THE remains of the Awujale and paramount ruler of the Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, were interred on Monday, July 14, at his private residence at Ogbagba Court, Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, according to traditional rites.
Oba Adetona died on Sunday, July 13, at the age of 91.
The ceremony was attended by dignitaries, royal family members and high chiefs of the Ijebu Traditional Council, including Governor Dapo Abiodun; former governor, Gbenga Daniel; former vice president, Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and businessman, Aliko Dangote.
Oba Adetona, who reigned for over six decades, was one of Nigeria’s longest-serving traditional rulers and his burial marked the end of an era for the Ijebu nation.
Hundreds of Ijebu sons and daughters gathered to pay their respects to a monarch at a ceremony held in strict adherence to tradition and privacy.
Born on May 10, 1934, Oba Adetona ascended the throne in 1960 at the young age of 26 at a critical moment in Nigeria’s history.
President Bola Tinubu had described the late Awujale as “a towering natural ruler” who served his people with honour, dignity and wisdom, saying he received the news of his death with “deep pain,” especially coming on the same day former President, Muhammadu Buhari, also passed on.
He stated: “Oba Adetona was a voice of reason during national crises and used his position to promote unity and progress” in Ijebuland.
Tinubu underscored his contributions to education and good governance, particularly through his endowment at Olabisi Onabanjo University, adding: “May our departed Kabiyesi find eternal rest.”
In May last year, he was honoured with Nigeria’s second-highest national award, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), in celebration of his 90th birthday, by Tinubu.
Abiodun, while describing his death as a huge loss to the state and the country at large, said he was a symbol of unity, wisdom and development, recalling that under his reign, Ijebuland witnessed unparalleled cultural renaissance, infrastructural growth and economic advancement.”
“His role in elevating the Ojude Oba Festival to global recognition, alongside his enduring commitment to education, health and tradition, will remain a timeless legacy.”
Sanwo-Olu, in a condolence message on his X handle, extolled the late Awujale virtues, saying he was respected far beyond the boundaries of Ogun State and earned every bit of that respect through his leadership.
The governor said the late monarch’s legacy would live on in the lives he shaped, the peace he maintained and the progress he helped bring to his people, adding: “It’s hard to imagine Ijebuland without him. He was a leader whose voice mattered.”
