Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Dies At 83

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi III joined his ancestral late hours yesterday Friday, 22 April 2022, at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State in the South-West Nigeria.

The remains of the colossal monarch of Yorubaland were brought back to Oyo town in the early hours of Saturday, 23 April 2022 for burial.

The traditional rites began in the palace of the monarch since early hours including Islamic congregational prayer led by the Imam of Oyo town, Alh. Sheikh Moshood Adebayo Ajokideru.

The Yoruba traditional ruler, Oba Adeyemi, was 83 years old and the longest reigning Alaafin

of Oyo ever. He ruled for 52 years (1970 – 2022).

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, is expected to make an official announcement upon receiving the report of the monarch’s passing from the Bashorun of Oyo, Yusuf Akinade, the head of the ‘Oyo Mesi’, who will now lead Oyo town before installation of a new Alaafin.

His death came months after the two other senior Oyo State monarchs – the Olubadan of Ibadan, Saliu Adetunji, and the Soun of Ogbomoso, Jimoh Oyewumi – died. All of the deaths happened in less than five months.

Alaafin Adeyemi III was born on October 15, 1938 to the Alowolodu Royal House, and as a member of the House of Oranmiyan to Raji Adeniran Adeyemi (born 1871), who later became Alaafin in 1945, and Ibironke of Epo-Gingin, who died when he was young.

His paternal grandfather was Alaafin Adeyemi I Alowolodu, who ruled during the Kiriji War, and was the last independent ruler of the Oyo Empire before British colonialism. Alaafin Adeyemi's father, and Adeyemi III's great-grandfather was Oba Atiba Atobatele, who founded New Oyo. Atiba's father, his great-great grandfather, was Alaafin Abiodun, and is a direct descendant of Oranmiyan, the founder of the Oyo Empire.

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