Prince Gbolahan George Olayode Shonekan’s life story reads like a tale of triumph and influence. He stood as a beacon of respect and leadership within both his church community and grassroots movements. Born on February 20th, 1939, in Lagos, he hailed from the esteemed Royal Family of the Egba Eku’s – a distinguished lineage within the Egba Alake group of towns, situated in Orile Egba (Egba Forest) and later in Abeokuta Province, with Olumo Rock as its centerpiece. Throughout his life, Prince Gbolahan George Olayode Shonekan exemplified unwavering dedication to his community and its values. His passing, which occurred last month, marked the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy that resonates deeply within the hearts of those who knew him, especially in the church.
His legacy shines brightest in his unwavering commitment to the Methodist Church of Nigeria (MCN) during the 1980s and early 1990s, a period marked by his dedicated efforts and substantial contributions aimed at propelling the church to new heights. The roots of the Methodist Church Nigeria trace back to the Wesleyan Methodist mission outreach initiated by the Methodist Church in Britain in 1845, alongside the Primitive Methodist mission via Fernando Po. The Wesleyan group’s entry into Nigeria through Badagry, and the direct encounter of Thomas Birch Freeman with Sodeke in Abeokuta in December 1842, marked significant milestones in the church’s early history. In 1847, Reverend C. Martin’s visit to Abeokuta from Cape Coast led to the establishment of a station at Ogbe, overseen by an “African Catechist.” This station continued until the arrival of Reverend T. Champness and his wife in 1861, further solidifying the church’s presence in the region. Over the years, various members of the Shonekan family have maintained strong ties with the Methodist Church, fostering a deep-rooted connection that spans generations. During Prince Gbolahan’s tenure, significant developments occurred within the Methodist Church Nigeria, particularly regarding the formalisation of a merger with the mission established through Jamestown in the Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. This restructuring aimed to consolidate disparate church entities into a unified Methodist Church, a process in which Prince Gbolahan played an active and instrumental role. His profound impact on the Methodist Church Nigeria underscores his commitment to faith, community, and the advancement of religious institutions. His legacy continues to resonate within the Methodist community, serving as a testament to his enduring dedication and leadership.
He was subsequently appointed as the Archdiocesan Lay President of the Lagos Archdiocese (which at the time extended to Egba & Ikorodu), working alongside the then Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, His Eminence, Sunday Mbang (later the Prelate & head of the Methodist Church of Nigeria). He also participated under the direction of Prelate Emeritus, His Eminence S.O. Makinde, during his tenure as a Bishop of Trinity Church Council & earlier as the Prelate’s Chaplain. He participated in the conference – the governing body of the Church headed by the Prelate – through which its constitution provides for lay participation in the leadership of the church from the local church through to conference level. It was his final wish to be given ‘a simple Methodist burial.’
His father Isaac Soremilekun Malomo Otadina Shonekan (b. 1912) was the oldest of eleven children of Chief Solomon Abiodun Otadina Shonekan (b.1882), the Odofin Ikopa-Ake, a High Chief (Civil Governor) of Egba Ake and the Oluwo Egba Eku, the head of the Iwarefa (Chieftaincy Council of the six most senior title-holders) of the Eku group of twenty-three (23) townships of the forty-five (45) Egba Alake townships recognised at the time out of the seventy-three (73) Egba townships of all sections). Chief Solomon Abiodun Otadina Shonekan was the oldest surviving son of Prince Otadina Sonekan, the first Oluwo of Ikopa-Ake & Oluwo Egba Eku on establishment of Abeokuta in the 1830’s. Prince Otadina Sonekan in turn was the oldest surviving son of the last Onikopa of Ikopa – Ake in the Orile Egba, the King of the Egba Eku’s – one of the six recognised beaded crowns in Egbaland (before the reduction from three to one within the Egba Alake province).
According to Egba historians before c.1820, the Egba lived in a large number of towns, now referred to as the Orile. The number of towns were estimated at between 153 – 300 (depending on source) in the Egba Forest. The Egba towns seem to have been relatively independent of one another whilst recognising the existence of five or six groupings of towns with somewhat closer relationships (a confederal monarchical structure). The Egbas are believed to have migrated southeastwards to the Egba Forest in the 13th and 14th centuries in three distinct waves: the Gbagura (Egba Agura) group of towns under the Agura as their group Oba & their capital at Iddo (on which part of the war-camp that became present-day Ibadan was built). The Egba Oke-Ona group, their capital at Oko & the group King being the Osile. The third group went further southwards into contact with the Remo’s and within reach of the coast became the leading group called Egba Alake. The population of this group was equivalent to the other two combined and also had three sub-groupings: (i) the Egba Eku townships under the Onikopa of Ikopa (ii) the Egba Agbeyin townships led by the Onitori of Itori-Odo (iii) and the five Egba Arin townships originaly adjacent to one another in the Egba forest, the core of the kingmakers of the Oba Alake.
