President Bola Tinubu has described the passing of the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, as a devastating loss to Nigeria’s traditional institution and the Yoruba nation.
In a statement personally signed by the President on Sunday, President Tinubu said he received the news of the revered monarch’s death with “double pain in [his] heart,” as it coincided with the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Oba Adetona, who ascended the throne in 1960 at the age of 26, reigned for over 65 years and was one of Nigeria’s longest-serving and most respected traditional rulers. He died at the age of 90.
“The demise of Oba Adetona has left an enormous void within the traditional institutions in Yorubaland and Nigeria in general,” Tinubu said. “He was a towering natural ruler who served his people with dignity, panache, class, and an unmistakable sense of duty.”
The President praised the monarch for his unwavering leadership and contributions to the development of Ijebu-Ode and Ijebuland at large. He said Oba Adetona was an uncompromising advocate for progress, national unity, and stability—often standing as a voice of reason in moments of national uncertainty.
“In his over six decades on the throne, Oba Adetona used his role as a foremost ruler to advance the cause of progress and national unity,” Tinubu said. “I enjoyed an excellent personal relationship with Kabiyesi. I will forever cherish our time together.”
The President also extolled the late Awujale’s personal virtues, describing him as “an honest arbiter, confidante, and reliable leader without any guile.”
“I found his company comforting, his wisdom enriching, and his candour empowering,” Tinubu said, adding that Oba Adetona’s investments in education and governance—especially through his endowment of the School of Postgraduate and Research Studies in Governance at Olabisi Onabanjo University—would remain lasting legacies.
As the nation mourns, President Tinubu extended his condolences to the royal family, Governor Dapo Abiodun, the government and people of Ogun State, and all sons and daughters of Ijebuland.
“May our departed Kabiyesi find eternal rest, and may we be comforted by his legacy of outstanding service,” the President concluded.
