BALOGUN ODERINLO OF IBADAN: THE DREADED GIANT WARRIOR WHOSE MYSTERIOUS DEATH REMAIN UNSOLVED TILL TODAY

The establishment of lbadan as a municipal, and then a regional, power actually began with the rule of Bashorun Oluyole from about the year 1836. This remarkably gifted warrior led several successful military campaigns, among which was the final rout of the Fulani army in Osogbo in 1840. His rule, according to historians, was a most ruthless and arbitrary one, but in fact, he paid just as much attention to war as to agricultural innovation and municipal administration.

The Bashorun is the one credited, for instance, with establishing the list of chieftaincy titles that are still mostly in use today, as well as their order of precedence. In addition, Bashorun Oluyole was the one who founded the still flourishing main market of Oja’ba [Oja Oba], which stands now as it did then directly in front of his compound. And he deserves to be credited, therefore, with the establishment of the city of lbadan as one of the important commercial centers in the then emerging country, whose present-day geographical identity can be best described as a vast, entangled network of markets. For it was Bashorun Oluyole’s sterling example which inspired the founding of other markets by his commanders, the most notable of them perhaps being the famous Oje market, started by Chief Dele, the Aare Ago, together with Balogun Oderinlo, on the road to lwo.

Oluyole’s successes, and the ‘democratic’ ambience of the town, encouraged people to flock into lbadan so that by the year 1851, the town’s population was put at between 60,000 and 100,000 while its surrounding walls stretched out for up to ten miles!

After Bashorun Oluyole’s death. Oderinlo who was his Balogun was next in line to succeed him. Because of the purges and wars that Oluyole engineered during his time as the leader of Ibadan, all the chiefs that were senior to Oderinlo had died before Oluyole or soon after Oluyole’s own death. So there was practically no rival to Oderinlo’s position as Balogun and ruler of the town.

Oderinlo rose to prominence as one of the chiefs who played an active role in the rebellion against Lakanle and the latter’s subsequent suicide. There seemed to have been some form of close ties between him and Oluyole. It is likely to Oderinlo was at least an associate if not a close friend of the Bashorun. It was the influence of Oluyole that he became the Otun Balogun to Bankole Aleshinloye, the first Balogun under Oluyole. After Aleshinloye’s death, Oderinlo became the Balogun. Oderinlo was the Balogun who led the Ibadan troops to fight in the second Ibadan- Ilorin war at Osogbo, a war that Ibadan won comprehensively.

The Army of Ibadan equally attacked Ilesa to rescue Oshogbo. From that war, the Ibadan Army ventured into Ekiti for the relief of Otun, which was attacked by Ilorin Army. They also fought in Ara to reinstate the Alara who was then having problems with his people. He was among the six generals who plotted against Oluyole after that campaign. He was also among the four who later rescinded that decision, leaving the two who did not rescind, Lajubu and Akinluyi to die in a purge by the Bashorun.

At the time Bashorun Oluyole died, Balogun Oderinlo was planning to go on a war to Oke Ogun. So when the entire council of Ibadan invited him to become the Baale He declined, saying he wanted to win that war first. Historians speculate that he wanted to gather the wealth from that war to boost his claim to the rulership of Ibadan at the time.

Balogun Oderinlo went to the war and came back. He won the war and gathered enough loot and slaves to bring back to Ibadan. However, a few months after his triumphant return to Ibadan from Oke Ogun, as he was set to be announced as the Baale of Ibadan, Balogun Oderinlo died mysteriously. To this day nobody knows how Balogun Oderinlo died, but the sudden and mysterious nature of his death has led many to speculate that he may have been poisoned. But no body could pinpoint who did the warrior the fatal blow.

After his demise, Baale Opeagbe replaced him on the throne of Ibadan.

Balogun Oderinlo has been honoured in Ibadan, a statue of him stands at Beere not far from Mapo Hall and the statue of Bashorun Oluyole. His house and some of his descendants live not far from Oja’ba to this day. His son Tanpe, would become a chief of Ibadan.

Source:

Akinyele, I.B.(1951) Iwe Itan Ibadan ati die ninu awon Ilu agbegbe re bii Osogbo Iwo ati Ikirun.