“The recognised crown heads in the Egba Division of Yorubaland were six (6) in number – The Alake, the Osile, the Olowu, the Agura, the Onitori and the Onikopa. The paramountcy of the Alake is dated from time immemorial……. By gradual process of elimination, the Onitori & Onikopa were dropped from the ranks leaving the four remaining as they are today” (Barrister Debesin Folarin 1939).
It is instructive to note that the process of merging the two other Egba Alake beaded crowns started before arrival in Abeokuta through intermarriage amongst the Royal Families. However, following the general confusion and fear generated by the destruction of the entire Egba Forest, the Oba as heads of Egba civil governments lost control to the Oloogun (military war chiefs, who, under Balogun Sodeke, led the dislodged Egba refugees to settle in Abeokuta in 1830. Sentiments were varied on arrival in Abeokuta between those who wanted to reinstate the Kingships during wartime as it then was; those who even in peacetime had a preference for a consolidated Egba Alake crown; those with a preference for a consolidated Egba crown for all sections including Oke-Ona, Agura & Owu; as well as those who preferred a centralized military government; or centralized government of High Chiefs (warrior & civil governor class) with a second tier of natural rulers running the main provinces & townships. It is instructive to note that Egba United Government subsequently established in 1898 before the existence of the Nigerian state was essentially a combination of the last two options. One feature of the unwritten federal military constitution adopted by Sodeke was the provision for administration at the township and provincial levels, in addition to the central administration. The fact that the federal military government under Sodeke did not stop or proscribe the Egba traditional civil institutions and was able to preserve some vital aspects of the pre-war Egba government in Abeokuta was a masterstroke. He allowed the institution to hold its meetings, as before 1830, under leadership of the Oluwo, though they were not appointed into the ruling central administrative Oloogun council (“Supreme military council” of the post First Republic Nigeria equivalent) headed by Sodeke and, therefore, had no say on issues of national concern. Changing their old form confederal political system which contained inherent weaknesses in wartime, into a federal military government with a strong central administration which he headed from 1830 -1845 was the optimal decision. The lesson had been learnt from the devastation of Egba towns in the Orile by the wars in Yorubaland in the 1810 – 1830 period.
There had been no Alake for a number of years before arriving in Abeokuta; in addition there was none of the other beaded crowns on the throne at this time of war. It is fair to say that having been a part of the military campaigns that left Ibadan, it was not unusual for the seeming heir to the throne of Onikopa & descendant of Ajibodu Erinjogunola, the 19th Alake in the Orile to be supportive of unifying forces for a united Egba State, whilst deferring to the realpolitik & other countervailing & contradictory realities of an evolving city-state being forged in a cauldron of perpetual siege from hostile neigbours & intrigue from within – hence the need for Sodeke’s militarized, centralized governance structure. According to Prince Losi’s History of Abeokuta (1923):
“In order to consolidate the government of the new settlement the town was divided into four parts which are the same to this day (1915-23). The four divisions were Ijeun, Itori-Odo, Oko & Ikopa. Ijeun comprised of Ijeun, Kemta, Iporo, Itoku, Ijemo, Ifote, Ijoko & Ilogbo. Oko included all the Oke-ona townships viz: – Ikija, Ilawo, Idomapa, Ikereku, Ilugun, Odo & Oko. Itori included Itori-Odo, Igbein, Imo, Igbore, Oba, Ijeja, Erunbe & Ikanna. Ikopa or Egba Eku embraced Itoko, Erunwon, Keesi, Emere, Itesi including the two additional divisions of Owu and Egba Agura…”
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It was into this role as the Oluwo Ikopa-Ake, Oluwo Egba Eku and head of the Egba Eku Division that Oluwo Prince Sonekan settled into for the next few decades. Sodeke offering land to incoming townships for settlement was a right attained as an Egba Alake. Major Blair’s Abeokuta Intelligence Report (1937) states that original owners of the land known as Abeokuta today was the farmland of the people of Ikopa, Itoko & Ijemo. Furthermore, Ikopa as the head of the 23 Egba Eku townships of the 45 Egba Alake townships, with the closest Orile of all the former towns could individually lay claim to ownership of the lands. This is why the peoples of these towns and the ruling houses in particular were referred to as ‘Omo Onile’ (the Owners of the Land). At a point an Oba Onile was even considered to be at the apex of the four sectional Kings, when disagreement arose between supporters of contending Princes in Egba Ake. This was an attempt to divide Egba in general & Egba Alake in particular – a position adroitly avoided by Egba Nationalists such as Prince Sonekan.
