The Olowu of Owu is the paramount

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

king of Owu kingdom. The first Olowu of Owu (son of

Oduduwa Oduduwa was a Yoruba divine king. According to tradition, he was the holder of the title of the ''Olofin'' of Ile-Ife, the Yoruba holy city. He ruled briefly in Ife, and also served as the progenitor of a number of independent royal dynasties ...

's daughter) is also one of the original kings in Yorubaland. The Owu Kingdom is ruled by princes selected from six ruling houses: ''Amororo'', ''Otileta'', ''Ayoloye'', ''Akinjobi'', ''Akinoso'' and ''Lagbedu''. The king is assisted by appointed chiefs known as "

Ogboni Ogboni (also known as Osugbo in Ijèbú) is a fraternal institution indigenous to the Yoruba-speaking polities of Nigeria, Republic of Bénin and Togo, as well as among the Edo people. The society performs a range of political and religious fun ...

"s and Ologuns. The Balogun heads the chiefs and has under him Otun, Osi, Seriki, Aare Ago and Jagunna. Ogboni chiefs consists of the Akogun, Obamaja, Orunto, Oyega, Osupori and Omolasin. Olosi is the Ifa priest of the Olowu. Originally, the Owu Kingdom had 3 townships namely Owu, Erunmu and Apomu. By tradition, the Olowu is selected by six kingmakers but two more chieftaincies were added to this number in 1964, those of the Balogun and the Olosi. Ogboni tradition was not originally part of the people of Owu's culture. It was borrowed from the Egbas after the Owus settled in Abeokuta. Hence, the reason the Owus do not have "Iledi" (Ile

), the traditional house of the Ogbonis. In 2006, under the kingship of Oba of Owu, Oba Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu (Amororo II), the Owu palace administrative process was reorganized. The Ogboni and Ologun system of chiefs were revamped, and a new Olowu-in-Council emerged. It consists of a Cabinet of seven chiefs, including: *The Balogun: Prime Minister of the Kingdom. *The Olori Igbimo: Senior Counsel to the Olowu (or king), and overseer of towns and villages where the traditional interests of Olowu exist. *The Olori Omoba: Chief Prince. *The Olori Parakoyi: Head of Commerce and Industry. *The Balogun Apomu: The commander of the warriors of Apomu *The Oluroko, Oba of Erunmu, (or, where there is no incumbent, a clan chief or elder (Ogboni) from any of the 17 other clans/families in Owu Erunmu: The representative of Erunmu. *The

Iyalode The Iyalode is a high-ranking female chieftain in most of the Yoruba traditional states. The title is currently within the gift of the obas, although Njoku asserted in 2002 that the process of choosing an Iyalode in pre-colonial Nigeria was less ...

: The chief of the women.

Past and Present Olowu of Owu Kingdom (Owu Kings)

*Oba Pawu ''1855-1867 (OTILETA Family)'' *Oba Adefowote ''1867-1872 (OTILETA Family)'' *Oba Aderinmoye ''1873-1890 (OTILETA Family)'' *Oba Adepegba ''1893-1905 (AYOLOYE Family)'' *Oba Owokokade ''1906-1918 (OTILETA Family)'' *Oba Dosunmu ''1918-1924 (AMORORO Family)'' *Oba Adesina ''1924-1936 (OTILETA Family)'' *Oba Adelani Gbogboade ''1938-1946 (OTILETA Family)'' *Oba Salami Gbadela Ajibola ''1949-1972 (AYOLOYE Family)'' *Oba Adebowale Oyegbade ''1975-1980 (AKINJOBI Family)'' *OBA Michael Oyelekan ''April 29th, 1987 -May 8th, 1987 (AKINOSO Family)'' *Oba Olawale Adisa Odeleye ''1993-2003 (LAGBEDU Family)'' *Oba

Adegboyega Dosunmu Amororo II Adegboyega Dosunmu Amororo II ( CON was the traditional ruler of Owu kingdom, Ogun State, Nigeria with the appellations of Olowu of Owu Kingdom. He succeeded Oba Olawale Adisa Odeleye, Lagbedu 1 who died in June 2003 at the age of 65 years. Ear ...

''From 2005 (AMORORO Family)'' (Deceased) *Oba Prof. Saka Adelola Matemilola Oluyalo Otileta VII from 2022 - till date ''(OTILETA Family)''

References

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Origin
Yoruba royal titles Nigerian royalty