A reflection on my father: Oba John Adetoyese Laoye, architect of modern day Ede

When you talk about Art and Culture in Nigeria, the name of Oba John Adetoyese Laoye, late Timi of Ede who died 50 years ago, (1975,) after ruling for almost 30 years (1946 1975) rings more than a bell because of the roles he played, in the promotion of the Art and culture in Nigeria, especially in the display and exhibition of talking drum, both in Nigeria and abroad.

His dexterity and passion for Art and culture in his life time, could not be measured as he was fully committed to it, till he breath his last, as he was seen at the Sigma club at the University of Ibadan, displaying the traditional dance steps, to thrill the audience, few weeks to his demise. This showed how much he loved his culture.

Oba Laoye was a traditional ruler and prominent figure in the Western Nigerian House of Chiefs, who humbled himself in making sure that Nigeria’s name is today, stamped among nations in Africa and the entire world, regarding the cultural heritage of his dear country.

Today, his historical signature tune with the talking drum, for the Nigerians Broadcasting Service( Now Radio Nigeria) to welcome the Queen of England to Ibadan, the Capital of the Western Region……”This is Nigeria Broadcasting service” (Original meaning) which was later translated to different meanings, such as, Bolubadan Baku tanio Joye, Ojogede dudu inu taboun, Eko je Ibadan lowo thirteen thousand, Ninu Ikoko dudu Latinsebe etc, still stands and acknowledged today which is also boosting the image of the station here in Nigeria and abroad. This also added to Oba Laoye’s greatness in the display of his expertise in the art of drumming, (talking drum).

He took the art of drumming beyond Nigeria, to the United States of America, Canada, Cuba Brazil and the Caribbeans and this earned him the position of a visiting lecturer, in some of the Universities in the United States of America.

It was also on record that he was instrumental to the department of Art and Culture at the University of Nigeria, Nsuka, where the art of talking drum was taught by his Nephew Olalekan, before the Civil War, when he could no longer travel to Nsuka due to his tight schedule at home and the states affairs in the Western Region as a foremost traditional ruler.

Oba John Adetoyese Laoye

It was believed that his initiatives also brought about the department of Art and culture into the Ministry of Information, which later became the Ministry of Information, Art and Culture in the then Western Region, which was adopted by the Federal government and now a full fledge Ministry, carved out of the Information Ministry in many States of the Federation.

It will not also be out of place or an exaggeration, to say that Oba Laoye brought glamour to the art of talking drum which, has now caught the attention and the attractions of our youths today, using it as a means of livelihood.

Oba Laoye was not only an expert in drumming, he was able to displayed and demonstrated, the power, connected to communicating with talking drum and the names of all the drums, how they are made and what each of the drums stands for, when they are used, either during the war, marriages and sending signals to people at far distance because the sound of a talking drum as he explained, during his lectures to tourists who visited his palace, travels as far as 5 miles and even more.

Regarding the nation’s cultures, especially that of Yoruba people in the South Western Nigeria, his palace was always a tourist attraction and even first port of call by Europeans, Americans tourists, scholars and researchers, across the globe, who wanted to learn about our cultures. That was why a renowned scholar and researcher, Ulibair and Wife Susan Wenger who later became Adunni Iya Orisa an ardent Osun Osogbo worshiper and who uplifted the Osun Osogbo grove, first landed in Ede and they were accomodated by Oba Adetoyese Laoye in his palace.

It was in Ede during the reign of Oba Laoye that the couple first learnt about Osun daity and how it is worshipped.
Although worshipping Osun is now synonymous with Osogbo where it has turned to a yearly festival, known as Osun Osogbo.
Osun is also worshipped in Ede and it is also a yearly festival but not as glamourous as that of Osogbo.

Also one other festival which Ulibair and Susan Wenger lernt from Ede during the reign of Oba Laoye was Sango worshipping, which is a major fesival in Ede up till today. That is why the Sango (Known as god of thunder) shrine is firmly located at the Timi’s Palace in Ede as a tourist centre. Sango is a yearly festival which the people of Ede cherished so much because it has a deep history with the town, especially, how Timi Agbale Olofaina came to Ede from Oyo, during the reign of Sango as the Alaafin of Oyo.

His role in the Unity of Nigeria:
For the unification of Nigeria as a nation, Oba Laoye played a prominent role as he was one of the architects and movers of inter Regional Unity and collaborations among the traditional rulers in Nigeria in the 70s.
This quest took him to all parts of Nigeria in consultations with his fellow traditional rulers in Maiduguri, Borno, where he met the then Shehu of Borno in 1971, Emir of Katsina Alhaji Usman Nagogo, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ardo Bayero, Etsu of Nupe at that time, Obi of Onitsha, the ruler in Jos, the Emir of Ilorin and others, across Nigeria. (All visits done between 1971 and 1972)

It would even be recalled that when the Olu of Warri Ogiame Erejuwa 11 was deposed in 1964 he took refuge in Ede at the palace of Oba Laoye being his good friend and left Ede when he was reinstated back to the throne after the Military Coup of 1966.