The special place in the history of the Egbas of Ikopa & Itoko as the first settlers in what eventually became Abeokuta (& the custodians till today of Olumo Rock) cannot be overemphasized. As neighbors in the forests of Orile Egba, there had been considerable intermarriage between the Royal Families and the rest of the Egba towns settling in Abeokuta, the Sonekan family bestrode both founding townships which rightly lay claim to the origins & foundation of the family. On establishment of the town, Prince Shonekan saw both townships as one and established his residence on land named Agbole Oluwo Ikopa n’Itoko, which due to the phenomenal growth in size & population is in the heart of what is called Itoko today very close to Agbole Oluwo Itoko – within a few minutes walking distance of Ake Palace. Other members of his family became key members & eventual leaders of Itoko township. One such was Gbamolu Sonekan, who during the time of Oluwo Ikopa (Oluwo ‘Akoko’ as sometimes referred to) as head of the Egba Eku townships was made one of the earliest Odofin of Itoko. His son, Ogunsola Sonekan was the Ekerin of Itoko; his two sons Olasewo Alimi Sonekan & Adegboyega Emmanuel Sonekan became Ekerin & Odofin of Itoko respectively; Chief Adio Olatayo Sonekan, son of Olasewo Alimi, became the Ekerin, Osi & Balogun of Itoko consecutively, before his installation as the Ashipa of Egbaland & later a member of the Regency Council of Egbaland between the Kingships of Alake Lipede & the current Alake Gbadebo III; and Chief Ernest Adegunle Shonekan CBE, GCFR, son of Adegboyega Emmanuel, became the Abese of Itoko & Egbaland and later the Baba Isale of Egbaland. Prince Gbolahan Shonekan’s son is currently the Agbusi Ola of Itoko and the Odole of Egbaland.
The Oluwo of Egba Eku was very influential with a preference for working unobtrusively in the governance of Abeokuta for many decades. One of his closest friends (& former comrade-in-arms) was Chief Ogundipe, the Alatise of Ikija. The rivalry between traditional chieftaincy structures (Oloogun & Ogboni) weakened the Alake’s rule between 1867 and Ogundipe’s death in 1887 – during which period he had been described as the ‘uncrowned king of the Egbas’. Pallinder-Law in her 1972 PhD thesis describes the 1882 – 1885 interregnum as follows:
“In January 1882 the Nlado of Kemta was elected Alake in sucession to Oyekan….he was the senior Ogboni chief, generally in alliance with Ogundipe….The installation of Nlado was however delayed & did not in the end take place. He remained the Alake-elect until February 1885 when suddenly another Chief….was elected and installed as Alake….”. Prince Losi’s 1923 account was similarly cryptic: “…It was the wish of the Elders to make him King….the son of the Apena of Ikopa was amongst the strong supporters who recommended him to Chief Ogundipe…..he was made King on February 9th 1885.”
[The question remains that if the son of the Apena had such ‘influence’ – what would be that of the Oluwo of Ikopa himself (who had previously insisted on maintaining his position as a natural ruler as Head of the Egba Eku’s) and close friend to the powerful Ogundipe? Whatever the answer to the “riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma” it is abundantly clear that Oluwo & Alatise were right at the centre…!]
Prince Gbolahan Shonekan’s early childhood was spent on Lagos Island, living in Ajele Street, around Campos Square, Odunfa Street, Bamgbose Street & Sandgrouse – later moving to N.2 Beecroft Street in the same area. His mother, Flora Siyanbola Sonekan (Nee Sapara- Johnson b.1918). begat six other children after him – Tinuola, Bola, Funmilayo, Ranti, Senu Emmanuel & Feyi Emmanuel. He attended Holy Trinity School, Ebute-Ero, Lagos Island from 1948. After the passing of his father, an active labour union official, trade unionist & administrator in 1950, he spent more of his holidays in Abeokuta with his grandfather Chief Solomon Otadina Sonekan who doted on his first grandson. It was a painful period for Odofin to lose his oldest son at the time the crisis that led to the temporary abdication of Alake Ladapo Ademola II was almost resolved & which returned him to the throne later that same year. Odofin had played an integral role as Chairman of one of the two main committees (described as a ‘co – regent’ in some records) of high chiefs & elders in Abeokuta set up to ensure resolution of the matter. In this way Prince Gbolahan became his son, being older than Odofin’s last three biological children. In 1953 he attained a place at the prestigious Methodist Boys High School (MBHS), Broad Street, Lagos; being classmate & good friends with Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson, the first Governor of Lagos State.
