Brief History
The birth of Egbe Tobalase Okunrin Akile-Ijebu started like a child’s play, having realised that there was Regberegbe in Ijebu-Land which dated back to 200years ago. The Regberegbe of Ijebu-Land was created for the purpose of ensuring the continued development, security and progress of our dear homeland and that it had the least to do with mere-merry-making. It was Regberegbe of the old that initiated, built and maintained our township infrastructures more by investment of their physical energy, talent, time and where necessary money. It was they who organised and sustained security for the common good.
They also willingly laid down their lives in military offence and defence that Ijebu-Land may survive. And when all such primary duties had been successfully done, they made merry.
It is this noble institution that we have happily chosen to inherit and we must keep it wholesome in our time and for our children.
The formation and recorgnition of Egbe Arobayo Akile-Ijebu (1968-1970) really helped and encouraged us to come together, knowing fully well that Arobayo should be followed by children of 1971-1973 which we knew that we all belong to. We later heard that our female age-group had gotten the name called Tobalase from the Palace and they wanted to have a special-prayer on April 5, 2009 at Olisa Palace. On the said date at the Olisa palace, the first set of Tobalase Okunrin Akile-Ijebu met each other and decided to have a meeting, which was fixed for 26th of April 2009. They were Lase Olawale Sodique, Lase Tunde Olasimbe, Lase Musiliu Awe, Lase Bankole Bello, Lase Gbenga Oduyemi and Lase Banjo Bosun.
The first meeting was hosted by Lase Olawale Sodique at 76 Olisa Street, Ijebu Ode where the co-ordinating team of the Egbe was appointed as follows:
- Lase Olawale Sodique – Co-ordinator
- Lase Gbenga Oduyemi – Deputy Co-ordinator
- Lase Tunde Olasimbe – Secretary
- Lase Bankole Bello – Treasurer
It was there, they agreed to make banners for advertisement of our age-group at different Round-abouts in Ijebu-Ode which generated a lot of good members in our next meeting like Lase Hakeem Lateef, Lase Ademola Oredipe, Lase Alawiye Olatunbosun, Lase Hakeem Adesanya, Lase Gegeowo Ibrahim, Lase Hamodu Bello, Lase Jimoh Bakare, Lase Tunde Olasimbo, Lase Gbenga Oduyemi, Lase Abiola Alausa and Lase Sodique Olawale. Those were the foundation members of Egbe Tobalase Okunrin Akile Ijebu. The mobilisation and organisaiton of the Ebge started and with the total commitment of the members, we were able to get Balogun Adegboyega Adesoye as our Baba-Egbe, Otunba Funmilayo Alebiosu as our Iya-Egbe, Dr. Adetunji Oredipe as our Adviser, Alhaji Maruf Adebule as our Akeweje-Okunrin, and Alhaja Iyalode Amudalat Sanni as our Akeweje-Obinrin.
After four years of membership mobilisation from different parts of Ijebu-Land. We elected Lase Abiola Azeez Alausa as our Giwa-Egbe.
Lase Babatunde Kuku – Otun-Giwa
Lase Yekini Tijani – Eta-Giwa
Lase Amodun Bello – Balogun
Lase Jimoh Bakre – Asiwaju
Lase Tunde Olasimbo – Bashorun
Lase Bosun Alawiye – Mayegun
Lase Hakeem Lateef – Babaloye
Lase Olawale Sodique – General Secretary
With the total support of our Baba-Egbe, Balogun Adegboyega Adesoye and our Iya-Egbe, Otunba Funmilayo Alebiosu together with our Adviser, Dr Adetunji Oredipe and Akeweje, Alhaji Adebule and Alhaja Amudalat Sanni.
The Egbe finally came of age and was given approval by Alaiyeluwa to step forward to receive the Royal Recognition/Traditional Blessing by his royal-Majesty – Oba (Dr.) S.K Adetona(CFR, JP) Ogbagba II Awujale of Ijebu-Land on the 3rd of October 2013.