Paternal Roots

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The earliest known ancestor of Sangobiyi (Ṣàngóbíyí) was one TELU of OBALORAN compound of Ile-Ife. Telu left Ile-Ife with his family and some associates to found his own town, which he first achieved at a place called IGBO ORITA near Ilesa. He became the king of the new town and reigned for long. After his death, his son, JIKANMU, reigned long at Igbo Orita as well. The reign of Jikanmu was was characterised by incessant attacks by the Ijesa neighbours. There was no peace.

After Jikanmu, his son, PARIHU, became king. This was when the belligerence of the Ijesa became more violent and proved too much for the younger and smaller town to keep resisting successfully. They therefore decided to leave the town in search of a more peaceful place. However, before leaving the town, Parihu exhumed the corpse of his father, Jikanmu, to take along with them to their new settlement. Some members of the party were therefore assigned to bear the corpse.

Story has it that during the journey, the corpse of Jikanmu regularly spoke encouraging words (saying, "Ẹ kú ẹrù o.") to those who carried it. It is also said that all those who participated in this difficult assignment died the moment they got to the new place. The place was indeed peaceful and the people prospered. They therefore decided/vowed that they would not permit the new place to fall. In their words, "Ẹ má jé̩ kí á wó ibi tí a ṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀ dé yìí nítorípé ó rọ̀ wá lọ́rùn; kò sí ogun, kò sí ọ̀tẹ̀.". Gradually, this "Mission Statement" became compressed to "Ẹnwo" and finally to Iwo, as the land is known today.

Paribu continued as king in the new town and reigned long. He built a beautiful palace for himself. In addition, the people erected another building called "Ilé Ọlọya" for the prince(s).

After Paribu, Lailu became king, reigning for a few years. Then Olubusi reigned who was followed by Osekuseku and then the short-reigned Oluogba. Some kings reigned after Oluogba (unrecorded) until it came to the time of Anide as the king (Oluwo). Anide reigned for long and was said to have lived up to 120 years before his death. Anide was the father of Lamuye and Sangobiyi among many other children. The mother of Sangobiyi was Ọmọ́bọ́lá from Ile Ife. Lamuye became the next king. Just like his father, he also lived long - estimated to clock 140 years.

After Lamuye ascended the throne, many of his brethren dispersed. However, Sangobiyi initially stayed put at Ile Oloya where he was living. Professionally, Sangobiyi was well known to many of the then Ibadan warrior-chiefs because he too was a warrior and he was also a babalawo (Ifá priest). Soon after Anide's ascension, all the wives and children of Sangobiyi died unexpectedly at Iwo. It just so happened that the time of this great personal loss coincided with when the famed Ibadan general, Balogun (later became Baálẹ̀) Oderinlo (Ọ̄dẹ́rìnlọ), invited Sangobiyi to join his army in his war campaigns. Sangobiyi accepted the invitation and left for Ibadan. So, he left Iwo as a widowed childless man.

COMMENTS:

1. The location of the temporary settlement at Igbo Orita being near Ijesaland is problematic: It represents an eastward migration of Telu's party from the Ile Ife starting point. This would make an eventual settlement at current Iwo rather clumsy. It would have required a north-western migration of the Paribu generation, possibly across Ife territory again. Could it be that the Ijesas referred to were not the current people in Ijesaland? Could there have been lots of missing information in the story which has weakened the entire narrative? For instance, the Oríkì (Praise poem) of the family talks about certain events, places and personalities which are not accounted for at all in the oral history. There were no mention of key ancestors like Arólú and Sùmbọ̀ while Olúọgbà was copiously mentioned. Also, there is certain connection with Igbeti and Odo Oba about which history is totally silent. Could it be that some generations actually wandered for ages, taking them round these areas, or in some other ways having deep relationships with them?

There have been narratives from other sources about the Iwo people that do not entirely agree with the history above. Some of them might even be said to exhibit more compelling scripts. However, I think a lot of work still needs to be done by historians using all available tools to reconstruct a true picture of the ancestry of this important branch of the Yoruba nation.

2. Those who carried Jikanmu's corpse might have died from infection related to the unsanitary load they bore, possibly in addition to exhaustion. Another possibility was that their brethren summarily executed then for any reason they cared to choose - such as not to make them and their descendants become a special class in the community.

