By Femi Kehinde Last updated Mar 13, 2018
Òkè-Àdó, popularly referred as Títì Òkè-Àdó, is better appreciated when you enter the road from its very first beginning; i.e. from the Ìbàdàn railway station, that started to function in 1901, to the under the bridge of Mọ̀lété. Títì Òkè-Àdó can easily be divided into three chunks or laps, the first noticeable lap or chunk is the one from the railway station to the Okè-Bọ́là end, at the Cathedral Church of Saint James’ Okè-Bọ́là, which was established in 1860, terminating at the house of Chief Ọbafẹ́mi Awolọ́wọ̀ and the second chunk, the main Òkè-Àdó, up to the Saint Theresa’s College and Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church, and the other chunk from the UMC College, terminating at the popular Mọ̀lété Roundabout.
In those good old days, nobody thought about the three chunks. It was simply Títì Òkè-Àdó, with noticeable landmarks to show how far one had gone on the Títì Òkè-Àdó. From this long stretch, a number of prominent roads and streets also veered off the Títì Òkè-Àdó – the Agbeni/Ògùnpa Junction, the Seventh Day Junction, the Fọ̀kọ̀ Junction, the Liberty Junction, the Ajanla Road, the Osasami Junction, the Ìmàlefálàáfíà Junction, the Peoples’ Girls’ Grammar School street, and so many other streets that took their prominence from the Títì Òkè-Àdó. It was Ìbàdàn’s epicentre. When you enter Títì Òkè-Àdó from the railways, you will be intimidated by the enchanting sight of the 25 storey Cocoa House, then known as Ilé Àwọn Àgbẹ̀ – the first skyscraper in Nigeria, completed in 1965, at a height of 105 metres. It was built from the proceeds from commodities – cocoa, rubber and timber, without any federal allocation or money. It was once the tallest building in tropical Africa. Then the ancient homes of the Syrians and Lebanese. i.e. the Assad, Zard, the Moukarim, the J. Allens, the Gamras and their Cocoa stores, warehouses and showrooms, which made the place Ìbàdàn business nerve-centre and commercial hub. The hub takes you to the popular Kingsway stores, Leventis stores, the popular Gbági market, the Barclays Bank – now Union Bank, the rotund Standard Bank – now First Bank, the Cooperative Bank, the Radio Nigeria, PZ and John Holt. Natives and non-natives thrived, without let or hindrance. On this popular road, noticeably, you would find the Fágbóun Tailors, the Baptist Book Stores, the Ayẹni Rational Book Stores, and the WAATECO motor company of Okùnadé Ṣíjúadé and S.L Dúróṣarọ́, importing Russian vehicles with office at the Junction of the popular Agbeni-Ogunpa road which had been the former home of the Saint James’ Cathedral, before it moved to the popular Òkè-Bọ́là road.
Títì Òkè-Àdó bustled with life, commerce and entrepreneurship. Before the house of Chief Ọbafẹ́mi Awolọ́wọ̀ was the Saint James Cemetery and then, was the house of Ibadan’s foremost educationist, Pa T.L Oyesina, who was the proprietor of Ibadan’s Boys High School, beside the home of Chief Awolọ́wọ̀ and also Ìbàdàn City Academy, Ẹlẹ́ta. In the belly of Òkè-Àdó was the Palm Tree Club, almost opposite the Odeon Cinema and also the Rex Cinema which kept Òkè-Àdó bubbling.
Shortly before the Odeon Cinema was the Seven Sisters Club and the Independence Club. There was the home of the Róṣíjis, almost opposite the Awolọ́wọ̀’s House and the now popular Odusote Bookshop. In Òkè-Àdó was also the popular Orúwaríyè Hospital and Dr Akéréle’s clinic. Fountain photo on the Títì Òkè-Àdó also stood in prominence with the Crosby Photo at Èkótẹ̀dó and the Born Photo at Fọ̀kọ̀.
There was also the popular Sábásabà Restaurant of Dr Lékan Ààrẹ that was the precursor of the now famous Kankanfo Inn. Apart from prominent hospitals, Òkè-Àdó was also the fleet street of legal practice in Ibadan which had the law firms of Awolọ́wọ̀, Akéréle and Co, i.e. the law firm of Ọbafẹ́mi Awolọ́wọ̀ and Abíọ́dún Akéréle; Bọ́lá Babalákin and Co, Olu Ayoola and Co, Duro Ogundiran and Co, Rosiji and Co, Ogunkeye and Co and a host of other legal titans.
