08/06/2026
"Confederacy! I maintain that Owu in Abeokuta are in Egbaland, but Owu are not Egba." -Orunto Owu Kingdom
This position is not a rejection of our historic relationship with the Egba groups, nor does it diminish our contributions to the building, defence, and development of Abeokuta and Egbaland. Rather, it is an affirmation of our distinct historical identity as Owu people.
Owu existed as a kingdom, a people, and a civilisation long before the establishment of Abeokuta. Our migration history, royal institution, traditions, customs, dialectical peculiarities, and cultural heritage remain intact and unwavering. Participation in a confederacy does not erase identity; it strengthens cooperation while preserving individuality.
The nineteenth-century confederate arrangement that brought together Ake, Oke-Ona, Gbagura, Owu, and others was founded on mutual respect and collective interest. A confederacy, by its very nature, is a union of distinct peoples working together for common purposes without surrendering their separate heritage.
Therefore, Owu's place in Egbaland should be understood within the context of partnership, contribution, and shared destiny, not cultural absorption. We are proud members of the larger Egbaland community, yet we remain proudly and distinctly Owu.
Our identity is intact. Our culture is alive. Our traditions endure. Our history remains our own, even as we continue to contribute to the progress and unity of the land we share with our neighbours.
This framing asserts Owu identity firmly while acknowledging the historical reality of cooperation and coexistence within Egbaland.
-Chief Abiodun Oladimeji Lasile DL MnbR.
Orunto Baalufe Owu Kingdom Abeokuta.