Africa’s richest businessman, Aliko Dangote, has announced plans to dedicate one-third of his personal fortune to charitable causes, reinforcing his commitment to improving lives across the continent through strategic philanthropy.

The billionaire industrialist said the decision reflects his belief that wealth should be used to create lasting social impact, particularly in sectors such as healthcare, education, nutrition and economic empowerment.

Dangote, whose business empire spans cement, sugar, salt, fertiliser and petroleum refining, noted that his charitable investments would continue to focus on addressing some of Africa’s most pressing development challenges. He stressed that supporting vulnerable communities and expanding opportunities for young people remain among his top priorities.

Over the years, the Aliko Dangote Foundation has funded several major interventions, including disease control programmes, food assistance initiatives, educational support and disaster relief across Nigeria and other African countries. The foundation has also partnered with governments and international organisations to mprove public health and strengthen social welfare programmes.

Eclonomic analysts say the pledge places Dangote among a growing number of global billionaires who have committed aa.A portions of their wealth to philanthropy. They believe such investments could help expand access to quality education, improve healthcare delivery and stimulate community development across Africa.

Observers have also commended the move, describing it as a demonstration of corporate responsibility and a reminder that private wealth can play a vital role in tackling social and economic challenges.

With the latest commitment, Dangote has reaffirmed his vision of using business success as a platform to create meaningful and lasting change, ensuring that millions of people benefit from investments that extend beyond industry and commerce.

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The House of Oduduwa has formally announced the funeral programme for the late Prince Adetunji Adeyemi Adisa Ogunwusi, whose passing on July 18, 2026, has left the ancient kingdom of Ile-Ife, the Ogunwusi Royal Family and admirers across Yorubaland in profound mourning. The revered prince was 58 years old.

In a funeral invitation issued on behalf of the family, the House of Oduduwa described the late prince as “a Titan,” a tribute that captures the remarkable life, strength of character, and enduring legacy of a man who devoted himself to his family, his people and the preservation of the rich traditions of the Source.

According to the announcement, a Service of Songs will hold on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at Ojaja Arena, Ile-Ife Grand Resort, Ile-Ife/Ibadan Expressway, Ile-Ife, Osun State. Guests attending the solemn event are requested to be dressed in all white.

The final funeral service will take place on Thursday, August 6, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Ayegbaju, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The family has designated purple and white as the official dress code for the service. Interment will follow immediately at the late prince’s residence in Ile-Ife.

The announcement, endorsed by the House of Oduduwa under the authority of the Ooni of Ife, extends a warm invitation to family members, friends, associates and well-wishers to join in celebrating the life of the departed prince, noting that their prayers and presence will be deeply cherished.

The death of Prince Adetunji Ogunwusi marked the loss of not only an elder statesman within the Ogunwusi Royal Family but also one of the respected sons of Ile-Ife whose life reflected dignity, humility, loyalty and unwavering commitment to the values of the Yoruba people. As the immediate elder brother of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, he stood as a dependable pillar within the royal household, offering wisdom, stability and quiet strength through the years.

Those who knew him remember a man of exceptional warmth, generous spirit and uncommon grace. Though he carried the honour of royal birth with distinction, he remained approachable, compassionate and deeply devoted to the welfare of those around him. His life was a shining testament to the timeless virtues of service, integrity and respect for tradition.

As preparations begin for his final journey, tributes continue to pour in from across Nigeria and beyond, celebrating a prince whose influence extended far beyond the palace walls. His passing closes a significant chapter in the history of the House of Oduduwa, yet his legacy of honour, humility, family devotion and commitment to Yoruba heritage will continue to inspire generations.

Indeed, Prince Adetunji Adeyemi Adisa Ogunwusi lived as a true son of Oduduwa and departs this world as one whose footprints will remain indelibly etched in the history of Ile-Ife. Though the royal family mourns the loss of a beloved brother and patriarch, his memory will forever endure as that of a titan whose life enriched the House of Oduduwa and the Yoruba nation. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.

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The  Ooni of Ifẹ, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi has installed the President of the Yoruba Council Worldwide Barrister Oladotun Hassan as the Sooko Agoriesin of .

The installation ceremony took place over the weekend at the historic Wanikin House and Ogbooru Amodo Ruling House in Ile-Ife. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs at the Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare.

According to the statement, the event featured traditional rites and royal blessings performed by palace priests and custodians of Yoruba culture, in accordance with the customs of Ile-Ife, widely regarded as the ancestral home of the Yoruba people.

The title of Sooko Agoriesin is considered a significant position within the traditional institution of Ile-Ife, symbolising loyalty, courage, service, and commitment to the preservation of Yoruba heritage.

During the ceremony, prayers were offered for peace, prosperity, and unity among the Yoruba people, while the newly installed chief was charged to uphold the dignity and responsibilities of the title.