Many entrepreneurs thrived on this popular road. There was a popular Ogunkoya Stores, the Osibodu’s house, the Rab and Lally Chemist of the Irabors, the Tóyè Chemist, the Palm Chemist of the Akinkugbes, Mama Oyin Adénúgà Stores – the mother of the communication guru – Michael Adenuga, behind Dr Doherty’s hospital, which was also close to the Owuru family house, the Ládégà family house. Ládégà later became the Ayangburen of Ikorodu. Not very far was the home of Rev. T.T. Solaru whose wife was the leader of the Action Group Women Association.
There was also the popular Òní and Sons, home of the Ìbàdàn construction giant, whom the Ibadan people gave the name, Òní and Shuns which derogatively became “Òníòsunwọ̀n.”
Òní and Sons employed so many Ìbàdàn people who were eagerly looking for employment in the construction firm and the name was further embellished to mean “Òní ò shun wọ̀n, owó ọwọ́ ẹ̀ là ń wá” (Òní is not good, it is his money we are after.)
Òkè-Àdó was where the noveaux riches who arrived with independence lived, before the advent of Bodija Estate, which only came into being in 1958. Òkè-Àdó was the homes of Akin Dẹ́kọ̀, S.A Tinubu of Iresi, Justice Morgan, Chief Justice of the Western Region, who succeeded the Ghanaian QuarshieIdun as Chief Justice, Justice Olújídé Somolu, who was Chief Awolọ́wọ̀’s best man in 1937, Daniel Olorunfemi Fagunwa on Ajanla street, Amos Tutuola, author of the Palm Wine Drinkard, the Otudekos, the Craigs, the Italian Construction firm of L. Dalberto, the home of popular textile trader and woman activist, Alhaja Humoani Alaga, built in 1951, Bola Babalakin, Ososami, Bọ́lá Ìgè, Chief Isamotu Ashiru, who built his first house in Òkè-Àdó in 1946, Victor and Wúràọlá Ẹ̀san, Ọmọlolú Olúnlọ́yọ̀ọ́, Dúró Ogundiran and a host of others.
Victor Ẹ̀san was one of Ibadan’s early lawyers, while his wife, Wúràọlá Ẹ̀san was the founder of the People’s Girls’ Grammar School, Mọ̀lété and Ìbàdàn’s first woman senator.
At the frontage of Olúnlọ́yọ́’s house was the popular Emperor Hotel. Òkè-Àdó was also the theatre of politics in the Western Region. After all, the headquarters of the Action Group Party was in Òkè-Àdó and it was in Òkè-Àdó that the 66 members of the House of Assembly, out of the 112 members, had passed a vote of no confidence on the Premier of the Western Region – SLA Akintọ́lá, which was to be concretized by the parliament, through a vote of no confidence.
At the Òkè-Àdó Party office of the Action Group, consequent upon the Action Group crisis that erupted from their Jos Conference of February 1962, both Awolọ́wọ̀ and Akintọ́lá had appeared before the NEC of the party in Òkè-Àdó, to state their positions. Mock coffins of the two leaders from party supporters from either divides were taken to the Òkè-Àdó A.G. Party secretariat, with various songs like “Akintọ́lá ò ṣé pa, Akintọ́lá ò ṣé pa, ẹ̀yin tẹ́ẹ pète-pèrò, tẹ́ẹ pa Adélabú, Akintọ́lá ò ṣeé pa” meaning, Akintọ́lá cannot be killed. Those of you who conspired to kill Adélabú, Akintọ́lá cannot be killed, whilst the other group eulogized the attainments and political sagacity of Awolọ́wọ̀ thus: “Awolọ́wọ̀, Baba Láyínká, máa bá iṣẹ́ rẹ lọ. (Awolọ́wọ̀, the father of Láyínká, continue with your good works). Awolọ́wọ̀ was Baba Láyínká, Akintọ́lá was Baba Lámilámi. Interestingly, they both had no children bearing such names.
