Breaking: Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Is Dead

Alaafin Of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi Laid To Rest

By Edna Wande On Apr 23, 2022

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, has on Saturday, April 23 been buried in the ancient town of Oyo, Oyo state.

Adeyemi joined his ancestors on Friday, at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti and his body arrived in the palace on Saturday.

Alaafin, popularly known as ‘Iku Baba Yeye’, was 83 years as of the time his death was announced.

Following the announcement of his demise, Islamic rites were conducted on the body of late Alaafin, signalling the beginning of his final journey home.

Islamic clerics led by the Chief Imam of Oyo town were joined by members of the family of the late traditional ruler and some of his chiefs to offer prayers for the repose of his soul.

After the prayers, his body was taken back to the palace where the final burial was held as hundreds of sympathisers and mourners besieged the palace.

An Oyo prince and a close relative of the Alaafin, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, confirmed the burial of the monarch to Channels Television.

Hundreds of sympathizers, mourners, family, indigenes of Oyo and other neighboring towns in the state have thronged the palace to mourn the demise of the traditional ruler.

The mourners among whom are youths, aged, men and women are currently at the palace eulogizing the virtues of the monarch.

They described the monarch as someone who would be missed by his subjects.

Major markets, shops and event centres have been shut as a result of the death of the monarch to honour him.

Alaafin Adeyemi, who served as the permanent chairperson of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, was reportedly sick and was scheduled to be flown abroad for treatment before he joined his ancestors on Friday.

He was the third to ascend the throne from the Alowolodu Ruling House and ruled for 52 years – making him the longest-reigning traditional ruler in Oyo town.

Alaafin was born Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi on October 15, 1938, and succeeded Oba Gbadegesin Ladigbolu I, as the new Alaafin on November 18, 1970.

Following his demise, the Bashorun of Oyo and Head of the ‘Oyo Mesi’, Yusuf Akinade, is expected to lead Oyo town before a new Alaafin would be installed.

The monarch died months after the death of two other top traditional rulers in the state – the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, and the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi.

While Oba Olalekan Balogun has been crowned as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadan land, the people of Ogbomoso have yet to get a new traditional ruler.

See some photos of sympathisers at the palace below;