Speaking with journalists after the installation, Hassan expressed gratitude for the honour, describing it as a call to greater service to humanity, the Yoruba nation, and the throne of Oduduwa. He pledged his loyalty to the Ooni and reaffirmed his commitment to promoting Yoruba unity and cultural values.

Hassan noted that the Sooko title holds considerable importance within the palace hierarchy, describing the holder as a key lieutenant to the Ooni and a custodian of tradition.

He also pledged to focus on peacebuilding, cultural preservation, youth empowerment, and humanitarian initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of the people.

In his remarks, the Ooni of Ife charged the new Sooko Agoriesin to uphold the integrity of the office and remain dedicated to the service of the palace and the Yoruba people. The monarch described Hassan as a committed advocate of Yoruba culture whose contributions to cultural promotion and youth mobilisation have earned him recognition.

The Ooni further urged him to leverage his new role to strengthen peace, promote cultural values, and support community development.

The ceremony was attended by traditional chiefs, palace officials, members of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, cultural enthusiasts, and dignitaries from across the country.

Moses Olafare is Media Aide to His Imperial Majesty, the Óoni of Ifẹ 

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The death of the 46th Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, after an extraordinary 65-year reign, has opened the gates to a royal contest unlike any in living memory. For the first time in over two and a half centuries, serious conversations are being held about the possibility of a female Awujale. But as the drums of change beat louder, an equally forceful counter-rhythm of caution echoes across Ijebuland.

At the centre of the debate is Dr. Oluwakemi Onanuga, a lawyer of distinction and a descendant of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, which now holds the turn to present candidates for the throne. Her supporters point to her distinguished career, international exposure, and links to Oba Adesimbo Tunwase I (1886–1895) as evidence of legitimacy. Yet others quietly question whether royal blood through the female line is enough to satisfy tradition in a culture where most Yoruba royal successions remain patrilineal.

Tradition Versus a Modern Reading of History

The Ijebu chieftaincy declarations of 1957, which guide succession, state a preference for male candidates but do not explicitly bar women. Historians also remind doubters that Ijebuland once enthroned women—Oba Gadegun (1644), Oba Ore Jeje (1749) and Oba Sapennuwa Ruwa Koye (1750). To some, these precedents suggest that gender is not an immovable barrier.

Yet critics argue that those reigns occurred in a very different era, before the crystallization of today’s succession norms. “The Fusengbuwa house may put forward a female name,” one elder observed, “but the customs have hardened over centuries. Lineage today is traced through the male bloodline. That is the reality the kingmakers cannot ignore.”

The Female Line Question

Much of the debate around Dr. Onanuga’s candidacy revolves not only around her gender but her maternal link to the throne. Though her mother descends from the Fusengbuwa house, traditionalists insist that Yoruba royal inheritance is typically passed through the father’s line. “She is undoubtedly of royal stock,” a prominent Ijebu chief conceded, “but whether the female line can produce an Awujale in this century is a different matter.”

Such voices warn that breaking the patrilineal mould could trigger challenges from other branches of the ruling house or even from rival houses in future. They caution that the Awujale stool, a symbol of Ijebu unity, must not be thrown into prolonged litigation or factional disputes.

The Lure of Global Symbolism

On the other side of the argument are those who believe a female Awujale would not only be lawful but transformative. U.K.-based cultural commentator Angie Speaks has spoken of the international attention a female monarch would attract, linking the idea to the legend of Queen of Sheba (Bilikisu Sungbo) whose burial site is in Ijebu Ode. “The first African queen of a major Yoruba kingdom would electrify the Black diaspora,” she said.

Supporters also cite Dr. Onanuga’s record as a lawyer, UN Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador, and participant in international governance projects as qualities suited for a modern monarchy. To them, the stool should be about capability, not gender or strict lineage.

The Kingmakers’ Dilemma

Ijebu tradition prides itself on balancing respect for custom with a capacity for adaptation. Oba Adetona himself was known for progressive thinking, but he also upheld the core rituals of the stool. The kingmakers must now decide whether this is the moment to rewrite the unwritten rule of male succession or to reaffirm the centuries-old order.

As one political analyst framed it, “The choice before the kingmakers is not simply about Dr. Onanuga. It is about whether Ijebuland is ready to revolutionize a male-dominated tradition. If they select a woman, they create a precedent that future generations cannot ignore. If they do not, they maintain the delicate stability that has preserved the Awujale stool for centuries.”

History Awaits

The coming months will reveal whether Ijebu will stay the familiar course or dare to chart a new path. A female Awujale is not forbidden, but neither is it a simple matter of merit or modern sentiment. The decision will test the balance between progress and preservation—between a people’s proud past and the unpredictable demands of the present.

Whether Dr. Onanuga’s name ultimately carries the day or not, her emergence has already forced Ijebuland to confront a question larger than one candidacy:
Can a centuries-old lacuna of male domination truly be broken, or will the rhythms of tradition continue to hold sway?

