Akeem Adeyemi, the son of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, and a member of the Federal House of Representatives tells FATTEH HAMID about his father’s family life and legacy
It’s been a year since your dad, the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, died. How much do you miss him?
I must confess; in the last 12 months, there’s not a day I don’t remember Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III. You won’t believe this but he was my best friend. We spoke every single day for the last 15 years. When people see me in my estate walking around, and taking calls, especially at night, I learnt it from Kabiyesi. When he received calls, he walked around the palace in the open space. He told me, “Skimeh, any time you want to receive or make sensitive calls, do that in the open space while walking around and it’ll be difficult for anyone to eavesdrop on you.” Someone, who I talked to every day consecutively for the last 15 to 16 years, how will I not miss that kind of person? I miss him. I think about him every day, especially in this political dispensation, his role, idea, and support for me as a person.
I must confess to you that this is the first time we will strategize for an election without the direct involvement of a pillar, a support base. Imagine that! I’ve been in active politics since 1999, even since 1993, during the MKO Abiola struggles. My first election was in 1993.
What are the other fond memories of your late father you have?
Yes, what I will always remember about Oba Adeyemi was who he was as a person. He always told me to be courageous, determined and focused. He told me to be principled and to have policies, a philosophy of life, what I wanted to achieve, and what I wanted to leave as a legacy. Oba Adeyemi believed that adequate planning, focus and determination could get things done. So, I learnt from him the determination to get things done. When he was alive, he was determined to defend the Yoruba culture and tradition; he was determined to live as the living embodiment of the cherished Yoruba heritage. He spent 52 years on the throne; his entire life as Alaafin was a service to humanity. He represented Yoruba, its culture and tradition, in the way he walked and dressed, the way he carried himself, and his charisma. Let me tell you something; when he was alive, he could sit down with you, chat and laugh, but anything that concerns Alaafin and Yorubaland, if you cross the line, it doesn’t matter whose ox is gored, he wouldn’t be friends with you.
Did he have a daily routine that you remember?
Yes, he had a daily routine. When he was alive, in the morning, after the prayers, the first thing was to exercise. The talking drum woke the Alaafin up. When the drum started talking, he woke up, prayed and did his exercise. He rarely had breakfast. He could take pap, maybe with a small Akara (bean cake). At the weekend, he went to the stadium to exercise. During Ramadan, Kabiyesi fasted and still did his exercise, jogging, and training. One day, I asked him why he always took us around such that we climbed the mountain from the palace to Oke Agunpopo, from there we went further up, and then we jogged to Okebo down to Durbar, and back. He said he was trying to tell us that life was in stages and that sometimes, it would be hard for us but we must be strong and that at the end of the tunnel, there’s always a light.
After his exercises, he dresses up to go to the office, attended to people, discussed matters, and when he was not travelling, from the office, he went to the palace’s courtyard to play with the drummers, before going back to rest.
Talking about exercise, the Late Oba Adeyemi was known to be a sportsman, till his demise, but he was particular about boxing. Can you give a bit of insight into how much he loved boxing?
You see before Oba Adeyemi III became the Alaafin, he was a boxer in Lagos, and he was well-known in Isale Eko. Even in the early stages after he became the Alaafin, he practised boxing in the palace but the Oyo Mesi and the chiefs were always afraid. They went to him to say that they could sponsor a boxing tournament, but they couldn’t watch any opponent giving punches to the Alaafin, so, they stopped him from doing that because they would never allow it, though he participated in boxing till he died. He was a sportsman and everyone knows that. He loved it and he exhibited it throughout his life.
Who among your siblings reminds you of him the most?
Apparently, almost every child of Oba Adeyemi got one character or the other from him. Let me give an example. One of my brothers, Adebayo Adeyemi, can mimic my father in the way he talks. Sometimes, if you want to laugh, Prince Adeleke Adeyemi can show you how Kabiyesi laughed. Everyone picked one character about him. I cannot point at just one person, almost everyone will remind you of him. It’s because we were close to him.
What kind of relationship did he have with his children?
I’ve never imagined that a man of that calibre, a king of his status created time for his children to that level. During Ramadan, when he was alive, anyone who didn’t fast missed a lot of things. Apart from fasting to your God, you’ll also dine with the Kabiyesi. He was a man that exhibited a love for his children and the greatest thing Kabiyesi gave to his children was education. His love for education was amazing. He used to tell us that if you empty your pocket and put it in your head, you have not lost anything because education is the best legacy that you can bestow on mankind.
Your dad was known as a stylish king. What do you think defined his style?
I think he’s a special creature. There’s nothing about Yoruba culture that Oba Adeyemi came second; he always came first. Alaafin spoke Yoruba correctly without mixing anything with it. When he dressed as a Yoruba man, people knew he was a Yoruba king. When he danced, people wondered how he knew all the steps. Lastly, his longevity and elegance were picked from Alaafin Siyanbola Ladigbolu I.
When he was alive, Oba Adeyemi was known to be a Muslim and a traditional worshipper. How did he manage the two?
