Territories of the Awori
The Awori are a sub-ethnic group of the Yoruba people, speaking a distinct dialect of the Yoruba language. Traditionally, Awori are found in two Nigerian States: Ogun and Lagos. The Awori people migrated from Ile Ife and occupied the present day Lagos state. Post-colonial creation of States and local governments influenced the splitting of the homogenous people into the present Ogun and Lagos States in South-western Nigeria. Awori towns in Ogun State are Otta, Igbesa, Ilobi and Tigbo.[1]
The settlement of the Awori clan preceded the establishment of Abeokuta as an Egba kingdom in 1830. Otta, the foremost Awori town within present day Ogun State, which is also the State’s industrial nerve-centre, for instance, was already in existence in the 15th century. The first crowned Oba at Ota was Oba Akinsewa Ogbolu in 1621, while the first Alake in Abeokuta, Sagbua Okekenu was crowned on 8 August 1854. The Awori are direct descendants of Olofin, one of the sons of Oduduwa - the father of the Yoruba nation. As such, in accordance with Yoruba custom, they brought their crown along with them from Ile Ife.
Traditions are consistent about the presence of a distinct Yoruba sub-group around Lagos by C1550 when the Benin invaded the region of Lagos. The traditional territory of the Awori extends from latitude 60 30’ N from the extreme east and a landmass along the coast is over 350,000 hectares (3,500 km2) with less than twenty percent made up of lagoons, creeks and coastal estuaries.
The name Awori has come to be associated with a dialect group of Yoruba speaking people who had long occupied the south-western part of the coastal area of Yorubaland in Nigeria. This name according to oral sources, was derived from the legend of a floating ritual dish which Ogunfunminire (their progenitor) allegedly followed from Ile-Ife down to Isheri. It was the disappearance (sinking) of the dish that suggested settlement in the region as earlier prophesied by the Ifa oracle. Thus, the group took its name from Awori (the pot sinks). The Awori as a sub-group possesses a distinguished speech. An anthropologist, W.G. Wormalin in his Intelligence Report on the Badagry district of the colony (1935) gives a graphic description of the early Awori when he writes that:
They speak low and slurred dialect of the Yoruba language. They mostly engage in farming and fishing. Their lack of figure and unity seems to have combined with the unfavourable nature of their habitat to render them a ‘poor’ lot from the breeding point of view with the exception of those of them within the region of Lagos from earliest time to date The Awori constitute the bulk of the indigenous population of seventeen, out of the twenty local government areas of Lagos State as at the year 2003, the only exceptions being Epe, Ikorodu and IbejuLekki with minimal Awori inhabitants. In these areas, they have developed many kingdoms and chiefdoms. The Awori could be grouped into two major divisions. These are the early Awori and the latter Awori groups. Among the early Awori group of settlement are Isheri, Otto-Olofin, Iddo, Ebute Metta, Apa, Ibereko as well as Otta and Ado-Odo in Ogun state of Nigeria. A common feature of these settlements is that they were founded before 1500. They also have a related migratory history and recognise Ogunfunminire as their progenitor. The later settlement include Ojo, Itire, Mushin, Iba, Otto-Awori, Ijanikin, Ilogbo Elegba, Ilogbo-Eremi, Iworo, Agbara, Ilashe etc. all of which are post 1500 settlements.
The Awori whose ancestral home is Isheri-Olofin were in Lagos before the Benin invasion as propounded by the Olofin Adimula of Orile Isheri and supported by other Awori groups such as Apa, Ilogbo-Eremi, Ibereko, Oto, Ota, Ado-Odo and Igbesa. Post-independence political creation of States however saw the dispersal of the homogenous clan scattered around the present Ogun and Lagos State. Journey From Ile-Ife Olofin and his followers left the palace of Oduduwa in Ile-Ife and migrated southward along a river. Oduduwa had given Olofin a mud plate and instructed him to place it on the water and follow it until it sank into the river. The plate is said to have stopped at various locations and finally sank at Idumota in the present day Lagos State in Nigeria. As they were to settle wherever it sank, the people were filled with joy when this finally happened. The name AWORI, translates as "The plate sank". It was adopted as the clan’s name till today. Several days after leaving Ile-Ife, the plate suddenly stopped near Olokemeji, near the present day Abeokuta. After seventeen days, it began moving again, only to stop at Oke Ata, for another seventeen days. At the end of seventeen days, the plate began moving again, only to stop again on the southern outskirts of present-day Abeokuta, where it stayed for another seventeen days. At this location, some of Olofin's followers decided to remain, led by a man named OshoAro-bi-ologbo-egan. The plate continued downriver, stopping again at Isheri, where it remained for a much longer period of time. Olofin began instructing his followers to begin setting up a permanent settlement, but after 289 days (17 x 17) the plate began moving again. Olofin and a few followers followed the plate, while the rest of the group stayed behind. After two days the plate stopped briefly at Iddo in the present day Lagos. At Idumota, a few kilometres away in the present day central Lagos, it whirled around in the water and sank to the bottom. When Olofin returned to his group at Iddo, they are said to have asked him where the plate was. He answered "Awo Ti Ri" meaning "The plate has sunk". This is how the name Awori is said to have come into being. The Aworis are a peace-loving, accommodating and friendly clan.
Religion
Traditional beliefs and practice exist side-by-side Islam and Christianity. Some of the Awori combined Islam or Christianity with their traditional beliefs and practices. Islam was introduced to different parts of Aworiland before the twentieth century by Muslim clerics from the hinterland, while the diffusion of Christianity followed missionary activities in the region of Badagry from the 1840s. The use of Ifa oracle in the determination of certain issues and events such as date of festival, coronation ceremony, causes of state calamity is in practice among traditional believers. Individual’s future ad fortune remained an important aspect of Yoruba civilisation, which the Awori still retain. In addition, the institutions of priesthood and palace society for which the Yoruba of the interior are famous featured prominently between them. For instance, the possession of Ade crown and recognition of Oba, which is the highest conception of political authority among the Yoruba, is what every tradition leader; especially those from royal lineages in Aworiland aspire to.
Traditional Festival Oro, Egungun, and Gelede festivals among the traditional Awori communities are celebrated as people celebrate modern Sallah and Christmas with indigenes trooping back home from far and near when dates are fixed.
Economy
Due to the nature of the geographical environment, fishing, rather than farming which is traditionally with the Yoruba, is the major traditional preoccupation of the seaside. Awori are also great farmers. In some regions, fishing is combined with mat and basket production and palm oil. The climatic variation north of the coast offers an opportunity for the cultivation of a variety of crops. Cassava is probably the most widely cultivated as it could be planted and harvested throughout the year. In addition, it is a source of Garri, which now constitute a major staple food. Cassava is also processed for the production of starch and locally produced starchy known as fufu and other confectionaries. Maize, yams, cocoyams and oil palms are also popular crops produced in the region. The food crops are supplemented by vegetables as well as domestic animals such as goats, sheep and rabbits; birds like quails, cock, hen and goose, as well edible insects such as termites. However, with the industrial revolution pioneered by the Obafemi Awolowo government in the late 1950s and 1960s, the Awori-speaking areas like Ikeja and Isolo in Lagos, as well as Otta and Agbara enjoy a concentration of industries for which the indigenes surrender their land for the economic transformation of their communities and the nation’s economic well-being.