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September 1, 2025

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex-Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Adelola Matemilola, were among the dignitaries who graced the coronation of Oba Oluseyi Adediran as the Towulade of Owu-Akinale in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The ceremony, held on Saturday, was confirmed in a statement issued by Oba Adediran on Monday.

In his goodwill message, Senator Amosun described Akinale as an important town within the Owu Kingdom and urged the new monarch to promote unity and inclusiveness. He prayed for wisdom and strength for Oba Adediran, expressing optimism that his reign would usher in peace and development.

Similarly, Oba Matemilola commended the monarch’s contributions to community growth even before ascending the throne. He cited the foundation-laying of a police station, the continuation of a decades-old town hall project, and the establishment of a health centre sponsored by Oba Adediran as signs of a promising reign.

In his acceptance speech, Oba Adediran expressed gratitude to God, his family, the Adediran dynasty, and community stakeholders for their support. He also acknowledged Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, whom he described as the “Olori Omoba of Ogun State,” for approving his selection and playing a fatherly role in community development.

“I have so many plans because I have God as my backing. My father, the Olowu of Owu, laid the foundation for key projects such as the police station, health centre, town hall, and a water project for our secondary school. My wife is spearheading the Education Trust Fund to drive educational opportunities, and I know her zeal and commitment will deliver results,” Oba Adediran said.

His wife, Olori Oluwafolakemi Adediran, pledged rapid improvements in education, healthcare, and social development during the new reign.

Other dignitaries at the coronation included music legend Chief Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, Aare Kazeem Bakinson, the Aare Mayegun of Owu Kingdom, Kazeem Odeyeyiwa of Raptor Group Limited, Hon. Babajide Ogunshina, and Barrister Daniel Aramide.

Governor Abiodun, represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, officially presented the Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment to Oba Adediran, confirming him as Otileta I, Towulade of Owu-Akinale. He described the monarch’s ascension as historic and commended the peaceful, transparent selection process.

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Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State — After decades of disputes and years of protracted legal battles, history was made on Saturday, August 30, 2025, as Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa formally presented the Staff of Office to His Royal Majesty, Oba Isiaka Oseni Adu, as the new Alale of Akungba-Akoko in Akoko South West Local Government Area.

The colourful event, witnessed by dignitaries, community leaders, and traditional rulers, marked the resolution of one of the state’s longest-running chieftaincy tussles.

Governor Aiyedatiwa, while performing the presentation, described Oba Adu’s recognition as the culmination of a long-drawn struggle for justice and a necessary step to restore peace to the community.

> “It is only logical to allow His Royal Majesty, Oba Isiaka Oseni Adu, who obtained favourable judgments at all levels of the judicial processes, to enjoy the benefits of his legal victory in the best interest of fair play, equity, and justice,” the governor declared.

Although the Olugbade Ruling House was next in line to produce a monarch following the passing of Oba Sunday Adeyeye Ajimo in March 2025, the governor explained that government had to respect the subsisting court rulings which validated Adu’s claim.

He stressed that the government had no bias for any ruling house and appealed for calm.

> “This is not an expression of government’s preference for any ruling house whatsoever, but an action taken in the overall best interest of peace and tranquility in Akungba community,” he said.

Congratulating the new monarch, Governor Aiyedatiwa urged him to rule with fairness and inclusivity:

> “Kabiyesi, you are now a father to all. You must see your ascension to the throne as a service to your people. The staff of office should be employed to strengthen peace, unity, and cohesion of your town, not to victimize perceived opponents.”

The governor also used the occasion to highlight his administration’s ongoing development projects in the region, including the reconstruction of the Akungba–Ikare dual carriageway, flood mitigation measures, and other infrastructure projects. On security, he reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding lives and property through strengthened support for the Amotekun Corps and other agencies.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Amidu Takuro, commended the governor for his respect for due process, while the Chairman of Akoko South West Local Government, Hon. Ayo Ajana, described the event as the dawn of a new era for Akungba.

In his acceptance speech, Oba Adu expressed profound gratitude to God and the state government for upholding the rule of law and making his installation possible.

> “I lack human words to fully express my gratitude to the Almighty Father for making this day a reality. I am equally indebted to the Executive Governor of Ondo State for upholding the Supreme Court judgment on the Alale chieftaincy matter, which has culminated in my installation as the Alale of Akungba today,” he said.

The monarch described the installation as historic, noting that it fulfilled the aspiration of the Agure royal family dating back to 1951. He pledged to prioritize unity, peace, and development during his reign.

With the installation of Oba Isiaka Oseni Adu, Akungba-Akoko now looks forward to a new chapter of reconciliation, stability, and progress under its newly crowned monarch.

