Seriki during the time of Bashorun Ogunmola, (1865-1867) and Otun Balogun during the short reigns of Balogun Beyioku Akere (1867-1870), and Baale Orowusi Awarun Ososo (1870-1871). Akere as the Balogun during the reign of Bashorun Ogunmola was to assume the Baale position after Ogunmola’s demise but he, (Akere) deferred it until after he must have won Oke Ogun war. Although, Akere won but he died after his victorious return and few days to his installation.

To be continued…

 

Arowolo-Are Jubril,  journalist and media consultant, sent this piece from Ibadan, Oyo state.

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Oseni celebrates Oyo APC Publicist,  Sadare, extols loyalty, commitment to progressive cause

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Oyo State Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Wasiu Olawale Sadare, on the occasion of his birthday, describing him as a loyal progressive, effective communicator and committed party stalwart whose contributions have continued to strengthen the party in the state.

Oseni, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, said Sadare has remained a consistent and dependable voice of the party, discharging his responsibilities with professionalism, integrity and an unwavering commitment to the ideals of the All Progressives Congress.

He noted that the Oyo APC spokesman has distinguished himself through responsible public communication, constructive engagement and an enduring commitment to promoting the party’s vision, values and programmes.

According to the chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Sadare’s humility, calm disposition and ability to articulate the party’s position with clarity have earned him the respect of party leaders, members and stakeholders, while also contributing to the unity and stability of the APC in Oyo State.

“Alhaji Wasiu Olawale Sadare is a committed progressive whose loyalty and dedication to our great party have remained steadfast over the years. He has served with uncommon diligence and has continued to project the ideals of the APC with dignity, courage and sincerity,” Oseni said.

The lawmaker added that the publicist’s birthday presents another opportunity to celebrate a man whose service has gone beyond official responsibility, noting that his contributions to strengthening internal cohesion and fostering constructive engagement within the party deserve commendation.

“As you mark another year today, I join your family, friends, political associates and the entire progressive family in celebrating God’s faithfulness in your life. Your commitment to duty, humility and sense of responsibility continue to inspire many within our party.”
Oseni prayed for greater accomplishments for the celebrant, asking Almighty Allah to bless him with good health, wisdom and renewed strength to continue serving the party and humanity.

“I pray that Almighty Allah grants you many more years in sound health, abundant grace and greater accomplishments. May He continue to guide your steps, enlarge your coast and reward your selfless service to our great party, Oyo State and our nation. Happy birthday, and many happy returns.”
The statement added that Oseni wished Sadare a memorable celebration and expressed confidence that his wealth of experience, dedication and leadership would continue to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the APC and the advancement of progressive politics in Oyo State.

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Oyo lawmaker, Oseni empowers Agbeni traders with ₦50m grant, rallies support for Tinubu

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Oyo South, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, on Friday strengthened his grassroots engagement with traders by presenting a ₦50 million business grant to members of the Agbeni Amunigun Traders Association in Ibadan.

The empowerment package is expected to benefit traders across the market, which cuts across Ibadan North-West and Ibadan South-West Local Government Areas of Oyo State.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, also donated ₦5 million towards the completion of the association’s secretariat. He further pledged to install solar-powered streetlights within the market to improve security and make the business environment more conducive.

Speaking during an interactive meeting with the association’s leaders, executives and representatives of its 15 zones, the lawmaker described traders as key drivers of the local economy, saying they deserved continuous support to grow their businesses and improve their standard of living.

He also appealed to the traders to sustain their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing confidence that the economic reforms introduced by the administration would deliver lasting benefits for the country.

“The decisions taken by President Tinubu were difficult, but they were necessary. Today, fuel queues are gone, states and local governments receive higher allocations, and more resources are available for infrastructure, education, healthcare and other development projects, including the regular payment of salaries,” he said.

Oseni highlighted ongoing road rehabilitation projects, interventions in the health sector, agricultural support initiatives and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as some of the programmes making a difference under the current administration.

He noted that the student loan scheme had opened up access to higher education for many young Nigerians, while other economic reforms were laying a solid foundation for sustainable growth.

Looking ahead, Oseni promised that if elected to represent Oyo South in the Senate in 2027, he would facilitate an interest-free revolving loan scheme for traders. He said the programme would be jointly managed by the market leadership and a reputable microfinance bank to ensure genuine traders had access to affordable credit.

“I will continue to support policies and programmes that help small and medium-scale businesses thrive because traders remain the engine of our economy. My goal is to create opportunities that will help your businesses expand and improve the welfare of your families,” he said, assuring the association that the requests presented to him would receive prompt attention.

Earlier, the Babaloja of the market, Alhaji Abdul-Latifu Abdulganiyu; the Baale, Alhaji Muniru Oladayo; the General Chairman of the market, Alhaji Nureni Lawal; the Iyaloja’s representative, Alhaja Basirat Owolanwa; and the youth representative, Alhaji Adeyinka Basiru, praised Oseni for his consistent support for traders and other community-based empowerment programmes.

The market leaders unanimously endorsed his senatorial ambition and pledged to mobilise support for his 2027 bid, saying his record of empowerment, constituency projects and community development had earned him the confidence of the people.

 

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Oyo : Oseni seeks reconciliation, urges aggrieved APC members to close ranks

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‎The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has called on aggrieved members of the party in Oyo State to put the outcome of the primary behind them and embrace reconciliation in the interest of the party ahead of the 2027 general election.

‎The appeal came on Wednesday at an enlarged meeting of APC leaders and stakeholders in Ibadan North East Local Government Area, where Oseni urged members to close ranks and work together to reposition the party for victory at the polls.

‎In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the time had come for party faithful to move beyond the disagreements that followed the primary election.

‎He said: “The primary election has come and gone. As loyal party members, our responsibility now is to unite behind the decisions of our great party and work together for its success. There is no victory without unity.”

‎The chairman House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) noted that while it was natural for party members to hold different opinions during the contest, the APC’s overriding interest must remain paramount, urging those with reservations to seek redress through dialogue rather than division.

‎According to him, “I appeal to every leader, stakeholder, member and supporter of our party to sheathe the sword, forgive one another and embrace genuine reconciliation. Our shared commitment to the APC is greater than any individual ambition.”

‎The APC senatorial candidate said the challenges confronting the party could only be overcome through collective resolve, mutual respect and sustained engagement among members across the state.

‎”The people of Oyo State expect a strong and united APC that is ready to provide purposeful leadership. We cannot afford to remain divided when there is so much work to be done. This is the time to rebuild trust, strengthen our structures and move forward together,” he said.

Oseni expressed confidence that with reconciliation, discipline and the support of party leaders and members, the APC would emerge stronger from the primary process and be well positioned to secure victory in Oyo State in the 2027 general election.

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