Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed how the assassinated Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed made Abeokuta the Ogun State capital.
Obasanjo was the second in command to Muhammed who was killed in a coup led by Col Buka Sukar Dimka in 1976.
He spoke in Abeokuta at the induction ceremony and gala night of Egba Legacy Network, held at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, where he disclosed how he confronted his boss to make Abeokuta the state capital.
The former President recalled that Ijebu leaders in Ogun East Senatorial District lobbied Muhammed to locate the capital in Sagamu.
In his words: “When we wanted to establish Ogun State, our brothers from Ijebu did their exercise very well. They said we don’t have land and they campaigned against the capital of the state being cited in Abeokuta. When we got to the table of discussion, they said Sagamu should be headquarters of Ogun State.
“This place we called Ogun State, before 1932, was named Abeokuta Province, including Ijebu. When Ijebu Province was to be established, it was the DO that was in Ijebu.
“They said we didn’t have land, that was why it is called Abeokuta. My boss then, Murtala Muhammed, had been briefed and he had agreed that Sagamu should be the state capital, and said we were going that way. I then told him that since we were going to have Kano State, Rago would be the Kano State capital.
“He attacked me that how dare me, I said, ‘How you too’. That was how we ended the discussion.”
Obasanjo charged the leadership of Egba Legacy Network to trace the historical background of the ancient Abeokuta cities and ensure that notable personalities involved in the development of Egbaland were given recognition in their heritage tourist project.
He urged them to take advantage of Abeokuta’s proximity to Lagos by ensuring that the ancient town becomes a tourist attraction.
Earlier, the Osi Apagunpote of Egbaland and Chairman of the Egba Legacy Network, Chief Lai Labode Jnr., said the motive of the association was to retain the good memories of Egba culture, tradition, and past and present heroes of Egbaland.
According to him, part of the projects the group wanted to embark upon is the Egba history and heritage areas where the statues of iconic Egba sons and daughters like Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, Prof. Saburi Biobaku, Madam Efunroye Tinubu, Fela Anikulapo, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chief MKO Abiola, Ayinla Omowura and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo would be engraved to beautify the towns.
Labode highlighted Ibara GRA, Oke-Mosan-Kobape expressway, and Alake Palace as areas that will witness the first phase of the historic turnaround.
He explained that the group, made up of professional like-minds, was founded 18 months ago to unify all Egba sons and daughters of all social networks both at home and in the diaspora.
He charged the new inductees to live up to expectations and join hands with the leaders of the group and Egbaland to facilitate a development roadmap that will beautify the town.