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Saturday, August 16, 2025, was set as a landmark date that would witness a unique event in the annals of Yoruba, Nigeria, if not African contemporary history. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enita Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, had signed on to a programme tagged the unveiling of the Social Media Website, 2GEDA. I got the well-packaged invitation letters and made arrangements to attend. It was meant to push forward Nigeria’s version of Facebook and dictate the pace of local content in the growing social media space.

Commendably, the Ooni of Ife signed on to this project, and he is pushing it with all the vehemence at his disposal. He also chose Ilaji Hotel and Sports Resort, Akanra, Ibadan, as the venue to unveil the unique project. Ilaji, as the sprawling location is called, is run by a man who has also come to be known by that name. He is Engineer Jubril Dotun Sanusi, a traditional holder of the Ajia Olubadan of Ibadanland and a man with several honourary chieftaincy titles across Yorubaland and the South South.

Despite the fact that the date coincided with the House of Representatives by-election for Ibadan North Federal Constituency, held to replace the late Hon. Musiliu Olaide Akinremi (Jagaban), whose death created the opening, the event was well attended. Traditional rulers from all across Osun and Oyo States. You know that the Ooni doesn’t go to events empty-handed. His entourage was full, and the monarchs from Oyo State also joined in good numbers. All the who’s who among the Mogajis of Ibadanland were present, just as we had High chiefs, politicians, market men and women, artisans, and men from all walks of life thronging the Ilaji Resort space to celebrate with the Ooni and his birthday mate, Engineer Jubril Dotun Sanusi. The nation’s security services were also well represented at the event, and that’s understandable. The mass audience, especially among youths and the business community, which the site would cater to, deserves that attention from security outfits, especially as the website being launched is projected to rival the popular Facebook and its variants, such as WeChat. So, we had the representative of the Chief of Army Staff, the GOC 2nd Mechanised Division, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, a representative of the Ibadan Zone of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a representative of the Oyo State office of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the state’s command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), all in attendance. The representative of the EFCC took time out to lecture the gathering on the use of social media and the need for Nigerians to straighten the narratives about their country on such a platform.

There was no sign that the event, which had turned into a carnival of a sort, would trigger any controversy that we later witnessed hours after it closed. The Ooni of Ife, who made a speech before unveiling the www.2GEDA.net platform, spoke freely and gave no inkling of ruffling any feathers. He said he was qualified to be an Ibadan because he entered the city with his head (as the Yoruba would describe someone born and bred in a place). He declared that he was highly impressed by the love and care Dotun Sanusi exhibits towards his city of origin, adding that: “If you want to test him, just take a matter that affects Ibadan to him, you don’t need to know him, he will treat the matter.” He thereafter told the gathering that the time had come for Dotun Sanusi to officially receive the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title he had pronounced on him in 2020. The Royal Beagle boomed, and the trumpet sounded in affirmation of the Kabiyesi’s pronouncement, and the gathering chorused with applause, as well.

Everything went well, and the Ooni capped a good evening with a visit to Ilaji 91.9 FM station, located inside the Sports Resort, where he granted an interview. Hours after the historic launch of the first social media network out of Nigeria, news broke that the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to withdraw the title he reaffirmed at Ilaji. That statement was, by all means, a needless interjection from the Alaafin’s palace. A dent we do not need on the white apparel of the www.2geda.net social media networking platform, something that portends good things can come out of Yorubaland and Nigeria.

In case you don’t know, social media, as presently constituted, is the true definition of what the Yoruba called aye lu jara, which the communication people describe as the world becoming a Global village. So, if a Nigerian is making an incursion into that world with local content, he or she deserves all the support and not the trail of needless bickering. The EC Innovations, in a January 2025 publication, submitted that social media is not just a global phenomenon; “it is also deeply localised.” The platform stated that different regions have their unique preferences on social media, which are influenced by cultural norms, language, and local regulations. In 2024, the site records that an estimated 5.17 billion people actively used social media, a 4.44 per cent rise from 2023. Globally, users are reckoned to spend at least 2 hours 12 minutes and sometimes 2 hours 18 minutes on social media daily. If you check the usage of social media in this country thus far, you will understand there is a void, which the Ooni initiative is trying to fill. Such an effort should not be blighted by any form of commotion, whether from political or traditional quarters.

As for the title conferred on Jubril Dotun Sanusi, we understand that the traditional award is already five years old and that it was pronounced during the reign of the departed Iku Baba Yeye, Alaafin Adeyemi. If that repository of history and a great custodian of tradition that he was did not object to the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title in his lifetime, why now? And there is no question that Dotun Sanusi does not merit the title. He is a traditional title holder in Ibadanland. And a holder of chieftaincy titles from Ile-Ife, across kingdoms in Yorubaland and Rivers State as well.

It is true that in Nigeria’s contemporary history, there are records of altercations between the Alaafin and the Ooni. There was a huge war over the permanent chairman of traditional rulers before Osun State was excised from the old Oyo State, but we can’t continue to revel in such inglorious history.

