Alhaja (Princess) Rafatu Ademinure Awofisayo, the last surviving child of the 48th Ooni of Ife, Oba Ademiluyi Ajagun Lawarikan I, has died at the age of 102.
Family sources confirmed that she passed away peacefully in early April 2026.
In his reaction to her death, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, described her passing as the end of a significant era in the history of Ile-Ife. Through his media office, he highlighted her contributions to preserving her father’s legacy and her lifelong efforts in fostering unity among people of different faiths within the community.
Born into the Otutu Royal Compound of the Lafogido Ruling House in Ile-Ife, Princess Awofisayo was the only surviving direct child of Oba Ademiluyi Ajagun Lawarikan I, who reigned from 1910 to June 1930. Her passing is widely seen as the closing of a living bridge between modern Ile-Ife and its early 20th-century royal heritage.
She began her education at Salvation Army Elementary School in Ile-Ife and later continued at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church Elementary School in Aiyegbaju, Olopo, following her father’s death. Raised by her mother, Olori Elizabeth Odunlade Ige Ademiluyi, she developed an early interest in trading, dealing in items such as mats, kolanuts, and palm oil.
In 1942, she married the late Alhaji Jimoh Elutide Awofisayo, a farmer and cocoa trader from Ilode in Ile-Ife. Over the years, she became a prominent figure in the Muslim community in Ifeland, earning several titles, including the respected position of Iya Adinni.
She is survived by six children, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family has yet to announce burial arrangements.
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