Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has described the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III as an iconic monarch and a worthy elder.
Oba Ogunwusi spoke through his Director of Media & Public Affairs, Moses Olafare, via a statement issued on Saturday, describing Oba Adeyemi’s passing as a great loss to the entire Yoruba race.
The statement read in part: “We have lost a great icon, a great monarch who saw Oyo through civilization and modern development without jettisoning the cultural sacredness of the throne first occupied by Alaafin Oranmiyan The Great.
“The late Alaafin is one of the privileged elders who contributed to the growth of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also saw the country through military and democratic eras with unquantifiable positive inputs.“
Ooni Ogunwusi noted that his last encounter with the late monarch was at a closed door meeting, where both of them mediated in a rift between two front-line Yoruba politicians.
“Ile Oodua Palace and the Ooni had a great working relationship with the late Alaafin who gave his best in resolving major conflicts in Yoruba land and uniting all sons and daughters of Oduduwa globally among other landmark achievements”, the statement read.
Oba Ogunwusi prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed monarch who, he said, did a lot for the enthronement of peace in his domain and even beyond.