Societies must keep growing, just as life itself is never stagnant. Empires rise and fall, but the world remains a constant.

In all the history that we read, the Ooni stool is the custodian and the spiritual and religious essence of the Yoruba. He represents Oduduwa, the primogenitor of the Yoruba race. Ile-Ife is the undisputed source of the race. And then the Oyo Empire, which Alaafin superintended over, was established by Oranmiyan, a son of Oduduwa, who also became the Ooni at a stage. If the history is that intertwined, what is the essence of a supremacy war? Several Yoruba leaders have tried to intervene in the feud, all calling for a truce, but we all have to agree that traditional rulers should have nothing to do with acts tantamount to showboating. The drive towards peace and progress should be paramount to our traditional and political leaders. However, I’ve chosen to highlight certain realities regarding the unfolding development by quoting excerpts from a statement credited to the General Secretary of Yoruba Heritage Forum, Olufemi Aduwo titled “Stop Distorting Yoruba History-Alaafin Warned Against Sparking Crisis Over Ooni’s Supremacy.”

He wrote: “The purported ultimatum issued by Oba Abimbola Owoade, the Alaáfin of Ọ̀yọ́, to Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ifẹ̀, concerning the conferment of a chieftaincy title upon Chief Dotun Sanusi is not only legally baseless but historically unsustainable. I am unaware of any subsisting court judgement, if such even exists, that grants the Alaáfin supremacy over the Ooni in matters of traditional authority or chieftaincy recognition. Any reliance on such a phantom judgment constitutes a grave error and a distortion of history.

“It must be emphasised that the historical Ọ̀yọ́ Empire, celebrated though it was, never at any time encompassed the entirety of Yorùbáland. Scholarly consensus, including Samuel Johnson in The History of the Yorubas (1921), establishes that Old Ọ̀yọ́ was, at its zenith, a coalition of certain territories whose power was often contested and ultimately fragmented. Its authority was largely confined to a collection of towns and villages in the savannah belt, never extending to the whole of Yorubaland. The Alaáfin’s political and military supremacy was therefore limited, and any chieftaincy title he confers, even the once-glorified but now ceremonial Are-Onakakanfo, holds force only within Ọ̀yọ́ town and immediate environs. Such titles cannot, by law or custom, impose authority over Ifẹ̀, the cradle of the Yoruba people.

“Colonial records consistently reinforce this distinction. British reports, including the Intelligence Report on Ife Division (1930s), recognised the Ooni as the spiritual father of the Yoruba race, stating: “Ife is recognised throughout Yorubaland as the source from which all the Yoruba people sprang. The Ooni is regarded as the spiritual father of the race. “Similarly, A.B. Ellis noted in 1894: “The Yorubas unanimously admit that their kingship and institutions took rise at Ife, whence their rulers trace their authority.”

“By contrast, the Alaafin was described as head of the Oyo Empire, a political and military authority whose reach, even at its height, was geographically limited and temporal in nature. The 1920s Intelligence Report on Oyo stated: “The Alaafin’s authority, though now much diminished, was once the political overlordship of much of Yorubaland. His supremacy was temporal and not spiritual.”

“Colonial administration formalised these distinctions between Native Authorities in the 1916–1930s era: while each Oba had authority within their districts, the Ooni was never reduced to a local king of Ife alone; his prestige as the father of the Yoruba race was explicitly recognised. By contrast, the Alaafin’s jurisdiction was largely confined to Oyo town and its immediate environs.

“It is, therefore, patently wrong for the Alaafin to assert that the Ooni’s powers are limited to certain Local Government Areas. Traditional authority in Yorubaland is not coterminous with modern political boundaries. The Ooni of Ifẹ̀ embodies not just the kingship of Ifẹ̀ township but the spiritual primacy and ancestral custodianship of the entire Yoruba race, a status no political subdivision can diminish. Historical and colonial records alike affirm that the Oyo Empire, Yorubaland, and the Ooni’s spiritual authority transcended temporal boundaries.
…”The Yoruba nation, already burdened with insecurity, economic instability, and generational aspirations, cannot afford another chieftaincy-fuelled crisis. Let it be clearly understood that any attempt to provoke strife under the guise of supremacy will be resisted both by law and by the collective will of the Yoruba people.”

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In a publication of the Lagosian Magazine, an article authored by Barr. Wale Ojo-Lanre has sparked a global debate among the Yorubas and other traditional enthusiasts!

The departed Awujale of Ijebu land; HRM Oba Dr. Sikiru Kayode Adetona was laid to rest ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC RITES on Monday July 14, 2025. Debates poured in! Both for and against. In this article, I will briefly attempt to dispassionately analyse both sides and end with my own submission.