3. The death of Sangobiyi's family members, though not elaborated, appears obviously murderous. When viewed against the dispersal of other princes, a picture of political (and maybe religious) cleansing may not be far-fetched.

4. Oderinlo's invitation was more likely a kind gesture to a valuable friend befallen by great grief rather than mere coincidence as suggested by the traditional narration.



On getting to Ibadan, Sangobiyi lodged with Kehinsi, whose family also originally came from Iwo, at the Ita Baálẹ̀ area of the city. This was mainly because they were related, although the detail of the relationship was not specified. The father of Kehinsi was Ajanla, a prominent warrior (general?). During war expeditions, Sangobiyi used to fight "in front of" Ajanla. (This meant he was a subordinate officer, maybe captain, in the army of Ajanla who was likely a general).

Ajanla was the one that acted on behalf of Oderinlo to delineate the jungle land which later became Oke Offa Atipe, between Sangobiyi, Kehinsi, Fagbenle and Kiyan.

COMMENTS:

What gave rise to the delineation of the land was not recorded in the notes. However, it was most likely related to war-faring activities. It could have been a gift (reward) from Oderinlo, the overall general, from his personal property to some of his valiant deputies or it may be the sharing of booty in respect of freshly conquered territory. Whatever the case, it appears obvious that even Ajanla who was Sangobiyi's direct superior, was himself a subordinate of Oderinlo. Similarly, the Gbáremú property was acquired via the agency of Ajanla for Oderinlo, presumably on a different occasion. The circumstances around the acquisition of the Bádékú property are not recorded. Likely, they too were acquired from spoils of war. However, it could also be that it was actually purchased or exchanged for some goods with some original owners. Aponrin/Oloba land?

Life at Ibadan

Right from the time at Ita Baálẹ̀, Sangobiyi started to cultivate the land at Oke Offa on a non-commercial level for family consumption only. He would go early in the morning and return in the evening. Thus he did regularly whenever there were no wars to prosecute.

It was also while lodging at Kehinsi's house that Sangobiyi met Mọnìkẹ́, his new first wife. Monike and her junior brother, Ọ̄láọ̀yìn, were living with an older relative of theirs named Akinosi. Monike was already fairly well advanced in age (probably late thirties/early forties) and had a history of her children repeatedly dying young (àbíkú). It was from the hand of Akinosi that Sangobiyi married Monike.

After Oderinlo died, Sangobiyi ceased war-faring and decided to devote his attention to Ifá divination. He was very skilled and became quite popular as babalawo (Ifa priest), reportedly having no equal in those days in Ibadan. He then started staying at the oko é̩gàn, instead of making one-day trips as before. In time he erected a house at the farm as well as took his wife, Monike, to be with him there. Sangobiyi also married a second wife, Sangoremi although the received records do not show the circumstances of that marriage.

It is pertinent to also stress that Sangobiyi was wholly a traditional religious worshiper who was devoted to multiple gods. These were mainly Sango, Ifa and Egúngún. His egúngún was named Kò-dúró-gbẹ́jọ́ (Gbẹ́jọ́ for short).

When Sangobiyi eventually died, the children of Monike inherited the property at Gbaremu while the children of Sangoremi received the Badeku property. Oke Offa retained its status as the headquarters of the family where Dalegan's compound stands till today.

The Dalegan Cognomen

"Dalegan" (actually Dálé̩gàn), which became the name by which Sangobiyi was mostly addressed started as mere nickname derived from "Dá Ifá l'é̩gàn" later abbrevated to the shorter name. This was because of his practice of spending extended periods at the jungle farm before returning home. So, whenever anyone asked after him at home, the usual response was, "Ń bẹ níbi tígbé n dá Ifá l'é̩gàn" ("He is where he is divining in the jungle"). Thus, did Dalegan become his preferred name, even among his friends and clients.

Descendants

The children that Monike bore for Sangobiyi were Adeniya, the firstborn, a set of twins who died young, Idowu Ẹ̀ṣọ́, Fagbohun aka Kẹ̀dọ̀ and Oduwaiye. Sangoremi too gave birth to Fagbire, Fadipe and Olaifa. It was through all these that the Dalegan family descended over the years to the big "house" that it became which is currently (early 2000s) in the ninth/tenth generation. Details of the progeny can be viewed in the formal family tree section of this site.

