The History of 'Ojikutu'
The Story of Pa Amodu Rufai Ibikunle Ojikutu...
His Memory Lives On
The Ojikutu Story...
Family Background
Papa Amodu Rufai Ibikunle Ojikutu was born in 1870 in Lagos into the family of Pa Mohammed Lawani Obayomi and Madam Rebecca Obayomi (nee Pearce). Madam Rebecca Obayomi (fondly called Iya Idumota) was the daughter of Rev. Awobo Pearce pf Itesi, in Abeokuta.Papa Amodu Rufai Ibikunle Ojikutu’s grandfather, Pa Obayomi, was an Herbalist who came to lagos in 1799, during the reign of Oba Eshinlokun, from Isheri Olofin. He settled at No 3 Jagun lane also known as 91 Victoria street, (now Nnamdi Azikwe Street), an indigenous settlement in the heart of Lagos Central District. It was an area bounded on the east by Victoria Street, and on the south by Ali Balogun Street, on the west by Oluwole Street and in the north by Agarawu Street. It was a typical customary compound often referred to as ‘Agbola Ojikutu’.Pa Amodu Ojikutu was the only child of his mother, but had a sibling known as Osenatu Aisenu who was born in 1876.
For his Elementary Education, Papa attended Ereko Methodist School. With the little education he had acquired, he was able to think about the future with amazing imagination and admiration.He chose to develop skills in furniture making and made rapid progress in his business. However, he discovered that the challenges ahead would require diversification into a more rewarding career. Through one of his friends and associates by name ‘Summonu Ailara’, he abandoned his passion for furniture making and ventured into butchering business which brought him to fame in Lagos and beyond.Through the assistance and influence of one of his uncles, H.S Pearce of Olowogbowo Lagos, he got the colonial government contracts to supply beef to all the military formations in Lagos and colony, before and during the World War I. Indeed, fate was kind to Papa because his business ventures increased his fortune and popularity.
He became known and addressed by his friends as OJIKUTU. This was an appellate given to him by drummers when eulogizing him by singing thus ‘Iwo laji roba, iwo l’asun r’oba, iwo ni Ojikutu kutu kutu bomi agbada we’ meaning that, ‘he was the closest associate to the Oba of Lagos and an early bird that catches the worms’, this became the morning routine every Friday by the praise singing drummers.Papa was a person of wealth. His business was a matter of routine and stereotype. Papa viewed time in different ways which in turn influenced his business activities. It was like the case of an American dream which was a French nightmare. For instance, Papa worked round the clock to get beef into the market very early in the day. He generally started his business from zero hour and what mattered was his performance and the plan to make it in the future. He was typically the master of his fate.
Papa knew there was no other quality so crucial to success than the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.
His Matrimoal Life
Papa Amodu Rufai Ibikunle Ojikutu, because of his affluence, prosperity and wealth became a Polygamist. He married seven wives mostly from within the popular Lagos Island Families:
Madam Seliatu Ojikutu (nee Awoyegun of Itoku Abeokuta)
Madam Salamotu Ojikutu (from Mabinuori Dawodu & Pedro)
Madam Seliatu II Ojikutu (Ilesanmi, Isale Eko)
Madam Ojuolape Ojikutu (nee Bajulaiye Kudehinbu Isale Eko)
Madam Raliatu Ojikutu (nee Alokolodo-Omobenle of Ibadan)
Madam Ramotu Ojikutu (nee Bakare Lagos)
Madam Anota Ojikutu (nee Mummuni Animashaun of Lagos)
From these marriages, Papa had twenty four children from six wives. He came to terms with the enormity of his responsibilities and took over the education and upbringing of his children. Some of the children had the privilege of good education up to secondary school in institutions like Kings College, Lagos.Prominent among the children were Late Chief Yekini Alabi Ojikutu who was turbaned and officially presented to HRM Oba Adeniji Adele II as Balogun of Lagos and Balogun of Lagos Muslims. He was Bashorun Oluwole.He was a colleague of Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, the first Nigerian Chief Justice of the Federation, Late Isaac Oladipo Oluwole, C.Martins, E.A Carr.He was responsible for the supply of meat and food stuff to the Allied Forces during World War II, he also contested and won the election ino Lagos Town Council in 1953 as a Councilor.Others are Late Abdul Azeez Adigun Ojikutu who was the Olotu Adinni of Lagos, Otunbada of Lagos and Baba Adinni of Ibikunle Central Mosque.Late Alhaji Abdul Fasasi Ayinde Ojikutu was the President of the Young Kila Friendly Society of Lagos 1926- 1974Late Alhaji Adijat Abimbola Salu was the first lady President of the Lagos State Butchers Association.Late Barrister Wahab A.O Ojikutu, Alhaji Chief Abdul Ganiyu Omowamiwa the current Arowo s’ Adinni of Lagos, Baba Adinni of Ibikunle Central Mosque and Akeweje Adinni.Late Barrister Fatai Oladeinde Bakare an else while senior partner, Burke & Co. , Chairman Bouygues Engineering Nigeria LtdInspite of their education, they took to Papa’s business ideas and became butchers. There hardly was any government hospital, markets in Lagos and colony that a member of the Ojikutu Family was not supplying or marketing cattle beef. Amongst the modern day establishments that benefited from the supplies were UAC, SCOA, UTC, General Hospital, Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital e.t.c