In a dissertation titled “WHY TRADITIONAL RULERS MUST BE BURIED BY TRADITIONAL RITES. OUR TRADITIONAL RULERS CAN’T EAT THEIR CROWNS AND SPIT ON TRADITION”, Barr. Ojo-Lanre made a passionate arguement against the concept of traditional rulers seeking to be buried by anything short of the same rites that brought them to the throne. When African kings are installed, there are traditional rites that authenticate their oath of office. Call it an initiation into ancestral realms or consumation with the gods! In Yoruba culture in particular, our traditional rulers are not called “alase ekeji orisa” (ie deputy deities) for nothing! There are levels of covenants they enter into with the powers of the land they are about to preside over. The same tradition dictates similar rites for the burial of the king when he transits to (finally) “join his ancestors”!

There must be reasons why Traditional Rulers do not want to be burried according to “Traditional Rites”! I am already afraid of what I might dig up if I painstakingly research into this matter… So, let us not go there!

In my family whatsapp group, this depate sparked and my response thereat inspired this article. An unknown commentator gave his own equally passionate arguement in favour of the Awujale’s wish to be buried according to Islamic rites! Wahala…

This anonymous commentator highlights the rights of the deceased to be buried according to his faith and preferences. And for the family he left behind, such an important wish of their deceased must be respected! Most importantly, the Ogbagba himself had strategically prepared for this debate, and he killed it 4 years before his transition! Kabiyesi S. K. Adetona himself, while he was Chairman of Ogun State Traditional Council sponsored a legislative bill titled “OBAS, CHIEFS, COUNCIL OF OBAS AND TRADITIONAL COUNCIL LAW OF OGUN STATE BILL 2021”, which addresses respect of human dignity and promotion of “modernity” in the installation and burial of traditional rulers. Plese see

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/505041-abiodun-signs-controversial-ogun-cheiftaincy-bill-into-law.html?tztc=1

This bill when passed was received with mixed feelings! While the Muslim Community received it as a welcome idea, the traditionalists described it as “tactics of an influential monarch in the State to dabble into tradition and rearrange it to suit his personal interest”!

I have said that I would be on the fence and make my opinion known without bias… So let me try!

Define Tradition: The Transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of (anything) being passed on in this way.

Define Religion: The belief in a superhuman power or powers, especially a God or gods. Institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs and pactices. The service and worship of God or the supernatural.

By the above definitions (there are more…), “Tradition” and “Religion” are each both a noun and a verb. Each of these terms describes the substance and also the action of practice in the substance, therefore should be independent of one another! Perhaps our confusion lies in the nomenclature of the religion of our fore-fathers! “Traditional Religion” as we call it in Africa ties a belief system that our fathers practiced to our customary ways of life. Now that most of us have jettissoned those belief systems for Christianity or Islam, does that mean that we no longer have traditions?! Big question!

Can TRADITION exist without the RELIGION that our ancestors practiced?

Must the religion of our ancestors remain “traditional” ie we have no liberty to modify where necessary?

Are we permitted to or can we decide to apply “modernity” in traditional matters?

If the simple meaning of tradition is ideologies or cutoms passed down from one generation to the other, why can’t we choose what customs to practice and pass on and the ones to drop?

What is wrong if we practiced our traditions regardless of the choice religion of the participants?

Between the community and the immediate family of a transited Monarch, who holds higher authority over his remians considering the said wishes or instructions of the king on the matter vs the rights of the community over their king?

While I leave each reader to answer these questions, I proceed with my comments…

When a traditional ruler is installed as king, he should have the liberty to choose in which religion his installation rites should be! That will from the beginning set the tone as to how the end will be! What do these installation rites consist of anyway? I don’t know in details, but I guess most of it is “prayers” for the new king and the land he is about to preside over! So, why can’t we install an Oba “In Jesus Name” or “Insha Allah”, while the way of our ANCESTRAL RELIGION would still be valid for those who so prefer!

So while we try to make a distinction between tradition and religion, the practices that cause religion and tradition to inevitably cross paths must be carefully dealt with to avoid complexities! Most monarchs who are not of the ancestral religion live their entire lives on the throne worried about how their transition would be – as a Christian or Muslim! This is unfair to them, therefore the factor of choice comes to play! When a traditional practice requires PRAYERS for example, the subject person should be allowed to choose in what religion should the prayers be said, just as we get to choose by which Holy Book we swear in court! (But the courts do not give ancestral worshippers the choice of their own religion! Another topic…) If the ancestral worship adherents are true to their claims that they also worship Eledumare throught their various deities, they should also be liberal enough to allow the Monarch’s choice religion. But then, we also have the Christians or Muslim adherents who without the understanding of the parallelity of tradition and religion would not want their religion mentioned in traditional matters. So, it is a complex imbroglio…

Therefore considering the possible parallelity of religion vs tradition and the possible dynamism of tradition itself, methinks the king-elect should have the liberty to CHOOSE IN WHICH RELIGION HIS KINGSHIP INSTALLATION AND BURIAL RITES SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT! I call the concept of parallelity and dynamism of religion and tradition a possibility because we are not there yet! A lot yet has to be done to gradually lay this impasse to rest…

The post TRADITIONAL RULERS AND THE FEAR OF BURIAL RITES: ENTRY RITES VERSUS EXIT RITES; WHAT IS THE WAY OUT?! appeared first on The Lagosian Magazine.