My Personal Lineage

This is the direct genealogy of Fikayo Adeyemo:

Sangobiyi (wife: Monike nee Akinosi) begot Adeniya;
Adeniya (wife: Olubi nee Aina Taditadi) begot Adewusi;
Adewusi (wife: Maria Oyayeyi nee Olubode) begot Joseph Adeyemo;
Adeyemo (wife: Oribunmi Abeo nee Akintayo) begot Daniel Adebayo
Adebayo (wife: Muriel Enilolobo nee Coker) begot Olufikayo Aderomolu (FIKAYO)

Tribal Marks

The tribal marks of the Dalegan family is the standard pélé (three evenly spaced vertical incisions on both cheeks). Most modern members of the family no longer have these marks although a few still retain the practice.

Family Praise Poem (Oriki)

Ìjí, ọmọ Arólú, ọmọ Sùmbọ̀
Ọmọ ajá kò wulẹ̀ gbó'ni
Ọmọ ènià kò wulẹ̀ rorò
Ọmọ Olúọgbà Alàó kò wulẹ̀ ya ṣoore mọ́
Ọmọ aráyé ló k'ọ́ba lóró
Ìgàn kìṣì ẹkùn
Ọmọ oníwà mọ̀ pé kò sunwọ̀n,
Ó rọ́jú ó ṣeé.
"Mo ṣeé!", "Mo ṣeé!", "Mo ṣeé!"
Ó ṣeé tan, ó d'aápọn.
Ọmọ yìn mí, yìn mí n yìnkin.
Ọmọ ọ̀gọ̀gọ̀ rumọ̀-rumọ̀;
Tí ó rumọ̀ láiyé tí ó tún rumọ̀ lọ́run.
Ará Iwó ọmọ Odò Ọbà.
Ọmọ Ọbà tó lu moore
Ìjí ọyẹ́ lù nwọ́n, a r'ókun;
Ìjí ọyẹ́ lù nwọ́n, a r'ọ́sà;
Ìjí ọyẹ́ lù nwọ́n, a r'Ọ̀yọ́-Ilé.
Adìgbẹgbẹ l'ẹran Ìgbẹ́tì, fọwọ́wọ́nú l'ẹran ----.
Ọmọ kò ṣ'ènìà kò ṣ'egúngún, ọmọ Ṣàngóbíyí.
Ará Ìgbẹ́tì ọmọ Ọlọ́yé̩ mọre.
Ọmọ òkun mé̩rìndínlógún.
Kò l'óbìrin kò jé̩ ó korin;
Kò r'oko kò jẹ̀'fà ilẹ̀!

Some Related Families

In addition to the Ajanla/Kehinsi relationship already mentioned in the main history, there are some other families which are closely related to the descendants of Sangobiyi, the most important of which are noted below (only down to the fourth generation):

1. Ọláọ̀yìn of Oke Offa Atipe
Sangobiyi's wife, Monike had two siblings: Oyewole Ọláọ̀yìn (male) and Wínjàyí (female). Odebode was their half brother from a different mother. They hailed from Olorisako household at Oranyan. Olaoyin too (like his sister) had reproductive problems (àbíkú) which Sangobiyi was able to cure as well. Monike then persuaded her husband to allow Olaoyin to continue staying with them at Oke Offa where he was allotted some land at the backside (ẹ̀hìnkùlé) of the Sangobiyi household. In time, more members of Olaoyin family joined them, and thus was the Olaoyin family established within Dalegan's compound till today.

2. Aina Táditàdi of Ita Baálẹ̀ Olugbode
Adeniya, Dalegan's firstborn, took his first wife, Olubi, from the family of Olugbode of Ita Baálẹ̀ Olugbode. Olubis's father was Aina Táditàdi, who had two other daughters (Fadéwẹ̀ and Poróyè) and a son, Fadéṣeré. Aina Taditadi bequeathed his property at Adeleye village to his three daughters. Olubi's portion of this land was therefore inherited by the two sons whom she had for Adeniya, i.e. Adewusi and Adeniji. Adewusi is the father of Alade, Adeyemo, Adeniyi and Adetayo (males) while Adeniji fathered Folorunso, Salami, Lawani Anjorin and others.

