THE HISTORY OF IPAKODO KINGDOM IN IKORODU WEST LCDA ®™√ INN Nigeria ©

Ipakodo was founded over five hundred (500) years ago by Sekumade, son or Loba Koyelu, the 6″ Akarigbo of Remo. Sekumade, a hunter had in one of his hunting expeditions sighted an Elephant that he shot and killed.

The place where the Elephant fell was very close to the Lagoon and when Sekumade saw the Lagoon, he was amazed and believed that he had seen the place where Earth and Heaven met.

Sekumade went back to Orile Offin, present-day Sagamu to inform his father, the Great and respected King Koyelu, the 6th Akarigbo of Orile Offin (Shagamu) about his conquest and his desire to settle there. In accepting his request, Oba Koyelu said to his son “lo pa oko ki o do” (meaning “go and clear the bush and settle”). That was how Ipakodo derived her name.

The place is still called Ipakodo today, and now in the present-day Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area. Having assigned Ipakodo to Sekumade, King Koyelu then decided to share the rest of the parcel of land belonging to him amongst his other children. Koyelu gave birth to Eight(8) children namely Oga, Lasunwon, Sekumade, Olaadepo, Anoko, Ogbonyari, Igimisoje and Otutubiosun. Oga and his immediate sibling, Lasunwon stayed at the centre and were thus regarded as co-founders of Ikorodu.

It was very unfortunate that Oga had no issue. Sekumade settled where the Elephant fell towards the seaside and founded Ipakodo; Ola Adepo was allowed Owutu; Gberigbe Owa was assigned to Anoko who later returned to Shagamu.

Ogbonyari settled in Gberigbe Remade. Igbokuta bequeathed to gimisoje while Otutubiosun got lgbopabut and also returned to Shagamu. Sekumade settled at ARAROMI QUARTERS, meaning this place is peaceful for me and he made the headquarters from where he administered Ipakodo land.

Sekumade ruled Ipakodo for a long time, he was succeeded by his son Shiwoloye reigned after Muleruwa. Upon the death of Mabeweje, father of Shogun, Shogun succeeded and ruled for a long time. He died in 1867, two years after the Egba Invasion of Ikorodu in 1865.

On his death in 1867, his son Apena Jimbo succeeded and ruled Ipakodo till 1928 when he joined his ancestors. Aminu Ajasa succeeded him in 1928 and ruled for only five (5) years as he answered the call of his ancestors in 1933. Amodu Rufai ascended to the rulership of Ipakodo in 1933, and he joined his ancestors in 1940 and was succeeded by Jinadu Shotonwa as the Ruler of Ipakodo.

He ruled for only six(6) years and in 1946 he joined his ancestors Kasali Gbako succeeded him as the new ruler and answered the call of his ancestors in 1957. In 1957, Sule Jimbo ascended to the rulership of Ipakodo and he ruled till he joined his ancestors in 1978.

He was succeeded by Oba L. R. Hassan Jimbo in 1979. He ruled Ipakodo and brought great development until he also joined his ancestors in May 1999. Óba Engr. Basiru Aremu Sotonwa Oshomekun II ascended to the rulership of the Ipakodo kingdom in 2018. The jurisdiction boundary between Ipakodo and Ikorodu is the ORIYA STREAM, along the Ipakodo-Ikorodu road.

The boundary along lgbogbo is Abule Alfa up to Igbo-Agbowa road and Olu-Modo, Igbelefun South-East. The boundary between Ipakodo and Owutu is the Mologede stream while the boundary between Ipakodo and Ibeshe is Molatori Village.

Sekumade and their descendants had been in firm control of Ipakodo since its inception over 500 years ago. There had been the acquisition of parcels of land by the State and Federal Government for Public use.

Some beneficiaries’ agencies are Government Reservation Area (GRA I), Palapo, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Nigeria Mining Corporation, Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, Ebute-lpakodo, Lagos State Ferry Terminal among others Araromi, Malete, Abule-Onigo, Italian, Ebute-Iga, Oke Church, Ebute-Oja.

QUARTERS; Osugbo, Awo-Opa (ljinla Confraternity) Egungun, Oro, Igunnuko.

FESTIVALS; CHRISTIANITY (Oke Odo), ISLAM (Leya & Itunnu Awe)

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT; Nigeria Port Authority, Lagos State Ferry Terminal, Voice of Nigeria (V.O.N), Newly Rehabilitated Oba Sekumade Road.