President Bola Tinubu on Sunday attended the eighth-day Fidau prayers in honour of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, describing the revered monarch as a rare leader whose reign embodied dignity, courage, and unwavering commitment to truth.
The President, who arrived in Ijebu-Ode to join other dignitaries at the solemn Islamic prayer session, paid glowing tribute to the late monarch, whom he described as more than a royal father, but also a personal guide and confidante.
“Last Sunday, within hours, I lost two men I held in the highest esteem: my dear predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari, and Kabiyesi, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba II, the Awujale of Ijebuland,” Tinubu said in a personal message on his X handle .
“Oba Adetona was a man of truth whose wisdom never failed to steady those who sought it. In over six decades on the throne, he ruled with rare dignity, candour, and courage, always putting the people first with an unmistakable sense of duty,” the President added.
The late monarch, who joined his ancestors after 65 years on the throne, was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most influential traditional rulers.
His reign was marked by progressive leadership, frank advocacy, and unwavering support for democratic values.
Tinubu noted that the vacuum left by Oba Adetona’s passing is not only felt in Ijebuland, but across the entire traditional institution in Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole.
“His voice, leadership, and generosity will echo far beyond Ijebuland,” the President said.
The President prayed that Almighty Allah grant the late Oba Aljannah Firdaus and bring comfort to the people of Ijebuland and all who mourn him.
Oba Adetona was crowned Awujale in 1960 and until his death, was one of Nigeria’s longest-reigning monarchs.
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