The only son of Aina Taditadi, Fadesere, died in war, but not before giving birth to a son, Òpóyadé aka Òkòkòyagi. One of Opoyade's children was Taiwo, female, whose mother was Inawusa. It was this Taiwo, being the great granddaughter of Aina Taditadi that married Ojo of Ekiti and gave birth to Comfort Wuraola and Esther Obafunke. Comfort married Adeogun of Iniṣa while Esther married Akinleye of Ibadan.
Summary: Olubi who was the wife of Adeniya was the senior sister of Fadesere, who was the maternal great grandfather of the Adeoguns and Akinleyes.

3. Olubode of Ọjà-Igbó
The first wife of Adewusi (son of Adeniya) was Ọyáyẹ̀yí Ọlá who was daughter of Olúbọ̀dé of Ọjà-Igbó. She converted to Christianity at Erunmu via Seventh-Day Adventist and took the name Maria. She was the mother of Alade, Adeyemo and Adeniyi. Summary: The Olubodes are cousins to descendants of Maria Ọyáyẹ̀yí Ọlá

4. Baale Akintayo
The relationship with Akintayo family is multi-faceted:

(a) One of General Akintayo's wives was Eyioriwi, captured during battle with Aigberi, her hometown. Akintayo (not yet Baálẹ̀) freed her and married her. One of Eyioriwi's children was Duroorike Oribunmi who married Adeyemo, son of Adewusi, and gave birth to Daniel Adebayo.

(b) Another daughter of Akintayo, named Aramide, married Adeniji, son of Adewusi although the union was childless.

(c) Yet another daughter of Akintayo, Awawu, had a daughter named Alimatu who later became the wife of Isamatu, son of Buraimah Adetayo, son of Adewusi through the second wife, Efundoyin.

The Oke Offa Atipe Neighbours

As noted previously, the Kehinsis, Kiyans and the Fagbenlas of Oke Offa Atipe are neigbhours with the Dalegan family by virtue of joint land acquisition from Baale Oderinlo via Ajanla. Therefore, it will not be surprising that intermarriages will abound between such close families.



1. Sangobiyi - founder and first Baálé
2. Idowu Ẹ̀ṣọ́, son of Sangobiyi
3. Oduwaiye, son of Sangobiyi
4. Fadipe, son of Sangobiyi
5. Adeniji, son of Adeniya
6. Adediran, son of Idowu Ẹ̀ṣọ́
7. Buraimah Adetayo, son of Adewusi
8. Daniel Adebayo, son of Adeyemo
9. Nurudeen Taiwo



Daniel Adebayo Ayinde Adeyemo was born 28 January, 1920 at Ibadan to Pa Joseph Adeyemo of Dalegan's compound, Oke-Offa, Atipe, Ibadan and Madam Duroorike Oribunmi Abeo Adeyemo who themselves died in 1958 and 1934 respectively. His mother, Duroorike, was the daughter of Baale Akintayo of Beere. Adebayo was the second child of the union who became eldest son because the first son, Adejare, died in infancy. Adebayo grew up with siblings Asimowu (daughter of Duroorike from a previous marriage), Modupe, Yinyinola, Emiola and Ebunoluwa.

Adebayo started his life on the farm as was quite common in those days. However, for him, this did not mean the absence of education. His father exploited the opportunity of "Bush Schools" available then to enroll him in 1930. By 1933 he was already in Standard III and left the village school to continue his education at St. Peter's School, Aremo, Ibadan under the Headmastership of the renown J. K. Olukoya. Coming from the village, he was made to repeat Standard III and by 1936 he moved to Mapo Central School via which he eventually completed both Std VI and the Government VI in 1938.

Between 1939 and 1942, he was engaged as a pupil teacher first at St. Andrew's School, Igbo Elerin and then at St. Peter's School, Aremo.

In 1943, at the over-ripe age of 23, he entered the Baptist Boys' High School, Abeokuta and was there till 1946 when he sat for, and passed the Cambridge School Certificate examination.

WORK/CAREER

After secondary school, Adebayo joined the public service in 1947 as Agricultural Assistant III. In January 1948, he started a two-year in-service course at the School of Agriculture, Moore Plantation, Ibadan and obtained the Certificate of Agriculture in December, 1949. Between 1949 and 1959, he moved up many steps in his career to become a Senior Agricultural Superintendent.

