President Bola Tinubu has described Sikiru Adetona, the late Awujale of Ijebuland, as an embodiment of integrity, humility, culture, dedication, and service to humanity, adding that he brought honours to the Yoruba race, during his reign.
The Awujale passed away on Sunday, July 13, and was interred the following day.
President Tinubu, speaking the eighth-day prayer held on Sunday for the late monarch at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, said the Awujale was a pride of the Yoruba race.
“Today marks a significant day in our nation’s history, particularly in the history of the Yoruba people. Nowhere will you find a better definition of our culture than in the life of the late Awujale,” President Tinubu said.
He noted that the late Awujale left behind legacies worthy of emulation and recalled the prayers and support he received from the late Oba during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and in the run-up to his assumption of the presidency.
Read also: Photos: Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, laid to rest in Ijebu Ode
“I succeeded because of your support and the blessings of the late Awujale. I came to him; he blessed me and said, ‘You will win that election.’ Today, he is no more, but God has blessed us, especially if we heed the richness of his wisdom,” the President stated.
President Tinubu described the late Adetona as a worthy leader—bold, courageous, and truthful—adding that “he would never deceive you.”
“To honour this great man, we must be more united, bonded in the spirit he left behind, and appreciate his legacy, even in death. We have named institutions after him, and his legacy will endure. It is up to each of us to remember the values he represented. May God grant him Aljannah Firdaus,” President Tinubu said.
The President also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his exemplary relationship with the late Oba and for caring for him both in life and death.
“I have listened to Governor Abiodun and cannot express how much I thank you for caring for our father, a leader of our conscience. Before he died, he brought honour to the Yoruba race. I am extremely proud of him; he was always there for us in times of need,” President Tinubu stated. “I recall the June 12 episode, and many other moments in his palace—our resistance, our determination to reverse the annulment of June 12. Papa was steadfast, resolute, and very encouraging.
“That he lived to see the calendar as a 91-year-old, and to witness the conferment of the Grand Commander of the Niger at age 90, is a source of immense pride.”
President Tinubu also recalled the counsel and prayers he received from the late Oba during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and in the lead-up to the 2023 presidential election.
“I came to him for prayers before the election, and he gave me his blessings.”
Read also: Oba Sikiru Adetona: The unyielding Awujale who reigned with modernity and defiance
The President offered prayers for strength and solace for the bereaved family and all those mourning the passing of the departed Oba.
Governor Dapo Abiodun thanked President Tinubu for coming to commiserate with the family of the late Awujale. The Governor highlighted the numerous contributions the late monarch made to Ijebuland, Ogun State, and Nigeria as a whole.
“Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona was more than a monarch. He lived a full life of 91 years, with 65 years on the throne,” he stated. “His reign brought development not only to Ijebuland, but across the Western region and Nigeria as a whole.”
Muslim clerics, led by Imam Kamaldeen Balogun, the Grand Mufti of Egbaland, offered prayers for the late monarch and reflected on the certainty of death. The Imam reminded the gathering that “only our good deeds while on earth will be of any worth upon our death.”
Earlier, at the Igbeba Palace of the late Oba, President Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, offered solemn prayers at the Oba’s tomb for the repose of his soul. He later held a private meeting with the Oba’s family.
Among those who accompanied the President on the condolence visit were Governors Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; Biodun Oyebanji, of Ekiti State; Lucky Aiyedatiwa, of Ondo State; and Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State.
Also in attendance were Gbenga Daniel, former Governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District; two other former governors of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba and Ibikunle Amosun; the First Lady of Ogun State. Bamidele Abiodun; the First Lady of Kwara State, Olufolake Abdulrazaq; and former First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunke Daniel.
Opeyemi Bamidele; Senate Leader, Solomon Adeola, Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee, Member, House of Representatives, and Olumide Osoba.
Others include Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Bosun Tijjani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
Gbenga Daniel said the President’s presence greatly excited the entire Ijebu community, noting that it underscores the strong relationship between President Tinubu and the Awujale of Ijebuland.
The Grand Mufti of Yorubaland, Abdul-Azeez Ishola, observed that the late Awujale demonstrated his commitment to President Tinubu’s administration by mobilising his people to support the President. “The President’s attendance at this event is interpreted as a significant and symbolic gesture, acknowledging past support and reinforcing connections,”
