The residents of Oyo town will never forget April 22, 2022, when Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the town’s longest-serving monarch, passed away on Friday evening.
Oba Adeyemi III, whose father was Oba Adeyemi II, died at the age of 83 after reigning as Alaafin for 52 years.
According to an inside source, Iku Babayeye suffered a slight injury during one of his usual exercises and was going to be taken abroad before passing away.
”He was taken to hospital early this week and an arrangement to fly him abroad have been concluded but he couldn’t go”
It was gathered that Alaafin gave up the ghost at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, where he has been for routine medical check-up.
His remains have been moved to Oyo town in the earliest part of Saturday and was received at Idi-Igba by his first son, Prince ‘Tunde, and his other siblings and handed it over to the Oyomesi for traditional rites and others.
He succeeded Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II in 1970, during the governorship of Colonel Robert Adeyinka Adebayo.
The head of the Oyomesi, Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Akinade Ayoola, is expected to take over pending the appointment of a new Alaafin.
Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, is expected to be briefed officially Saturday morning by the Basorun.
The departure of Oba Adeyemi makes it three, the numbers of prominent Oyo state kings that have joined their ancestors in the last five month. Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi died December 12, 2021 while Olubadan Saliu Adetunji died January 2, 2022.