Between February and May, 1962, he was at the State of Israel for a three-month course in Farm Settlement and again, in 1969, he proceeded to the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada for a two-year course in Farm Management which he passed with a placement on the Dean's Honour Roll.

He became an Agricultural Officer in 1972 and voluntarily retired from service in December, 1979 as a Principal Agricultural Officer

Notable Career Assignments/Achievements

During his service period, he was fortunate to be directly connected with some of the important agricultural projects of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Conspicuous among these were:

Farm Institutes
On behalf of the regional goverNment, he acquired the land for the Ikorodu Farm Institute (now in Lagos State) and gave it a good footing before his transfer to other important projects.

Farm Settlements On his return from Israel in 1962, he was made a Circle Settlement Officer (for the organisation and management of Farm Settlements) in the then Abeokuta Circle comprising Abeokuta, Ijebu colony and Egbado Divisions. He had to establish a few of these settlements from the scratch. After Abeokuta, he did a similar work as Circle Settlement Officer for Ibadan.

Crop Enumeration Duties Consequent on his honest handling of the crop enumeration duties of his own area of the State, he was charged with the responsibility of all the crop enumeration duties for the whole of the then Western State prior to the creation of Oyo, Ondo and Ogun states. With this opportunity, he created the Crop Enumeration Section of the Ministry and at the same time made it a revenue-yielding section. The revenue was derived from professional services rendered to the commercial business clients of the Ministry.

Investigation of Assets He was also appointed as a "Qualified Person" to investigate the Agricultural Assets of some public servants being probed by the Military Government of the then Western State by Military Governor Col. David Jemibewon. He did his best with this delicate assignment.

FAMILY LIFE

Adebayo got married in 1950 and was blessed with eleven children, one of which preceded him in death.

Spouses
1. Peninah Osikominu (m. 1950-1955)
2. Muriel Enilolobo Coker (m. 1955-1971)
3. Elizabeth Adetola (m. 1981-2001).

Children
The children are Mrs Adetoke Ojuri, Pastor Olukunmi Adeyemo, Mrs Adedunni Owolabi, Rev. Dr. Fikayo Adeyemo, Mrs Aderiyike Adekanmbi, Mr Oluduro Adeyemo, Miss Oluyomi Adeyemo, Mrs Olutomi Jayeoba, Mr Olurokantan Adeyemo, Miss Olufolahan Adeyemo and Mr Adetayo Adeyemo.

On the extended family side, he was installed as the Mogaji (Family Head) of the Dalegan family in 1972, thus becoming a Chief of Ibadanland.

RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL LIFE

Both parents of Adebayo were devout Christians who feared God and shunned all forms of idolatry (a difficult stand in their time). Adebayo was brought up under such parents and he himself endeavoured to bring his own children up in the word of truth. Nevertheless, he did not limit himself to the provisions of the received faith but also sought various benefits from other spiritual sources including traditional practices and Roscicrucianism.

Throughout his life, Adebayo was a member of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter (formerly St. Peter's Anglican Church), Aremo, Ibadan. He was a founding member of the Youth Christian League society in the church which was later renamed Christian League when the members realised they could no longer truthfully refer to themselves as "Youth" anymore!

He participated actively in Church activities and was a regular worshipper.

SOCIAL LIFE AND HOBBIES

In his lifetime, Adebayo kept friends, associates and acquaintances of similar convictions and values. He thoroughly abhorred all shades of dishonesty and corruption and would not suffer elements of such ilk in his company.

He availed himself of such forms of entertainment contemporary with his time, which he considered morally acceptable and moderate. In his younger years, he went to dances, collected records of different musicians from Everly Brothers and Rex Lawson to Ojoge Daniel, and attended responsible social outings. Although Adebayo did not pander to the fashion of his time, yet he was fashionable. His principle of moderation notwithstanding, he believed in quality, though not extravagant, dressing for all occasions.

Among his hobbies, two stood out clearly: photography and game hunting. He invested heavily in photography - keeping at least two good cameras at any given time with all accesories. in fact, about seventy-five percent of family photographs in his house were directly facilitated by him with his photographic equipment.

Adebayo voted in all the democratic dispensations Nigeria experienced in his lifetime but he completely shunned party politics. He was an active member of the Ibadan Progressive Union until his agility dwindled on account of age. He however remained an elder member of the Union until he died on the 14th of November, 2001.