Congratulations are in order for Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III on his record-breaking achievement as the first Alaafin to clock 50 years on the throne.
Taking to Instagram to celebrate this milestone, the 82 year old royal monarch wrote;
“Celebrating five decades of grace: Baba Alaafin 50yrs Jubilee on the throne (January 14th, 1971-2021)
The contest to Oba Adeyemi III emergence began in 1968 when he was invited along with ten others from the ruling house to contest for the vacant stool of the Oyo Empire. As it was the custom of the land, there were three parameters with which the constants were judged. First was eligibility, the second was popularity and third, the stamina for huge responsibilities of the office of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi emerged the first; defeating ten others after a rigorous screening exercise. However, to what observer attested to be a political inference, the then government ‘refused to endorse his appointment, saying the procedure was not right.
So the process started over again with the same result the second and the third time. Interestingly, despite the immense pressure upon the Oyomesi against his candidature by the government, the Oyomesi stood its ground. Thus the process was put in abeyance until the civil war. When the whole process started over again.”
Celebrating with her god father, controversial Nollywood actress, Lizzy Anjorin wrote;
“1ST ALAFIN THAT CLOCK 50 YEARS ON THRONE …LETS PRAY FOR THIS ADORABLE FATHER IKU BABA YEYE .. KI OLORUN BAWA LORA EMI WON”
For those who do not know, Lamidi Adeyemi succeeded Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II in 1970, during the governorship of Colonel Robert Adeyinka Adebayo, after the end of the Nigerian Civil War. In 1975, the head of state General Murtala Ramat Mohammed included Oba Adeyemi in his entourage to the hajj. He was chancellor of Uthman dan Fodiyo University in Sokoto from 1980 to 1992. In 1990, President Ibrahim Babangida appointed him Amir-ul-Hajj in recognition of his commitment to the consolidation of Islam in Nigeria.
