Gbalefa belongs to Owu…

Gbalefa Peninsula is an area of land located south of Abeokuta and north of Lagos city. Gbalefa Peninsula was named after Akindele Gbalefa, the outstanding Owu warrior who led the Owu/Egba war against Ilobi [sv], Ado-Odo and Dahomey.

The Owu army contingent fought side by side with the Egbas in the Makun, Ilobi and Ado-Odo wars in 1842-45. The Owu/Egba contingent defeated the Ilobi and Ado-Odo at Itori, Yobo, Ifo, Atan and Ota. From these conquered territories the Owu and Egba forces fought against the fierce Dahomey Amazons. There were two major attacks on the Owu/Egba nation by the Dahomeans.

The first, on Monday, March 3, 1851, under the notorious king Ghezo the invading Dahomean army numbered some 15,000 warriors, estimated Eugene Stock (1836-1928), Secretary of the Church Missionary Society. The Owu/Egba forces fiercely defended Abeokuta town within and outside the city walls and won the battle. Had king Ghezo prevailed in his attempt to destroy Abeokuta, historians[who?] believe he would have adorned his palace with the polished skulls of Abeokuta kings and influential leaders, just as he had done with kings of every territory he destroyed.

In a bid to avenge Ghezo’s defeat, his son and successor, Glele, launched what was supposed to be a surprise attack against Abeokuta in 1863. Owu/Egba allied army intelligence however foretold the impending attack and so the army laid ambushes for the Dahomeans on the outskirts of Abeokuta in the Gbalefa Peninsula. When the Dahomean army marched towards Abeokuta, they were surrounded by the Owu/Egba allied army and defeated in the battle that ensued. The number of casualties, estimated at over 5,000, were described as the worst in the history of West African warfare at the time. The Dahomeans suffered heavy casualties, and Glele’s family, horse, coral and golden treasures were also captured by the Owu/Egba allied army.

Lapeleke, Majeogbe and Akinwale were three brothers who fought in the Dahomey war. Lapeleke, a sector commander of the Owu militia in the Egba Allied Forces that checkmated[clarification needed] the Dahomean Amazons and other interlopers marauding Abeokuta and the Egba Federation between 1836 and 1843, made Akinale a military base where the militia settled to strategize, hence the footprints of other Owu heroes such as Awaye Sonlu and Akindele Gbalefa, among others, on ground.

In 1937, the colonial government merged Ota and Gbalefa Peninsula under the Egba Native Administration in present day Ogun State, Nigeria.

To underline that Gbelefa Peninsula does not belong to the Aworis/Ottas, a meeting was held on Wednesday, 10 April 1935 at the Olota’s Palace between the District Officer from Abeokuta (Representing the resident of Abeokuta Province) and the indigenes of Otta as represented by the Olota of Ota, his chiefs, and the representatives of Ota Bales.