HISTORY

The history of the Majekodunmi family is strongly intertwined with the city of Abeokuta in southwest Nigeria, where it is deeply rooted and universally associated with.

The founder of Abeokuta arrived at the present city location in 1825, the progenitor, Oyeneye Majekodunmi arrived with his mother on August 5, 1830, and they settled at Oju Elero, Ikereku.

 

Oyeneye’s mum was a confirmed princess of the powerful Oyo empire, the daughter of a reigning Alafin of Oyo, Majotu. It is of note that most important Egba families still trace their heritage to Oyo where they all migrated from.

Oyeneye Majekodunmi became a dependable and successful military commander at the many wars Abeokuta was involved with until 1875 when he waged his last battle.

The Dahomean (better known today as Benin Republic) military incursion into Abeokuta was an annual thing for 16 years until 1864 but they were never able to take and hold permanently any large portion of Egbaland. Thanks to the brave efforts of energetic warriors Like Sodeke, Majekodunmi, Lamodi of Igbein, Ogunbona of Ikija, Apati, Seriki Akodu, Balogun Ogundipe-Alatise, Sokenu, Olufakun of Owu and Bashorun Somoye.

Oyeneye participated in three (3) invasions by Dahomey between 1845 and 1862. He captured some of the Amazon women fighters and married the beautiful ones.

Oyeneye’s dad was Bankole, whose many kids suffered infant mortality. When Oyeneye was born and got sick, the dad was giving up, assumed another bad news was forthcoming. He dumped the baby in a forest who was later found crying by a hunter. The hunter rescued the baby and a prophesy was made to Bankole that the baby will live to be a great man.

Before Oyeneye and his mum, Princess Morinade moved to Abeokuta in 1830, the Alafin’s staff on a royal duty saw the Princess and her son at Oko, which was a surprise at that time, since her whereabouts was unknown. Alafin Majotu (1802-1830) ordered Princess Morinade and her son to the palace and instructed that Oyeneye should be given the Oyo royal tribal marks.

Upon return to Abeokuta, Oyeneye’s dad, Bankole will not be outdone, he followed up another set of Egba tribal marks for his face. That must be tough. A few Majekodunmis were privileged to be given the unique family tribal marks. Some of them include late Afolabi ‘King of Boys’ Majekodunmi (1907-1982), Hon. Bolaji Majekodunmi (1930-2012) Olajide Ayinde Majekodunmi (1923-1998) to name a few.

Legendary Stories

• It was said Oyeneye had supernatural powers during the wars. He always come back from war battles with different heads because when his head is cut of, he just replaces it with another one he picks up from another body at the war front.
• Oyeneye was given the nickname, Kiniun Egba (Lion of Egba) by his very dear friend, Alake Okukenu (reigned 1854 to 1862), who showered him with a lot of praise. He emotional told Oyeneye to make sure the Egba nation is not put to shame.
• Akilawon Majekodunmi, one of Oyeneye’s sons is said to have cut the head of one of his wives when he got upset. The Ikereku community resolved to relocate him to Mokoloiki village, where he served as their Baale. The descendants still direct affairs of the village. The saying then was that the community could not be afraid of his father, Oyeneye and be afraid of the son too. Akilawon eventually died September 18, 1908.
• During festivities at Oyeneye’s house, one of his granddaughters while one of his slaves was riding a horse killed Efuji. Oyeneye slated the slave for death but the pleading of other Baloguns and eminent people in Abeokuta saved him. The pleading line was ‘Ma je ko dun e’ which forms the origin of the name, Majekodunmi. Oyeneye adopted the name and made a prophesy by saying ‘Emi Majekodunmi, Emi Majekodunmi, Emi Majekodunmi, Ogorun odun leni, won a ma gbo oruko mi ni gbogbo agbaiye’ which translates to Me, Majekodunmi (3ce), in 100 years’ time, my name will be heard all over the world. This has definitely came to pass and even surpassed.

Oyeneye was a trusted friend of Alake Okukenu and mourned his demise on August 30, 1854. One of his sons, Otun Egba J.B Majekodunmi (1866-1953) and Alake Oba Ladapo Ademola II (1872-1962) who reigned from 1920 to 1962, replicated between them, a similar friendship.

Oyeneye’s first building is known as Sokunbi Compound at Oju Elero in Ikereku. It was named after one of his sons, Sokunbi who lived there with his grandmother, Princess Morinade. They were both buried there, eventually.

Oyeneye, as a businessman

It was not wars and wars alone. Oyeneye Majekodunmi traded in salt, cotton and real estate. He made a fortune in Salt business with a Lagos-based British merchant firm. The business partners tried to convert him to Christianity without luck. The salt material were hauled by Oyeneye’s master slaves on Ogun river to and fro Arakanga, Abeokuta and Isheri, Lagos. There was adequate security provided by Oyeneye’s soldiers.

Oyeneye also introduced the fabric industry to Abeokuta with his cotton threading equipment. The raw materials came from his huge acres of cotton farm.

In real estate, Oyeneye owned 48 acres of land from Iberekodo to Ogun River areas and Oke-Ogun in present day Oyo state. Today’s beneficiaries of this real estate include St. Jude’s Church, Ikija, Oke-Ona United School, Ikija High School, Christian Cemetery, Muslim Cemetery, Abeokuta North local government, to name a few.

Oyeneye Majekodunmi was blessed with twenty-six (26) biological children and two (2) adopted. The fourteen (14) biological sons produced 125 grandchildren (61 grandsons and 64 granddaughters) from records. The grandchildren from the 12 daughters are not complete in compilation.