To most people who had the rare privilege of getting close to the just-interred Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the paramount ruler of the Ijebu nation was, in his lifetime, an epitome of humility, the type that was scarce within royal circles.
To a large extent, that trait endeared him to his people, the Ijebus, who remained loyal to him for an outstanding 65-year reign despite their cosmopolitan dispositions and huge intellectual endowments.
Adetona, a member of the Royal House of Anikinaiya, ascended the throne of his forebears at a relatively young age of 26 on April 2, just on the eve of the nation’s independence in 1960, thus making him the longest-serving monarch in contemporary Nigeria.
The monarchy, everywhere, is a hotbed of intrigues and subterfuge littered with banana peels that requires wisdom to navigate. It becomes worse when political brinkmanship is thrown into the mix.
That was Oba Adetona’s lot when he got entangled in the politics of Ogun state while Bisi Onabanjo was at the helm of affairs. As politics took centre stage, friendship gave way to rivalry, and personal ire would lead to a constitutional crisis.
Though both were eminent sons of Ijebuland, tense political altercations put a wedge in a friendship that used to be considered exemplary. This culminated in the suspension of Oba Sikiru Adetona from office as the Awujale of Ijebuland until further notice. However, the situation soon turned to a deposition, as the removal was scheduled to take effect on January 2, 1984.
Fate intervened in Adetona’s favour when the Muhammadu Buhari coup of December 31, 1983 which toppled President Shehu Shagari’s civilian government, halted the plan. Buhari’s intervention not only inadvertently preserved the Awujale’s reign for the next 41 years but also created a friendship between the Military head of state and the Royal Father that only death could sever. The monarch who had been deposed returned not in disgrace, but in quiet triumph. Like a cat with nine lives, he resumed his place as a custodian of tradition and a symbol of endurance, dignity, and the power of lawful resistance.
It could not have been accidental that Buhari and Adetona did not want to leave the other behind as they both bid farewell to this earth hours apart on July 13, 2025. Buhari first.
Adetọna was born on 10 May 1934. Between 1943 and 1950, the young Prince attended various Baptist Schools, Ereko, Ijẹbu-Ode; Ogbere United Primary School, Oke Agbo, Ijẹbu-Igbo; and Ansar-Ud-Deen School, Ijebu-Ode. For his secondary education, he attended Olu-Iwa (now Adeola Odutọla) College, Ijebu-Ode, from 1951 to 1956. Between 1957 and 1958, he took up an appointment with the then Audit Department of the Western Region, Ibadan.
The prince resigned his appointment in 1958 to pursue further studies in accountancy in the United Kingdom, which was then the colonial ruler of Nigeria.
Speaking after the interment of the late monarch, Governor Abiodun extolled the virtues of Adetona, describing him as a great philanthropist, who can do anything for his friends.
He also said that the late Oba Adetona stood by him in public and in private on his journey to the Government House in 2019.
The Governor described him as “a royal father like no other, bold, principled, and fiercely devoted to the progress of his people, Kabiyesi redefined traditional leadership in Nigeria. For 65 years, he stood tall as a custodian of history, culture, and integrity”
He was a great philanthropist, whose voice resonated far beyond Ijebuland, speaking truth to power, mentoring generations, instituting legacies and shaping public discourse with clarity and courage”
Speaking with newsmen, Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East, commended the forthright leadership of the late Oba Adetona, describing him as a fearless monarch who never shied from speaking truth to power.
For his part, a former Governor of the State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, said the monarch’s departure was a huge loss not only to the people of Ijebuland but also to the entire state in particular and Nigeria in general.
He added, “since his ascension to the throne as the Awujale of Ijebuland 65 years ago, Oba Adetona’s reign has been marked by service and an unwavering commitment to the development of his people and the upliftment of traditional institutions. Through his wisdom, courage, and leadership, he transformed the Awujale’s stool into one of Nigeria’s most respected royal institutions”.
“Kabiyesi distinguished himself as a pillar of stability and a rallying point across Yorubaland and Nigeria, leaving behind a lasting imprint of a successful reign. His patriotic passion, courageous interventions in matters of public interest, and commitment to truth earned him national admiration and respect”.
“His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched and the culture and traditions he upheld during his reign”, Amosun said.
