OmoElublog: Nigeria's Diary Blog on Interesting Facts and Stories OmoElublog: Nigeria's Diary Blog on Interesting Facts and Stories
Related Articles
Every 15th of October is an historical day in the life of the reigning Supremo and Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo town, Oba Lamidi Atanda Adeyemi III who marks his date of birth yearly on this day and today makes it his 82nd year on this space called Earth.
Highly revered and cerebral, Oba is one of the foremost Yoruba kings in Southwest Part of Nigeria, with rich history of ascendancy and heritage.
In celebration of his life, OmoElublog has xtrayed few important things you may want to know about this king, and here we go.
- Birth: He was born as one of the numerous children of his late father, Late Alaafin Adeniran Adeyemi II on this day, 15th of October, 1938 to Olori Ibironke Adeyemi, who died shortly while young Adeyemi was just 8yrs old.
2. Royal Lineage: Oba Lamidi is the third recent Alaafin from his Royal ruling house, the Adeyemi Alowolodo Rulling house of Oyo town. His grandfather Alaafin Adeyemi Alowolodo I reigned (between 1876 -1905), and his own biological father, Oba Adeniran Adeyemi II who reigned between 1945-1955 before being deposed due to political infractions.
3. Growing up, Education and Working Life: Life without a mother, made Oba Lamidi to become a sojourner, living with different people as his guardians in pursuance of Education and personal development and this took him to Iseyin town where he had his footing in Qur’anic Education.
From Iseyin, he later moved to live with an Anglican teacher and Headmaster of St. Andrew Oyo, the late Pa. Olatoregun, under which he was able to have his basic primary school Education in Oyo.
From Oyo, he moved to live in Abeokuta and interestingly at the popular Ake Palace during the reign of Alake Oba Samuel Ademola between 1947 to 1948, where he had his first real outlook and cultural orientation of what is expected of a king in Yoruba land. This short stay remains indelible in his life and he still speaks Egba dialect fluently.
From Egba, he moved to Lagos to live with one of his father’s friends – Late Sir (Dr) Kofo Abayomi who put him the popular St. Gregory College Lagos.
Young Lamidi secured a Scholarship through his father’s political friend, late Zik of Africa, Nnamdi Azikwe to study Law in UK in 1960 but 3 days after, his beloved 88yrs old father, who has been deposed from Oyo to Lagos, departed this sinful world. This affected his plan in many ways and as such, couldn’t fulfill his dream of having a tertiary Education and ended up becoming an Insurance Officer in Royal Exchange Assurance Ltd Lagos.
4. Contesting for the stool of Alaafin at age 30: Upon the demise of Alaafin Bello Ladigbolu in 1968 – young Lamidi threw in his interest to contest for the seat of his forefathers at the age of 30 with 10 other princes. And as God will have it, he was crowned through the then Western Governor, Col. Adeyinka Adebayo as the 43rd Alaafin of Oyo on 14th of Jan, 1971 at barely 32yrs. And he will have his 50th year anniversary on throne in 2021, God’s willingly.
5. As Father and Husband: Like his father who was reported to have had 200 wives, Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi is also happily married to many beautiful wives, with two being the oldest and married before becoming a king. They are Olori Habibat Adeyemi known in the palace as (Iya dodo) and Olori Ramat as Iya Ile kòtò. Kabiyesi is also blessed with not less than 20 grown up children who are all educated and babies with his young beautiful queens.
Notably among them is Prince Akeem Adeyemi (Sikeme), the former Chairman of Atiba Local Government and a parliamentarian at the National Assembly.
Others are Prince Abisoye Adeyemi – his firstborn and Aremo who is a Nigerian Custom Officer, Pastor Israel Adeyemi a lawyer in Lagos, Princess Folashade of Arewa Home of Culture among many others.
6. Awards: Oba Lamidi Adeyemi had been conferred with many titles, few of which include the coveted honour of CFR of Federal Republic of Nigeria and Doctor of Letters LLD and he is currently the chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.
At 82 and still kicking strong, it is indeed a life of grace for Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Omo Iku Omo Arun, Alowolodo bi iyere.
From OmoElublog, we wish Baba Alaafin more wonderful years on throne.