One would wonder how Oba Laoye was able to achieve this unification move of the traditional rulers in Nigeria.This was based on his diverse connections he had with people of different ethic Nationalities, while he was a chemist with the Federal government, which took him to many towns, cities and villages across Nigeria. He worked in, Lagos, Jos, now Capital of Plateau State, where he even built a house at the present Stadium Road, Bauchi, the Volcado, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Onitsha, Kano, Kauranamoda, Minna Akure where he got a message from a white garment Church, that he would be the king of his town and Ibadan Jericho Nursing home, where the prophesy of becoming a king was fulfilled in 1945.

In the course of his duty as a chemist with the government, late Oba Adeyinka Oyekan was one of his Juniors and apprentice, as they called them then.

In fact, one of the most remarkable experience in his career as a chemist was being among the medical personel who established the present day General Hospital in Maiduguri in 1928. That was why during his visit to Maiduguri on his unification tour, the staff of the hospital gave him a lavish reception.
While in Maidigiri as well, he was said to be instrumental to the encouragement of the education of many Indigenes and amongst them, was the late Alhaji Habba Habib, who acknowledged this, when Oba Laoye visted Maiduguri in 1972 and that was why he always referred to some of Oba Laoye’s childen who lived in Maiduguri, especially Late Col David Bankole Laoye who was a Brigade Major and Prince Olusesan Laoye, was at the State’s Ministry of Justice, as his own children.
Alhaji Habba Habib was also one of the indigenes who organized a big reception for Oba Laoye when he was in Maiduguri where he spent more time than other places, he visited, during his unification tour of traditional rulers in Nigeria.

Political contribution:
On the political scene in Nigeria, he was one of the traditional rulers in the Western Region who stood by Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Premier of the Region.
Despite that, he still remained a detribalised monarch whose influence cut across the entire Nigeria, based on the relationship he had built for himself, while he was in government service, when he went round the country as a government chemist.

He was a good friend of the North, East, Middle Belt and the South South. He was a linguist, who spoke Hausa fluently, Kanuri, Ibiobio, Effic, Calabari, Itshekiri and he never did away with French which he learnt, while at the Baptist Academy in Lagos for his Cambridge Certificate and Kings College also in Lagos, where he did his Higher level Certificate, before he became a government chemist.

His career and education, influenced greatly, his associations with the shakers and movers in both the political and business circles in Nigeria. That was one of the attributes that the Federal Government found in him when he was included among the traditional rulers in Nigeria, who was on a peace mission during the Aburi meeting between the then Federal government of General Yakubu Gowon and the Biafran Leaders to avert the the civil war.

It would also be recalled that Oba Oba Laoye’s relationship with General Gowon was so cordial because of his earlier relationship with the Paschi people while working in Jos and this made Oba Laoye to name one of his grandson Gowon Adebayo Laoye, after the former Head of State and late Governor of the Western State, General Adeyinka Adebayo

On the Home scene Ede:
Oba Laoye was regarded as the architect of the present day Ede.
Apart from making sure that Ede was known politically with his influence with political figures in Nigeria, and as a strong member of the Western Nigeria House of Chiefs, he also made sure that those representing Ede politically, are men of integrity and this gave the town the political relevance and heights it has today.

He made sure that all political parties and those in them had a say in the affairs of the town.
As a man who had foresight, it was hard for whoever wanted to play politics in Ede to succeed without his backing and endorsement because he knew where to press the botton at the top.

He was instrumental to how the Adelekes got into politics. Late Pa Ayoola Adeleke was so much loved by Oba Laoye and being very close to Chief Awolowo, he was always in his company preparing him to take over from Chief Adejare, who was representing Ede in the National Assembly and Chief Saka Layonu, who was a Minister.

Oba Laoye saw the potential in Chief Yoola Adeleke whom he convinced to relocate to Ede from the Eastern Nigeria and made him his Balogun. It was therefore easy for Oba Loye to integrate his Balogun, a trade Unionist, who he had positioned into the political family of the Progressives, of Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was his friend.
This connection was however a great asset for Chief Ayoola Adeleke, the father of Senator Adetunji, Isiaka Adeleke the first Executive Governor of Osun State and the present Governor of the State Senator Ademola Jackson Adeleke, when he joined the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), which Chief Awolowo was a leader to contest into the red chambers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

When you talk about the expanse of land and Ede territories today, it was Oba Laoye who single handedly with his hard earned resources and pension, especially resources, from his overseas trips on his display of talking drum, who fought and financed the litigations up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, to acquire all the Lands belonging to Ede.
These areas include Abere in Ede North Local government where the present Osun State Secretariat is situated and the whole of Okepupa, which has now been carved out as Federal Territory by the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

Creation of Osun Division:
Oba Laoye was among the traditional rulers who fought for the creation of that Division.
Others with him are the Olokuku of Okuku Oba Oyinlola, father of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola who was a former governor of Osun State, Oba Adenle, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Ayeni, the Orangun of Ila, Akirun of Ikirun, Oluwo of Iwo the Soun of Ogbomoso and others.
The Division metamorphosed to the present Osun State, along with Ife Ijesha.

