Adesanya’s A Handbook of Sagamu Turns Community Memory Into a Record for Future Generations

SAGAMU’S history, traditional institutions, economic evolution and cultural identity have received fresh documentation in A Handbook of Sagamu, a new book by filmmaker and former lecturer Ọmọ’ba Deji Adesanya.

The publication was unveiled on 27 August 2026 at the Centenary Hall, Ewusi Street, Sagamu. Traditional rulers, community leaders, professionals and residents attended the event.

Rather than limit itself to a chronology of past events, the book examines the forces that have shaped Sagamu over generations and the challenges confronting the community today.

Documenting More Than History

The chairman of the occasion, Asiwaju S.K. Onafowokan, described the publication as the product of extensive research.

He warned that communities could lose their sense of direction when they neglect their history. For him, Adesanya’s work offers younger generations an opportunity to understand the origins of Sagamu and the sacrifices that produced the community they inherited.

Onafowokan also identified potential audiences beyond Sagamu. He urged educational institutions, libraries and households to acquire the book, particularly because it could assist researchers and members of the diaspora.

Oba Babatunde Ajayi, Akárìgbò and Paramount Ruler of Remo Land, shared that assessment.

The monarch praised the author for undertaking research into Sagamu and its environment, stressing the importance of preserving community history through systematic documentation.

Why the Project Took Years

The book did not begin as a conventional historical project.

Adesanya said he first conceived an idea around 1999 after reading a newspaper publication on Who is Who of Kwara. His initial plan involved producing a similar work on prominent people from Sagamu.

A later encounter with a book on Ikenne changed the direction of the project.

He began considering a publication that would examine not only prominent residents but the broader evolution of Sagamu. The research subsequently expanded into politics, traditional institutions, economics, education, health, food, festivals, culture and social development.

That expansion transformed the project from a directory into a community handbook.

Colonialism, Traditional Power & Modern Politics

One of the book’s significant themes is the changing relationship between traditional authority and modern government.

Adesanya examines the Oba-in-Council and its functions before and after colonial rule. The modern local government system has transferred formal political authority to elected officials, but traditional institutions remain influential within community life.

Their continuing role in dispute resolution illustrates the complexity of governance at the local level.

Sagamu therefore provides a useful case study of how indigenous institutions have adapted to political systems introduced and reshaped over time.

Sagamu’s Commercial Heritage

The book also revisits the community’s economic history.

Adesanya identifies kola-nut trading as one of Sagamu’s important historical commercial activities. The town once occupied a significant position in regional trading networks, connecting local production with markets farther afield.

That legacy, however, faces the pressures of economic and environmental change.

The author links industrial activity, particularly limestone processing, to problems that affected kola-nut production. Dust from industrial operations reportedly damaged kola-nut trees and contributed to the decline of the crop in parts of the area.

The issue illustrates a larger development dilemma. Industrialisation can generate economic activity while simultaneously placing pressure on traditional livelihoods.

Industrialisation & Environmental Questions

Adesanya also draws attention to concerns surrounding industrial pollution and workers’ health.

The dust problem prompted the introduction of equipment designed to reduce atmospheric emissions, according to the author.

The discussion gives the book a contemporary dimension. Sagamu’s story is not simply about preserving what existed in the past. It is also about examining the consequences of economic choices made in the present.

This creates an important question for policymakers and residents: how can industrial growth coexist with environmental protection and the preservation of traditional economic activities?

Education as a Question of Identity

Education forms another strand of Adesanya’s analysis.

Drawing from his experience as a lecturer, he questioned the effectiveness of forcing children to understand complex ideas through a language they may not initially grasp.

His position feeds into Nigeria’s broader debate over indigenous languages and the language of instruction.

For Adesanya, the issue connects directly with cultural identity. A child who understands the history, language and traditions of the community may develop a stronger sense of belonging and responsibility.

The Message to Younger Generations

The author sees historical knowledge as a practical tool.

He wants young Sagamu residents to know their origins and understand the experiences of previous generations.

Yet he does not regard heritage simply as something to celebrate.

He argues that knowing one’s roots should also encourage individuals to consider their responsibilities to the community.

That approach moves the book away from nostalgia and towards civic engagement. The past becomes a resource for understanding current challenges and shaping future decisions.

A Filmmaker Turns to the Archive

Adesanya’s professional background also influenced the project.

He studied filmmaking at Cambrian College of Art and Technology in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, and Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California.

His career began in cinematography at the Television Service of Oyo State, now BCOS-TV, Ibadan. His professional work later took him to countries including Germany, Egypt, Kenya and Senegal for documentaries and international sporting events.

He co-founded A-Productions with his brother in 1986 and co-wrote and directed Vigilante in 1988.

His subsequent film Ose Şàngó (Sango’s Wand) won the maiden Hubert Ogunde Foundation Award for Best Film of the Year. His 2010 documentary Uncommon Service won the AFRICAST Award for Best Documentary Film among television broadcast stations across Africa.

Adesanya also moved into teaching and became a pioneer lecturer and Head of Department of Film and Television Production at PEFTI Film Institute, Lagos. He retired in 2020.

His background in visual storytelling and education gives the handbook an unusual foundation. The author approaches community history not simply as an academic subject but as something that must remain accessible and meaningful to ordinary people.

An Archive for a Changing Community

The launch speeches repeatedly returned to one central concern: preservation.

As communities expand, traditional practices change, old occupations disappear and younger generations migrate. Such changes can weaken the transmission of local knowledge.

A Handbook of Sagamu attempts to counter that process by bringing historical and contemporary material into one volume.

The chief launcher, Hon. S.I.O. Kalejaiye, described the compilation as a substantial undertaking because of the volume of information assembled.

Its significance, therefore, may extend beyond the launch ceremony.

If adopted by schools, libraries and researchers, the book could become a reference point for future studies of Sagamu and Remo history.

From Memory to Development

The larger significance of the publication lies in its attempt to connect history with development.

Sagamu’s past contains stories of migration, commerce, traditional governance, agriculture and cultural adaptation. Its present contains questions about industrialisation, education, environmental protection and institutional change.

By bringing those elements together, Adesanya asks readers to see history as a continuing process rather than a collection of dates.

The book’s most enduring contribution may ultimately be the conversation it generates.

As Adesanya himself suggested at the presentation, the publication has already begun provoking interest.

For Sagamu, that conversation could prove as important as the historical record itself. A community that documents its past gains the opportunity to debate its present with greater context—and to approach its future with a clearer understanding of the forces that shaped it.