To perpetually preserve the cultural heritage of Ijebu, His Royal Majesty; Alayeluwa Oba Dr. S. K. Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, led the achievement of a great idea! I do not think there exists any such monumental repository of ethnic culture in Nigeria that is privately sponsored! I made a quick check and found that there are 52 Museums in Nigeria. All Federal Government-owned. The Ijebu National museum is a indeed a masterpiece! A comprehensive compilation of artefacts and symbols of the Ijebu Civilization conceptualized and established by a great king with enthusiastic support from his loyal subjects!

It was in the year 2014. Kabiyesi was celebrating his 80th Birthday and 54 years on the throne of his forefathers. Otunba Deji Osibogun (an endeared mentor to me) was the Chairman of the Museum Committee. His old-time friend Mr. Craig Fashoro was the Chief Curator who was contracted to set up the Museum. And yours truly was on the team to assist. I worked. I saw. I learnt. Got inspired. Proud to be Ijebu!

The structure that houses the Museum was designed as an appurtenant structure to the Awujale Pavilion / Palace Extension opposite the Royal Palace of the Awujale in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. That stadium-like facility where Ojude Oba is hosted every year… Yes. That’s exactly the place! Enter the gate and proceed to your extreme left, you will see the Museum neatly tucked in that corner of the state-of-the-art arena. You are welcomed with a warm smile by a receptionist employed and trained to receive discerning Ijebus and visitors alike, young and old, who want to know more about Ijebu heritage. Step in and get awed at the sights you behold! Every item in the Museum tells a story… An Ijebu story! Ijebu Traditional Drums. Beaded Crowns, Shoes and Horsetail Sceptres (Ìrùkèrè) and the Staff of great Ijebu kings who had long gone to be with their ancestors. Images with names in prints representing all the Awujales of Ijebuland from Inception till date. Beautifully crafted masks and figurines. Various Ijebu towns have various artefacts representing their place in the cultural history of the Ijebu nation.

One of the most prominent items in the Museum is a pair of Connon Firers! Despite the heavy bombardment endured by Ijebu at the Imagbon war of 1892, our valiant fathers ensured that they captured some of these “strange weapons”, perhaps to study the technology and create theirs?!

I remember how pleasant and brilliant Craig Fashoro opened my eyes to the beauty of African Arts and, more so, to the potential for financial gains in the creative sector. With his million-dollar Company, “African Quintessence” based in the USA, Mr. Fashoro is a world-class Curator who has established several museums all over the world and executed inumerable exhibitions! Such is the quality of hands that put the Ijebu National Museum together… Top notch world class! I also remember that it was at this Museum experience that I met an Itsekiri man (also an artist who was there to work with Mr. Fashoro) who taught me that the Itsekiris of Delta State are actually Ijebus who migrated yonder! This is not an Ijebu man laying claims over the Itsekiris, this is an Itsekiri man proudly alluding to the fact that the great Itsekiri tribe of Delta State sprouted out of Ijebu!

Do not visit Ijebu-Ode without a stop-over at the Ijebu National Museum…

The post THE IJEBU NATIONAL MUSEUM; A “FOREVER GIFT” FROM AWUJALE S. K. ADETONA appeared first on The Lagosian Magazine.

AWÙJALÈ… The royal title of the traditional king and paramount ruler of the great Ijebu land and people! His kingdom span across an area of about 12,321km2. This great kingdom is home to the most industrious people group of the Yoruba race in South West Nigeria; amongst many other outstanding qualities… The first Awùjalè of Ijebuland in written historical record was Olu-Iwa, while the popular Obanta was actually the 3rd Awùjalè and grandson of Olu-Iwa. Oba Dr. Sikiru Oluwakayode Adetona was the 55th Awujale of Ijebu land…

1. OBA OLU-IWA

2. OBA OSHIN

3. OBANTA; 1430 to 1445

4. OBA GURU; 1445 to 1455

5. OBA MUNIGBUWA; 1455 to 1460

6. OBANTA II; 1460 to 1470

7. OBA LOJA; 1470 to 1482

8. OBA LOFIN; 1482 to 1496

9. OBA APASA; 1496 to 1508

10. OBA GANJU; 1508 to 1516

11. OBA TEWOGBOYE; 1516 to 1520

12. OBA RUWAMUDA; 1520 to 1532

13. OBA OFINRAN; 1532 to 1537

14. OBA LAPENGBUWA; 1537

15. OBA OTUTUBIOSUN; 1537 to 1540

16. OBA MOKO IDOWA AJUWAKALE; 1540 to 1552

17. OBA ADISA; 1552 to 1561

18. OBA JEWO; 1561 to 1576

19. OBA ELEWU ILEKE; 1576 to 1590

20. OBA OLUMISODAN ELEWU ILEKE; 1590 to 1620

21. OBA MASE; 1620 to 1625

22. OBA OLOTUSESO; 1625 to 1635

23. OBA MOLA; 1635 to 1642

24. OBA AJANA; 1642 to 1644

25. OBA ORE OR GADEGUN; 1644 to 1655

(The first female Awùjalè)

