THE OLUGBO STOOL AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF UGBOLAND
It has been established that Oghonne Oronmakin left Ile-Ife with a large retinue of his sons, siblings, lieutenants, and friends. It is apposite to state that his leadership over the people was not questionable. When eventually some of the followers founded their own kingdoms and chiefdoms, they still accepted the Olugbo’s leadership in a kind of confederation known as Erunomi. There were Erunomi Mehan (9 Kingdoms), Erunomi Etalegwa (13 Kingdoms) and Erunomi Erendogun (16 Kingdoms).Alongside Ugbo, the acknowledged headquarters and seat of the Olugbo, the supreme leader of the confederation, members of the nine mini states were:
1. The Olugbo of Ugbo (Ugbo Kingdom) Leader
2. The Olikan of Etikan (Etikan Kingdom)
3. Maporure of Agerige (Aheri Kingdom)
4. Alariku of Ugbo Aiku
5. Orungberuwa of Erinje (now Ikale)
6. Elero of Itebu Manuwa (Ilogho Agotun)
7. Ologun Moluwa of Imoluwa
8. Olukohi of Ikohi (Aboto)
9. Olofun of Irele (now Ikale)
With further migration and expansion, the composition got increased to thirteen formations referred to as Erunomi Etalegwa (13 Kingdoms) under the following leaders:
1. The Olugbo of Ugbo (Ugbo Kingdom) Leader
2. The Olikan of Etikan (Etikan Kingdom)
3. Maporure of Agerige (Aheri Kingdom)
4. Alariku of Ugbo Aiku
5. Orungberuwa of Erinje (now Ikale)
6. Elero of Itebu Manuwa (Ilogho Agotun)
7. Ologun Moluwa of Imoluwa
8. Olukohi of Ikohi (Aboto)
9. Olofun of Irele (now Ikale)
10. Oluloro of Iloro
11. Nenuwa of Ode-Omi (now in Ogun Waterside)
12. Liken of Iwopin (now in Ogun Waterside)
13. Ahaba of Ajagba (now Ikale)
These formations later grew to sixteen and they were regarded as Erunomi Erendogun under the following titular leaders:
1. The Olugbo of Ugbo (Ugbo Kingdom) Leader
2. The Olikan of Etikan (Etikan Kingdom)
3. Maporure of Agerige (Aheri Kingdom)
4. Alariku of Ugbo Aiku
5. Orungberuwa of Erinje (now Ikale)
6. Elero of Itebu Manuwa (Ilogho Agotun)
7. Ologun Moluwa of Imoluwa
8. Olukohi of Ikohi (Aboto)
9. Olofun of Irele (now Ikale)
10. Oluloro of Iloro
11. Nenuwa of Ode-Omi (now in Ogun waterside)
12. Liken of Iwopin (now in Ogun waterside)
13. Ahaba of Ajagba (now Ikale)
14. Olujogun of Ibobi
15. Alara of Orere-Ara
16. Oludehele of Idehele
Administrative Quarters in Ugboland
Originally, the administrative quarters in Ugboland were sixteen in number and they represent the 16 spatial quarters into which Ugbo was administratively divided. The idea behind this arrangement was for each quarter to have a say in the choice of local administration; an indication that the people of Ugbo have always embraced democratic principles in the administration of their land. The heads of the administrative quarters were as follows:1. The Olubo Yehi (Sopeluwa)
2. The Alagho
3. The Yasere
4. The Gbogunron (He is responsible for putting the traditional ritual leaves on the new ruler. One tradition states that he also places the crown on his head).
5. The Odoka (Oripenye)
6. The Oholo
7. The Ashogbon
8. The Ropeda (better known as Kongu)
9. The Ghanhi or the Asehinmona
10. The Ibohiren
11. The Ukorigho
12. The Aro
13. The Ugbo Akoja (popularly called Adagbakuja)
14. The Lema
15. The Ojomo
16. The Oliha
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