Ijebu Ode’s prominent age grade, Egbe Bobakeye Okunrin Akile Ijebu, has condemned the false narrative circulating online that Queen Elizabeth II stayed overnight at the home of Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola during her 1956 visit to Ijebu land.
At a press briefing held on Saturday, Abiodun Onanuga, the Giwa of the group, described the claim as “an outright falsehood.” He clarified that the Queen was officially received by the late Awujale, Oba Daniel Adesanya, at Itoro before proceeding to the colonial head’s residence in the Government Reserved Area (GRA), now the Egbe Bobakeye headquarters.
The Queen reportedly had lunch at this location and then left for Lagos, refuting any suggestion that she spent the night in Ijebu.
To verify the facts, the age grade assigned two members, Kayode Adesanya and Lekan Odufunlade, to conduct archival research at the British National Archives. Their investigation produced detailed documents outlining the Queen’s itinerary, including her lunch stop in Ijebu-Ode.
Onanuga said, “We have incontrovertible documentary evidence from the British Government confirming the Queen’s travel schedule. Our Ule Egbe was the venue of her lunch, not an overnight stay.”
Odufunlade, one of the researchers, called on the Nigerian government to prioritize the preservation of historical records to ensure accurate accounts for posterity.