On completing his course of studies in 1957, he left to join the Navy/Merchant Navy for a number of years where he was awarded a scholarship to study Marine Engineering at the Institute of Marine Engineers, London, England (incorporated by Royal Charter). He then proceeded in late 1959 to embark on an Ordinary National Diploma awarded by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, graduating in September 1961. He then proceeded to study for a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Salford University – awarded on the 14th December 1967. His desire to return to Nigeria immediately had however encountered some delays, primarily due to his additional responsibilities (his marriage in the interim to his wife, Olufunmilola Atandare, a daughter of the Odopetu of Akure Kingdom – the second most senior High Chief) in 1964; the birth of their son Oladipo Sowemimo Olamide in late 1965 (at the height of the crisis in the Western Region & subsequent military coup a month later); and the difficulties in returning due to the onset of the Civil War in May 1967. After graduation that year, he was offered a job as an engineer at Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) Plc – subsequently known as General Electric (GE) Plc. In April 1970, he was recognised by The Institute of Marine Engineers of Great Britain as a professional Chartered Engineer. Similarly, in June 1970, The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK) also duly recognised him as a Chartered Engineer in their specialization. Both Charters duly registered by the Council of Engineering Institutions (CEI) for inclusion in the Register of Chartered Engineers (Great Britain). This was a feat he was extremely proud of as only a few Africans were Chartered Engineers in more than one Engineering discipline at that time.
In 1970, immediately the war ended, he was immediately recruited by Shell Petroleum Development Co. on an expatriate package for its Nigerian upstream operations, which he accepted & returned to Nigeria on MV Aureol. During this period, he was primarily involved in field operations and based at the core operational base in Port Harcourt. In 1974, he was headhunted by Nigeria Industrial Development Bank, NIDB (now Bank of Industry – BOI) as one of only two Chartered Engineers steering the input of NIDB in the Industrialization efforts under Nigeria’s 5-year rolling National Development Plans. A core part of this was the provision of technical assistance to the various projects and the financing of the local private sector’s ownership & management under the Indigenization decree of 1972. This critical policy, in addition to the Nigerian Enterprises Promotion Decree in 1977 were:
“to enable Nigerians to have greater control of their economy by increasing indigenous ownership & control of economic activities….reduce foreign domination in order to prevent possible economic sabotage & ensure economic security…increase local retention of profits from investment thereby saving Foreign Exchange which would have been lost through repatriation of profits by foreigners….reduce capital flight which took place as expatriates repatriated their profits & dividends to their home countries….create more employment opportunities for Nigerians…Development of local skills in technology & management.”
At the height of this Nigeria-centric drive in 1978, he headed all Project Appraisal, Technical & Engineering, joining the Executive Management Committee in 1980. From 1974 – 1980 he was a member of the strategically important Federal Government of Nigeria’s Expatriate Quota Allocation Committee & a number of Federal Government Delegations on Heavy Industry which carried out intensive trips to Brasilia, Singapore, South Korea, Germany to actualise these strategic & patriotic initiatives. Before taking early retirement in 1989 on his 50th birthday to pursue Independent Industrial Development advisory & Engineering consultancy. Up until the onset of his health challenges in 2018 he was passionate about the role of development planning, the importance of industrialization to the ability of Nigeria (or any nation) to become a world power and was completely distraught and apoplectic about the de-industrialization effects produced by the Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP) of the late 1980’s and the poor quality of leadership in the political economy & governance of our Nation over time. It is indeed a sad irony that almost 50 years later the results of veering so far off course in a self-mutilating manner are visible to all.
Prince Gbolahan Sonekan, due to the strategic, financial & technical advisory role played by him and the institution he represented, was a Board Director of a number of Nigeria Stock Exchange listed companies such as – Ashaka Cement Plc, Benue Cement Plc, International Breweries Plc, Premier Breweries Plc, Afprint Nig Plc, Dunlop Nig Plc, IPWA Plc, National Salt Co. Nig Plc, Reitcot Nig Co. Plc, Ikeja Hotels Plc, Sheraton Hotels Abuja (Capital Hotels), Nigerian Lamps Industrial Plc, Niyamco Plc & Nigerian Bags Plc. Other Board Directorships included Ogun State Hotels (formerly Gateway Hotels, now Radisson Park Inn), Eko Le Meridien Hotel, Nigerian National Shrimp Co Ltd, Nigerian Fishing Co. Ltd, Bauchi State Hotels Ltd, Savannah Sugar Co. Ltd, Lagos State Brick Manufacturing Co, Aswani Nig Ltd & Enpee Textiles Nig Ltd amongst others.