In eighteenth century, the hunter who first came to Abeokuta (Nigeria), emigrated in a few family and detachments and settled in a place called Abeokuta, just to save themselves from the wild beasts, and many other reasons. These emigrants are now known to be EGBA tribes, and the head and leader of these emigrants was ODUDUWA, a title. Oduduwa was the hero father of Yorubas. Of course, Egba people did not live together as they do now and they were very few.
Type of houses built: The houses were of mud and the roofs were thatched with grass and broad leaves, of course, these type of houses are still existing throughout the Yoruba villages.
The compounds were in form of square and every compound contained shrines of many gods to which the family sacrificed.
Daily tasks: Hardly in the morning when the day’s tasks began, the spinners would take up their spindles, the weavers would take up their shuttles, the farmers would take up their hoes, cutlasses, etc., the warriors would take up their weapons, the drummers would take up their drums and the hunters would take up their bows and arrows.
Tribal marks: The tribal marks were different types and this was according to the choice of a family.
Women’s dresses: The women’s dresses were aprons, head ties, veils for young ladies or newly married ladies and top covers for old and married women only. Precious beads always on wrists, necks and waists. The camwood powder was used to rub the body and antimony for the eyelids.
Plays and amusements: Our plays and amusements were fables, folk-lores, proverbs, riddles, etc. etc., after day’s work was over.
Means of communications to our neighbours or friends who were far off from us: Long, long ago, before the Yoruba people had ever dreamed of the white people and as there was no book knowledge, the Egba people had the means of communications by means of symbols which we used as letters and some of them are as follows—If two cowries were tied together faced each other, meant, “I want to see you”. But if a long feather was added in return, it meant “be expecting me”. If two cowries were tied back to back meant, “I shun you away”. If another cowrie was added in return, it meant, “I kick you off”. But if the coal was sent in return, it meant, “I fail to understand the cause of shunning me away”. Etc., etc.
Believes: Many wild bushes were reserved or untouched simply not to drive away the spirits who were lurking in there. Mighty trees around the town were reserved as they were the inhabitations of spirits and witches.
All these things are still existing but are gradually dying.