Abraham Adesemowo was the Orimolusi of Ijebu Igbo under whose reign as the Oloja of Okeshopin, the town had its five quarters unified. Abraham’s status had been promoted right after his assumption of office in 1929 from his being a primus inter pares among other Baale of the town.
Adesomowo often availed himself of higher paraphernalia than was allowed by the organization of Ijebu province under which the government of his town was subsumed at the time, attracting reproach and stiff sanctions. He was suspended for three months in the year of his investiture and in 1934, the crown with which he intended to celebrate his anniversary was seized. In 1942, he was made to return to his domain from Ijebu Ode bareheaded after his crown-likeheadress was forcibly taken from him.
The relatively democratic Ijebu Igbo Patrotic Society’s support of Adesemowo lent credence increasingly to his agitation and this formed basis for the demand of a separate and autonomous Native Administration for his town, Ijebu Igbo. Injustices on part of the administration at Ijebu Ode finally made the British colonists accede to the request for Ijebu Igbo autonomy in 1948, a year after Adesemowo’s death. Abraham Adesemowo died an old man in 11 September 1947.