26. OBA GUNWAJA; 1655 to 1660

27. OBA JADIARA OR OLOWOJOYEMEJI; 1660 to 1675

28. OBA SAPOKUN; 1675 to 1687

29. OBA FALOKUN; 1687 to 1692

30. OBA MEKUN; 1692 to 1702

31. OBA GBODOGI; 1702 to 1710

32. OBA OJIGI AMOYEGESO; 1710 to 1730

33. OBA LIYEWE AROJOFAYE; 1730

34. OBA MOYEGE OLOPE; 1730 to 1735

35. OBA OJORA; 1735 to 1745

36. OBA FESOJOYE; 1745 to 1749

37. OBA ORE JEJE (Female); 1749 to 1750

38. OBA SAPENNUWA RUBA KOYE; 1750 to 1755

39. OBA ORODUDU JOYE; 1755 to 1758

40. OBA TEWOGBUWA I; 1758 to 1760

41. OBA GBELEGBUWA I; 1760 to 1790

(Approved Ruling House 1)

42. OBA FUSENGBUWA; 1790 to 1820

(Approved Ruling House 2)

43. OBA SETEJOYE; 1820 to 1821

44. OBA ANIKINAYA FIGBAJOYE; 1821 to 1850

(Approved Ruling House 3)

45. OBA AFIDIPOTEMOLE ADEMUYEWO; 1850 to 1886

(Approved Ruling House 4)

46. OBA ATUNWASE (ABOKI) ADESIMBO; 1886 to 1895

47. OBA ADELEKE OGBAGBA AGBOTEWOLE I; 1895 to 1906

48. OBA FUSIGBOYE ADEONA; 1906 to 1915

49. OBA FESOGBADE ADEMOLU (Dethroned); 1915

50. OBA ADEKOYA ELERUJA; 1915 to 1916

51. OBA FESOGBADE ADEMOLU; 1916 to 1925

(Enthroned again)

52. OBA ADENUGA AFOLAGBADE; 1925 to 1929

53. OBA OGUNNAIKE FIBIWOGA; 1929 to 1933

54. OBA DANIEL ADESANYA (GBELEGBUWA II); 1933 to 1959

55. OBA Dr. SIKIRU OLUWAKAYODE ADETONA, OGBAGBA AGBOTEWOLE II; 1960 to July 13, 2025

By the declaration made in section 4(2) of the Chiefs law of 1957 under the Customary Law regulating the selection of the Awùjalè of Ijebuland, there are Four Ruling Houses in Ijebu land. The implication is that the ascendancy to the exalted throne of the Awùjalè of Ijebu land has to be by rotation amongst these four Royal Dynasties. They include:

The Gbelegbuwa Ruling House

The Fusengbuwa Ruling House

The Anikinaiya Ruling House and

The Fidipote Ruling House.

This Declaration was approved on 25th August, 1959, and registered on 1st September, 1959.

The above register of all the AWÙJALÈs of Ijebu land shows that the just departed Awùjalè was the 55th one. The founding Awùjalè was Oba Olu-Iwa. Followed by Oba Oshin, they both reigned at unknown dates. The first Awùjalè whose reign was dated was Obanta (1430 to 1445). There were two Awùjalès of the female gender; the first was Oba Ore (aka Gbadegun) who reigned from 1644 to 1655, while the second was Oba Ore Jeje whose short reign lasted only a year, being 1749 to 1750. The direct ancestors of the four approved ruling houses are identified from the above chronicle.

The first of them was Oba Gelegbuwa who reigned from 1760 to 1790.

The next was his direct successor who incidentally also reigned for 30 years like his predecessor; Oba Fusengbuwa reigned from 1790 to 1820.

The third was Oba Anikinaya Figbajoye who reigned for 29 years from 1821 to 1850, he is direct ancestor to Awùjalè; Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.

And finally, his successor Oba Afidipotemole Ademuyewo who reigned for 36 years from 1850 to 1886.

While we leave the kingmakers/regency council to do their job, I would guess that the next Awujale of Ijebu land will come from either the Fusengbuwa Ruling House or the Fidipote Ruling House. Fingers crossed…

But first, may we all concentrate on giving a befitting farewell honour to the great Oba Dr. Sikiru Kayode Adetona; Ogbagba II, Awujale of Ijebu land.

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