Martin Adu
Early in the nineteenth (19th) century, an Ogun adherent who was also a powerful and revered warrior, Ogunleye Oshadare, left his native Oyin-Akoko* enclave in present day Ondo State to seek, as it were, “greener pastures” in a “far away land” as dictated by the Ifa divination.
Ifa had predicted that, unless he left the town for a “far away land”, he might not find a wife and, therefore, not have offspring who would project his name into posterity.
With mixed feelings and nostalgia, he travelled on foot, along with his retinue of slaves and admirers, to Lagos. Within three days, oral tradition says, they arrived in Lagos with the aid of powerful charms which shortened the otherwise extremely long journey.
He settled in the area now known as Elegbata and because of his physical strength, coupled with his mastery of charms that were applied to arrest robbers, he was employed in the local Police wherein he excelled beyond the ordinary call of duty leading to his eventual employment in the colonial constabulary force (which eventually metamorphosed into the Nigerian Police Force) which exploited his unusual mastery and application of charms.
He was an animist to the core and he made no pretensions about it, using his knowledge to assist people who were in need.
He got married to a maiden and had three (3) children – two (2) boys and a girl in that order.
The birth of the first child, as fate would have it, coincided with the arrival of the first S.M.A. (Society of African Mission) Catholic priest, Rev Fr. Borghero, in 1863 from Dahomey ( now Republic of Benin), which arrival was greeted with so much fanfare that attracted virtually all Lagosians.
Oral tradition has it that Ogunleye Oshadare took his young family to watch the spectacle and was “arrested”, as it were, by the Holy Spirit and there declared for this young Church. He was baptized along with his young family and he chose the name “John” while his first son was given “Thomas”. They were later confirmed with the names “Thomas” and “Augustus” respectively. He was also persuaded to drop his “pagan” names and adopt the name “Aduloju” reflecting his good looks, which looks he bequeathed to his children. This name was later abbreviated to “Adu”.
Ifa had predicted that, unless he left the town for a “far away land”, he might not find a wife and, therefore, not have offspring who would project his name into posterity.
With mixed feelings and nostalgia, he travelled on foot, along with his retinue of slaves and admirers, to Lagos. Within three days, oral tradition says, they arrived in Lagos with the aid of powerful charms which shortened the otherwise extremely long journey.
He settled in the area now known as Elegbata and because of his physical strength, coupled with his mastery of charms that were applied to arrest robbers, he was employed in the local Police wherein he excelled beyond the ordinary call of duty leading to his eventual employment in the colonial constabulary force (which eventually metamorphosed into the Nigerian Police Force) which exploited his unusual mastery and application of charms.
He was an animist to the core and he made no pretensions about it, using his knowledge to assist people who were in need.
He got married to a maiden and had three (3) children – two (2) boys and a girl in that order.
The birth of the first child, as fate would have it, coincided with the arrival of the first S.M.A. (Society of African Mission) Catholic priest, Rev Fr. Borghero, in 1863 from Dahomey ( now Republic of Benin), which arrival was greeted with so much fanfare that attracted virtually all Lagosians.
Oral tradition has it that Ogunleye Oshadare took his young family to watch the spectacle and was “arrested”, as it were, by the Holy Spirit and there declared for this young Church. He was baptized along with his young family and he chose the name “John” while his first son was given “Thomas”. They were later confirmed with the names “Thomas” and “Augustus” respectively. He was also persuaded to drop his “pagan” names and adopt the name “Aduloju” reflecting his good looks, which looks he bequeathed to his children. This name was later abbreviated to “Adu”.
