….says Yoruba history wouldn’t have been completed if he had failed in last election
President Bola Tinubu on Sunday said the blessings of the late Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona, were instrumental to his emergence as president in 2023.
Tinubu stated this when he joined family members and other distinguished personalities on the 8th day of Fidau prayers for the late monarch.
At the event, Tinubu referred to the late Awujale as a moral compass, emphasising that his leadership significantly contributed to the socio-economic and political growth of Yoruba land and Nigeria as a whole.
He remembered with nostalgia the roles played by the late monarch in the revalidation of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late business mogul Moshood Abiola.
“Baba was steadfast, he was resolute, he was very encouraging. We’ve named institutions after him, and his legacy will endure. It is left for you and me to reflect the culture that he represented,” he said.
“Our history would not have been completed carefully and richly if I had failed the last election. I was successful because of the support and the blessing of the late Awujale.
“I came to him and he blessed me and he said you will win that election. I am extremely proud of him; he was always there at that time of need for all of us,” he added.
The president called on the sons and daughters of Ijebuland and the country as a whole to be more united and bonded in the spirit that the late Awujale of Ijebuland left behind.
Tinubu thanked the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for caring for the late Awujale, whom he described as a father and leader of conscience, tradition and great value.
Earlier in his message, Abiodun noted that the late Awujale was more than a monarch but the voice of the voiceless, a revered patriarch whose legacies will echo through time.
“Baba was a man of exceptional intellect and also rare integrity. Even before ascending the throne, his brilliance and forthright nature shone brightly,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu greets officials in Abuja before arriving in Ijebu, Ogun State to honour the Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.
“He redefined traditional leadership, transforming the Awujale institution into a dynamic platform for good governance, national dialogue and moral leadership.
“Under his watchful gaze and his special leadership, Ijebuland witnessed unprecedented progress. He became the bridge between our cherished past and our future.
“Kabiyesi upheld the dignity of Ijebu culture while championing modern values. He was a custodian of tradition and simultaneously a goal defender, his reign brought peace, prosperity and prestige to our land and earned him respect across the globe,” he said.
The event held at the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu Ode was attended by serving and former governors, members of the Federal Executive Council, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and captains of industry, among others.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has described the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, as an embodiment of integrity, humility, culture, dedication, and service to humanity.
The Awujale passed away on Sunday, July 13, and was interred the following day.
At the eighth-day prayer held on Sunday for the late monarch at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, President Tinubu said the Awujale was a pride of the Yoruba race.
“Today marks a significant day in our nation’s history, particularly in the history of the Yoruba people. Nowhere will you find a better definition of our culture than in the life of the late Awujale,” President Tinubu said.
He noted that the late Awujale left behind legacies worthy of emulation and recalled the prayers and support he received from the late Oba during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and in the run-up to his assumption of the presidency.
“I succeeded because of your support and the blessings of the late Awujale. I came to him; he blessed me and said, ‘You will win that election.’ Today, he is no more, but God has blessed us, especially if we heed the richness of his wisdom,” the President stated.
President Tinubu described Oba Adetona as a worthy leader—bold, courageous, and truthful—adding that “he would never deceive you.”
“To honour this great man, we must be more united, bonded in the spirit he left behind, and appreciate his legacy, even in death. We have named institutions after him, and his legacy will endure. It is up to each of us to remember the values he represented. May God grant him Aljannah Firdaus,” President Tinubu said.
He commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his exemplary relationship with the late Oba and for caring for him both in life and death.
“I have listened to Governor Abiodun and cannot express how much I thank you for caring for our father, a leader of our conscience. Before he died, he brought honour to the Yoruba race. I am extremely proud of him; he was always there for us in times of need,” President Tinubu stated. “I recall the June 12 episode, and many other moments in his palace—our resistance, our determination to reverse the annulment of June 12. Papa was steadfast, resolute, and very encouraging. That he lived to see the calendar as a 91-year-old, and to witness the conferment of the Grand Commander of the Niger at age 90, is a source of immense pride.”
President Tinubu also recalled the counsel and prayers he received from the late Oba during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and in the lead-up to the 2023 presidential election.
“I came to him for prayers before the election, and he gave me his blessings.”
The President offered prayers for strength and solace for the bereaved family and all those mourning the passing of the departed Oba.
Governor Dapo Abiodun thanked President Tinubu for coming to commiserate with the family of the late Awujale. The Governor highlighted the numerous contributions the late monarch made to Ijebuland, Ogun State, and Nigeria as a whole.
“Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona was more than a monarch. He lived a full life of 91 years, with 65 years on the throne,” he stated. “His reign brought development not only to Ijebuland, but across the Western region and Nigeria as a whole.”
Muslim clerics, led by Imam Prof. Kamaldeen Balogun, the Grand Mufti of Egbaland, offered prayers for the late monarch and reflected on the certainty of death. The Imam reminded the gathering that “only our good deeds while on earth will be of any worth upon our death.”
Earlier, at the Igbeba Palace of the late Oba, President Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, offered solemn prayers at the Oba’s tomb for the repose of his soul. He later held a private meeting with the Oba’s family.
Among those who accompanied the President on the condolence visit were Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; Biodun Oyebanji, Governor of Ekiti State; Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Governor of Ondo State; and Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State.
Also in attendance were Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District; two other former governors of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba and Ibikunle Amosun; the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun; the First Lady of Kwara State, Mrs. Olufolake Abdulrazaq; and former First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunke Daniel.
Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Solomon Adeola; Member, House of Representatives, Hon. Olumide Osoba; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijjani; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, also accompanied the President to honour the Awujale.
A cross-section of mourners, including political and religious leaders, commended President Tinubu for attending the eighth-day prayer in honour of the late monarch.
Senator Gbenga Daniel said the President’s presence greatly excited the entire Ijebu community, noting that it underscores the strong relationship between President Tinubu and the Awujale of Ijebuland.
The Grand Mufti of Yorubaland, Sheikh Abdulrazaq Abdul-Azeez Ishola, observed that the late Awujale demonstrated his commitment to President Tinubu’s administration by mobilising his people to support the President. “The President’s attendance at this event is interpreted as a significant and symbolic gesture, acknowledging past support and reinforcing connections,” he stated.
