While speaking to our correspondent at his palace, the Basorun of Oyo and the traditional Prime Minister of Oyo who is also the head of the Oyomesi, holding the forth until the ascension to the most revered stool of the Yoruba nation, the seat of the Alaafin an ancient throne which became vacant on the transition of His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III the 43rd Alaafin of Oyo recently describing the monarch as a great exemplary ruler and leader who is the supreme custodian of Yoruba Culture and Tradition as exemplified by Oyo who throughout his reign in the ancient palace ensured and that he was entirely democratic in all his doing was an understatement. Kabiyesi, Atanda Iku Baba, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III never operated in a vacuum, he carried us all along in all he did and he had always told us that in event of the stool been vacant, there is need for continuity.
"Aisetan n'Oyo", it is very important to thank His Excellency, Muhammad Buhari, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Rt. Hon. Speaker, Aare Femi Gbajabiamila (Aare Basofin of Yorubaland), His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo former President of Nigeria, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State and the 2023 presidential candidate of APC, Kayode Fayemi, all Governors not mentioned, Ministers and former ministers, politicians, associates and all countries of the world that visited and wrote condolence messages, on the passage of the greatest Icon of the Yorubas the only walking encyclopedia of Yoruba History and Culture, His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III who joined his ancestors on the 22nd of April, 2022, we say a big thank you for all your support and prayers.
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| President Buhari receiving the Alaafin in Aso Rock Villa |
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| Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Alaafin Oba Adeyemi III in Alaafin's quarters in Ibadan |
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| Engr. Seyi Makinde and Alaafin Oba Adeyemi III during a state event at the House of Chiefs |
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| Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Alaafin Oba Adeyemi III during his consultation visit in 2022 |
The Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Akinade, Olayinka I further added that at this time, he would like to thank most especially the amiable governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde for celebrating Oyo and his contributions towards making memorable the burial of our transited Alaafin we are all most grateful. In the same vein he also thanked the former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the newly elected yet to be sworn-in Governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, His Excellency, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan amongst all excellencies who were physically present to celebrate our dearly beloved patriarch of modern Oyo.
Also thanking the traditional rulers, first all traditional rulers who have visited the ancient Oyo Palace and all those who sent emissaries to represent them, the Basorun said that "on behalf of the Oyomesi, Ayabas, princes and princesses of the Alowolodu ruling family, Oyo metropolis both home and in the diaspora he is saying a big thank you to all for finding time to come and celebrate our departed father of the Yoruba race. He prayed that they all would reign for long on the stool of their forebears. He said he would have loved to mention names but it would be one sided because they are just all too numerous considering that people came from all over the world including all who sent letters.
While he was with us, he had always encouraged the talking drummers and palace praise singers to always sing that "he was sent and the authority belongs to the one who sent him." Today we all understand why he worked from sun up to sun down. January to December, he literally worked 365days in a year in the last 51yrs and when we ask him to slow down, he always chides us with the words that "once you ascend the throne of the Alaafin, you don't have a private life of your own and you are not to live for yourself or your family. It is a life of service to the people and the only time you will relax or rest is when you pass on to the great beyond." He often remind us that every morning, the drummers in the palace wakes him up reminding him that "he should gather his loins, wear his trouser and his top, that duty delegated to him cannot be delegated to another" he said this is his motivation and driving force everyday because the drummers must beat the drums at day break which is one unique part of the ancient Oyo culture and tradition.
In this vein, the Alaafin had worked immensely in preservation of the cultural heritage of the Yorubas. There are so many shrines which have been restored, many are almost completed and works are ongoing. There are works with UNESCO which are ongoing to list Oyo as a UNESCO world heritage site which we are hoping will soon see the light of the day. There are other ongoing works too with the Centre For Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo a these are legacies of Alaafin Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III which we must continue.
The Alaafin had given a pride of place to the traditional religion because it is a fact that today, we are all converts from our traditional religion to the faiths that we all belong to today. He has done so much works in this regard including traveling to Brazil on invitation by their government and signing an agreement for continuity in promotion of Yoruba Culture and Tradition. We are going to be keeping and promoting that faith because if he was here physically it is what he would do and we shall not say because he is no more here, these works should stop. Our Oyo is peaceful not because of us but because we are building on the foundation of all that the Alaafin Oba Adeyemi III had laid down for a greater Oyo. We are preaching and promoting peace across the divides, unity in diversity but progress in purpose. He had done his part as inspired and we are carrying on until a new Alaafin ascends that throne.
In line with all our great father of modern Oyo stood, lived and worked for, we have had several events including the Egungun festival which have just been concluded and it was peaceful, orderly and that is how Oyo had been before and after the departure of the Alaafin. Next on our calendar is the upcoming, World Sango Festival which is coming up in the month of August from the 11th of August, 2022 through the 20th of August, 2022. This is a yearly festival which is celebrated even beyond Oyo but Oyo is the home of Sango who happens to be the third Alaafin of Oyo who have been deified and worshipped in over 22 countries of the world. Oyo Empire was the biggest and longest empire founded by a black man which lasted for over 600 uninterrupted years the facts speak for itself. This event will hold and we are looking forward to everyone of you cooperating with us as you have always given us cooperation while our dear Alaafin was here with us and now that he is overlooking us all from the heavens we enjoin you all to join us in celebrating this great African King deified, SANGO at this world Sango Festival.
We are most grateful to God for the great life lived by our dear father and we praying that he will rest in peace but continue to look over us as we live to promote his works and legacies. Until the new Alaafin is enthroned, the system of administration in Oyo continues and we are thanking the federal, state, local government and all institutions for their cooperation and support which we had been enjoying before the departure of our patriarch and which we are enjoying today, we pray that God will keep you all and bless you all. To all the good people of Oyo, we thank you most sincerely for your love and patience, we are assuring you that God willing, work is going on and we want you and everyone to keep praying for us on this herculean task because for our Oyo to be better, we will be needing total cooperation from you all. Ajise bi Oyo la ri.... The Basorun of Oyo concluded.
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