Alaafin Of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi Laid To Rest [PHOTOS]

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has been laid to rest in the ancient town of Oyo, south-west Nigeria.

IFECITYBLOG earlier reported that the Alaafin died late Friday night at a hospital after battling a brief illness.

His remains were on Saturday buried within the premises of the Palace. He was aged 83 years. 

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.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has described the death of the monarch as a personal loss to him.

“Oba Adeyemi was our last man standing in the rank of most eminent royal fathers with long years of leadership,”

“He became a golden king, an institution and an authority rolled into one by virtue of his immense experience, wisdom and understanding of Yoruba history, royalty, and politics.”, he stated.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is also among prominent leaders who have paid tribute to the late Alaafin whom he said was a symbol of Nigeria’s epic struggle for self-discovery and self-actualisation.

Obasanjo, in a letter, condoled with Governor Makinde, the family of Oba Adeyemi, and the entire people of Oyo on the transition.

He stated that the late highly revered monarch was a patriotic and respected traditional ruler who had immeasurable love for his people and great faith in a united Nigeria.

“He (Alaafin) stood out as a voice of forthrightness in national affairs, and he was as well a fervent promoter of mutual tolerance and understanding, not only among the diverse people who live in his domain but also across the country,” the elder statesman was quoted as saying in a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi.

According to him, it was during Oba Adeyemi’s reign that Oyo town got transformed into the modern city that it has become and his contribution to nation-building was also acknowledged in the conferment of the esteemed national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, on him and other honorary degrees that he received from Nigerian and outside educational institutions.