Òkè-Àdó was a beehive. Streets branched off from Títì Òkè-Àdó, taking you to the famous Liberty Stadium, patterned after the popular Wembley Stadium in London. This 25,000 capacity stadium and the first stadium to be built in Africa, was officially opened in 1960 and also built in Awolowo’s tenure as the Premier of the Western Region. Òkè-Àdó also has a famous Lodge house that was meant for the members of the Ògbóni Confraternity, with its imposing, esoteric and frightening emblem and its popular neighbour, was the UMC – Women’s Teacher Training College, now a girls’ secondary school, from where you enter the third chunk of Títì Òkè-Àdó – Mọ̀lété.
Mọ̀lété, was said to have been a shortened form of “Omoletege” which was the description given to a mad woman, who used to inhabit a spot, around a now famous roundabout, over which a fly-over now runs. What was found interesting about her was her neatness. The mad woman’s rags were said to be uniquely neat and her environment and surroundings were always spotless and radiant. She washed daily and kept her environment beautifully clean, hence the name- “Omoletege” which later gave the area the name, Mọ̀lété.
Going back to the beginning of Títì Òkè-Àdó, from the Ìbàdàn railways, one would still remember with relish the famous Metro Hotel, just at the entrance of the Ọ̀sọ́sàmì Road, where Idowu Animasaun, Prince Adekunle, and Captain Jide Ojo played and moving further down, the famous Paradise Hotel, where the late Eddie Okonta played every night and the Black Morocco’s night club at Oke-Bola where Buffalo Kid played. The Òkè-Àdó Jazz club was also nearby. Interestingly, Paradise Hotel has given way to the now famous Femi Johnson Broking house.
Òkè-Àdó prospered the Ìbàdàn literary world through its famous rendezvous, the Mbárí Mbáyọ̀ Club and also, through its members, the likes of Ulli Biere (its moving spirit) with Wole Soyinka, Amos Tutuola, D.O Fagunwa, Yetunde Esan (later Mrs Omisade), J.P Clark, Demas Nwoko and a host of others frequented.
The Mbari Club provided a very warm and succinct environment for writers and artists to discuss the art over a few drinks and more often than not, the discussions moved to homes of writers living within the precincts of Òkè-Àdó like Mabel Segun, now Mrs. Imoukhuede, the 1960 mast, the Ibadan Players of the Dawn group of Femi Johnson, Christopher Kolade, Segun Olusola, Yemi Lijadu, Sola Rhodes, Ibidun Allison, Wale Ogunyemi and the likes, who gravitated within the ambits of Òkè-Àdó. Mabel’s home at Òkè-Àdó was writers midnight hangout.
To appreciate Òkè-Àdó better, let us take the road again in circumlocution. From the Mọ̀lété chunk whose major beginning was the home of the Ìbàdàn stormy petrel, Lamidi Adedibu, almost overlooking the private property of Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo and the Rosiji Plaza and shortly thereafter, you will see the road welcoming you to Imalefalafia, home of the popular Tribune Newspapers stables and later thereafter, you meet the Òkè-Àdó market, overlooking Fọ̀kọ̀, before hitting the party secretariat of the Action Group and later, the Sharp Corner Junction, where Pa Ogunsola, the Private Secretary of Premier S.L.A Akintola, lived.
But like all mortals and their environments, Titi Oke-Ado has mellowed down to commerce and no longer is its power, prominence, strength and ubiquitousness. Titi Oke-Ado was once luscious, bubbling and green like a lady just coming out of puberty. Oke-Ado road, in its unending metaphor, writes its own history and footprints of forgotten seasons. Titi Oke-Ado leaves a present that is almost completely at variance with her past.
The story of Oke-Ado is the story of Ibadan’s rich history and cosmopolitanism as the largest traditional town in black Africa. Whilst Lagos may be quick-tempered, Ibadan is always all peace, elegant and calm. Despite the near miss of its essence by the contemporary world and complete overwhelm of its abode by numerous petrol stations, car dealers garages displaying Tokunbo vehicles, Titi Oke-Ado still remains a beautiful bride awaiting a new courtship.
Femi Kehinde is an Attorney-at-law and former Member, House of Representatives representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency of Osun State, (1999-2003).
Source: Tribuneonlineng
