In the book, Ìwé Ìtàn Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́, the author established that Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ grew rapidly while the wars were still going on. When peace returned, some of the towns and villages went back to where they came from, but aside from those who returned, many people from Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ set out for far distances in search of trade and money.
Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ young men are excellent traders; they sometimes had no business in their own town but abroad, away from home. They never felt lazy or afraid; wherever there was good trade, they were ready to go, however dangerous the road might be. Two places stood out the most, where Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́s could mostly be found in the early 20th century, Jos and the Gold Coast (Ghana).
With great determination, Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ men trekked all the way to Jos, moving mostly toward the North, long before the Bida–Wushishi–Zungeru–Kaduna–Kafanchan–Kuru–Terminus (Jos) railway network existed.
They didn’t just stay in Jos; they moved on to Bukuru, Mubi, Bauchi, Kaduna, Zaria, Gombe, Kano, and as far as Maiduguri. The trade kept improving, and conditions were as pleasing as taking one’s Ẹ̀kọ with sugar drops.
It’s entirely possible to find natives of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ trading at the ends of the earth; and any place you get to where you can’t find a single person from Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ also living there, I beg you, think twice before you settle.
Ìwé Ìtàn Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ was first published in 1934, printed right here in Jos by Niger Press, and an English translation followed a few years later as History of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́. It was written by the first Nigerian professor and scion of the famous Ilé-Ìgbàgbọ́ in Ìsàlẹ̀-Àfọ̀n, Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́, Professor (Chief) Hon. Nathaniel Dúrójaré Oyèrìndé, OBE, MFR.
Beyond writing what remains the official early history of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́, Prof. Oyèrìndé founded the Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ Progressive Union in 1912, the same body that would later evolve into what we now know as Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ Parapo, was instrumental in establishing some of the town’s earliest schools, and represented Oyo/ Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ Provinces in Nigeria’s Federal Legislative Council.
This book, Ìwé Ìtàn Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ is one of the earliest Yorùbá history books. At a time when most of our history was being written by foreigners, historians like Prof. N.D. Oyèrìndé took it upon themselves to document our own story.
I first came across the book in 2017, when Ọba Prof. John Akinọlá Akíntọ́lá (Fágbọdún Olúmọ̀mí III), the Alápà of Ọ̀kín-Àpà, lent me his copy while I was working on a historical project for the now-defunct My Woven Words. I returned the book reluctantly and searched everywhere for a copy afterward, to no avail.
The book was originally published in Jos, another quiet indication of the strong bond between Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ and Jos. When I moved to Jos myself, I asked everyone, including my boss, but nobody knew anything about Niger Press anymore. So, when I heard that the Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ Community Foundation (OCF) had reprinted the book, I was overjoyed and immediately asked for copies to be sent to Jos.
The book takes each Ṣọ̀ún from Ògúnlọ́lá Ògúndìran to Báálẹ̀ Oyèwùmí Ajagungbadé II (1916–1940), who was the reigning Ṣọ̀ún when the book was first published. Prof. N.D. Oyèrìndé was himself made the Ọ̀tún Báálẹ̀ in 1936, a title I’m not sure anyone occupied before or after him.
Another unique thing about the book is that it carries the oríkì of each Báálẹ̀, from Ṣọ̀ún Ògúnlọ́lá Ògúndìran to Báálẹ̀ Oyèwùmí Ajagungbadé II. Most history books don’t follow this pattern, and it’s part of why I love this one so much, especially as the culture of oríkì is gradually dying. As it fades, so too does that of Ìjálá, and the quality of chants like those of Ọ̀jọ̀gbọ́n Ògúndáre Fọ́yánmu is becoming rarer. Ọ̀jọ̀gbọ́n Oníjálá Fọ́yánmu rendered a great deal of those oríkì in the book beautifully.
Let me use this medium to give a shout-out to Jossy Apala, please keep up the good work. I always enjoy your content on TikTok.
Two years ago, my good friend Àyánkọ́lá Àyánwuyì and I began working on a documentary titled “A Road From Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ to Jos.” It tells the beautiful story of how Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ people found a second home in Jos. We will hold private screenings of the documentary in Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ and Jos in the first week of September.
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