Ijebu elders wanted Gen Murtala to make Sagamu Ogun capital – Obasanjo
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that Ijebu leaders lobbied the late Head of State, Gen. Murtala Mohammed, to designate Sagamu as the capital of Ogun State when it was created in February 1976.
Speaking at the induction ceremony and Gala Night of the Egba Legacy Network held recently at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Obasanjo revealed that the Ijebu leaders argued against Abeokuta being chosen due to land constraints.
He recounted his exchange with Gen. Mohammed, stating, “When we wanted to establish Ogun State, our brothers from Ijebu did their exercise very well. They said we don’t have land, and they campaigned against making Abeokuta the state capital. When we got to the discussion table, they proposed Sagamu instead.”
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Obasanjo added that Gen. Mohammed had been briefed and initially agreed to Sagamu as the state capital. However, he challenged this decision by drawing a parallel with Kano State, suggesting that if that logic was applied, Rago should be the capital of Kano.
His response angered Gen. Mohammed, leading to a heated exchange. “He attacked me, saying, ‘How dare you?’ And I said, ‘How dare you too?’ That was how we ended the discussion,” Obasanjo recalled.
He urged the Egba Legacy Network to document Abeokuta’s history and ensure key figures in Egbaland’s development are recognised. He also emphasised the need to leverage Abeokuta’s proximity to Lagos to turn the city into a major tourist attraction.