Education in his domain Ede:
The late Oba, was instrumental to the establishment of Timi Agbale Grammar School, (mixed), which was founded by Chief Olu Falegan from Ado Ekiti. Oba Laoye provided his personal building, which had previously been used for the first hospital in Ede for the smooth take off of the School. Other institutions he influenced are, Seventh Day Adventist Grammar School, Baptist High School, Baptist College, which now housed the Federal Polytechnic Ede, the Queens School which later moved to Ibadan, and replaced with the Headquarters of the Nigerian Army Engineering Construction Regiment (ECR), ST Kizitto, the Catholic Semiary High School and first and foremost, the Local Authority Modern School, now named after him, as Oba Laoye High School.

Religion:
He was a traditional ruler loved by his people who embraced all religions, traditional, Islam, and Christianity.
He contributed greatly to the promotion of all these religions and being a devoted christian, he never discriminated against any.
However, his christian life, encouraged the establishments of many churches in Ede and environs.
It was even the religious aspects of his life that encouraged the establishment of many Mosques and churches of different denominations.
This also brought him in close contact with Chief Aboderin the grand father of Chief Olu Oboderin the Publisher of the Punch Newspapers, who himself lived in Ede as a child who was presented with a white horse by Oba Laoye being a very young boy, who was very inquisitive and always in the palace with him.
Chief Olu Aboderin’s grand father had a history with Ede being the motivator of ST Peters Anglican Church, and Primary School both the first in Ede.
It was in Ede that the Cocoa and other businesses of Chief Olu Aboderin’s grand father strived and this gave him the financial backing along with others to establish the church and primary school, all at Oke Egan Ede.

Health Sector in Ede:
Being a phamacist and a person who had worked in many hospitals across Nigeria, he felt the need for Ede to have a hospital where his people could receive medical services at affordable rates and this made him, along with his friend Ejinrinde, a native of Ire, in Osun State, who was a nurse and whom they both worked together at Jericho Nursing Home, Ibadan, to established the first medical centre in Ede named Ella Nursing Home and Maternity, coined from their two saw names Ejirinde/ Laoye.
Since there was no other place they could used and Oba Laoye had moved to the palace, he volunteered his own two personal storey buildings at Elerin for the clinic.
This was where the people of the town were receiving treatment either free or at subsidized rates.
As a king, he always had time to assist in the hospital, rendering his services as a chemist and mostly dispensing drugs for patients free of charge especially, for those who could not afford the expensive ones at that time.

Despite the fact that he had his own clinic and when the Local government Authority Maternity and Dispensary came into existence, he was always there too, using his wide experince as number one chemists, not minding his status as a king, to supervised them there, for efficiency and ensured that the place, was well managed. He did this till he died in 1975.

In the aspect of communication, power and Water for his people, Oba Laoye ensured that when the the Western Nigeria government of Chief Awolowo established Redefusion service in the Region and for his people to be abreast with activities of government and to be enlightened, about events all over the world, from programmes, news items and educational materials being dished out through the Redefusion, he single handedly with his own money, purchased over 200 Redefusion boxes, which he distributed to people in the town and made sure that all his Chiefs got theirs.
He even went round and persuaded prominent people who could afford it to get theirs, in their homes and for the children of their neighbours who could not afford one, to have access to it.
This initiative made Ede to be ahead of other towns in the area and that was one of the factors that motivated indigenes of Ede to be politically enlightened and get fully involved in politics, which the town is benefiting from today.
On the provision of water and Electricity in Ede, Oba Laoye used his influence at the top to ensure that Ede became one of the towns around it, to have electricity as he was said to have personally paid for some people in the town to have Electricity installed in their homes while he made sure that street lights were places in strategic locations of the town, especially at the junctions.

This also went for the provision of water in the town and using the advantage of Erinle water which was Dammed for provision of pipe born water and Hydro Electricity which served Ede, and other major towns in the area.

Oba Laoye touched many lives and institutions. He has left a legacy both in Nigeria and Ede, where he reigned for 30 years. His records of achievements are yet to be met and that is why today, his name and reign remains indelible in the minds of his people who ascribes to him, the architect of the modern day Ede.