Timi Abibu Lagunju

Timi Abibu Lagunju was an eminent Yoruba monarchs and leaders of the 19th century. He made history not only as the first Muslim Timi that Ede produced, he also belonged to the first generation of Yoruba Muslims who held high political office in the pre-colonial era and who used their positions to enhance the growth of his town, Ede and his religion, Islam. Indeed, Abibu Lagunju was also the first Muslim Oba in Yorubaland given the fact that he was already on the throne for a few years when, in November 1857, the American Baptist Missionary, Reverend W.H. Clarke, visited Ede. This position is further buttressed by the fact that other Yoruba Muslim strongholds only produced their Muslim Obas at a much later date: Lamuye of Iwo in 1860, Momodu Latoosa of Ibadan in 1871, Iyanda Oloko of Epe in 1875, Ewi Aladesanmi Ajimudaoro of Ado Ekiti in 1892, Aseyin "Noo" (Nuruddin) of Iseyin in 1895, Alaafin Lawani Agogoja of New Oyo in 1905 and Awujale Adeona Fusigboye of Ijebu-Ode in 1906. Lagunju was certainly a force to reckon with in the history of Islam in Ede.

Timi Lagunju also deserves historical attention because he was certainly one of the most outstanding personalities and warrior-rulers of the 19th century Yorubaland. He knew personally and was well acquainted with most Yoruba military, political and religious leaders of note between 1840 and 1900. Lagunju's era is also worthy of study because he was the most enigmatic Timi to have ruled Ede since the 19th century till date. He set the record of being the only Timi to have been dethroned thrice, got himself reinstated twice but eventually lost out on the third count.

Timi Abibu (Sangolami) (O)lagunju was born before 1817 to the Oduniyi-Olagunju royal household of Ede, the descendant of Lalemo dynasty in Osun State. He was given the name Sangolami by his parents who were Sango (god of thunder) devotees because his birth was bizarre as he held a thunder stone in his left hand and a piece of paper with Qur'anic inscription on it in his right hand. This prompted the family, as it was practice among the Yoruba in those days to consult the Ifa oracle whenever a baby was born to the family, especially with strange event. The Oduniyi-Olagunju family consulted the oracle and they were told that the boy would be a ruler and added a clause that he would switch his father’s traditional religion to a strange religion of Arab. This prophecy angered the reigning Timi then, so he ordered that the boy be beheaded, but his father Oduniyi prevented that to happen. In his youth, he left Ede for Ilorin where he embraced Islam. When he returned to Ede, he drew opposition from some residents in Ede and he moved to a location far from the main centre of the town. In the new location, he practised Islam with a few other adherents. It is on record that despite his many travail, he remained the longest serving Timi, having reigned for 60 years before he died at a ripe age of 90 years.

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