They didn’t conflict with each other. He was born a Muslim. His father named him Abdulhamid, and he lived as a Muslim throughout his life. But as a king, the movement you become an Alaafin, you’re not the Chief Imam and you’re not the Christian Association of Nigeria president. You’re a king, a father of all religions. Again, don’t forget that this is a traditional institution and before Islam and Christianity, there were traditional worshippers and before all these, there has always been a king. Somebody must uphold the Yoruba culture and tradition. No one is forced to do this or that. If you do not believe in Sango worship, stay as a Christian. An Alaafin should be seen as not biased, he should be seen as the father of all. That was why you saw him associating with all the religions because he was the father of all.
Do you think he was more of a Muslim than a traditionalist?
To be candid, I have to set the record straight, he was more of a Muslim. He was Lamidi Adeyemi. However, he allowed Christianity in his palace, and there was a Sunday church in the palace. He allowed it till he died, and definitely, the palace is also a traditional area, so traditionalists must come. That is where the Sango people are, the Obatalas. So, if they don’t come to the palace, where do you want them to showcase their tradition and culture?
He married many wives during his reign. Is this something you would like to do as his son?
No, I’m the son and I’m not the Alaafin. In my own house, I don’t have 50 rooms, and I don’t have functions that require that. Those are his wives. Before he became a king, he didn’t have many wives. He had a very quiet and private life before he became the king but the moment he became Alaafin Oyo, it changed. Some people misunderstood him about the life he had with women but a lot of people in Yorubaland knew that he was compelled traditionally.
Did he share his thoughts with you shortly before he died?
The memory of him I’ll remember before he died is politics. He was determined, and supportive of seeing another Yoruba man become the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He threw his weight and everything into it. You won’t believe it but the last thing he said to me was, “Skimeh, bawo ni oro oga yin o?’’ He asked me how my boss’s ambition was progressing. He told me that Asiwaju Tinubu must become Nigeria’s President and I told him to rest, and that was the last thing we spoke about before he died. Even the last politician that visited him before his death was Bola Ahmed Tinubu, (and) he gave his prayers and blessings to Aiwaju then instructed all of us, told the Oyos, told Yorubaland that Asiwaju should be fully backed. I’m telling you this now. Many people will read this interview. Kabiyesi visited more than 27 Obas in their palaces to talk about Asiwaju’s emergence as Nigeria’s next President. He met Akirun of blessed memory. He met Awujale. The last Oba that visited Kabiyesi before he died was Oluwo of Iwo, and the discussion was about Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Were you with him at the time of his death?
He died on a Friday and I wasn’t with him on that day. He was in the hospital in Ekiti and I was to see him on Saturday. In fact, I booked my flight to land in Akure, Ondo State, on Saturday morning and then go down to Ekiti, but when he died on Friday night. I had to book another flight to Lagos and then go to Oyo to see his corpse. I was supposed to see him on Saturday, April 23, 2022, but he died on Friday, April 22, 2022.
Did he have a last wish before he breathed his last?
His last wish was to see the next President of Nigeria as a Yoruba man and not just any Yoruba man; he was particular about Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu being President. He saw Asiwaju as a discoverer of talents, someone who’ll lay the foundation to build on, someone who will not only demonstrate good governance and put Nigeria on the path of progress and development but also as someone who knows that there’s no success without a good successor. He said, “Prince, the reason why I want that man(Tinubu) is that it’s not about his term as President. Asiwaju will let you know that as good as you might rate his tenure, there’s no success without a good successor. He’ll ensure after he might have completed his tenure, that he gives you a good successor. You can imagine what will become of Nigeria in that kind of situation.” Thankfully, that wish has come to pass.
What are the values you took from him and plan to live with for the rest of your life?
Service to humanity. He believed that life is about service, particularly if you’re in an office. He believed he became the Alaafin to see to the development of Oyo, the Yorubaland, and uphold its culture and tradition.
It was rumoured that you were his favourite child. How true is this?
You see, maybe yes because I was into politics. Politics and the traditional system are interrelated. You know I was the chairman of a local government for many years. Apparently, I had a lot to do and he was a reservoir of knowledge, and wisdom which I regularly tapped from because he had seen life more than I. Also, you can’t be more catholic than the Pope. How can you claim to love Oyo more than its king? You can go anywhere, you can abandon the town and travel but this (Alaafin) man lived in the town. He had a tremendous relationship with all his children.
What would you summarize his entire life as in a sentence?
A living embodiment of the cherished cultural heritage of the Yoruba kingdom who doesn’t allow his position to affect his role to his children as a father
Do you think he was a strict person?
We saw him as a principled man. When I was younger, I saw the Alaafin. You won’t believe that Kabiyesi whipped us. I saw a king and a father. There’s a difference between a king and a father.
After his death, there was a controversy that his heart was removed and would be eaten by the next Alaafin. What do you know about this?
There’s nothing like that. Nobody removed anything. Forget about that, nothing was removed. There was nothing like that.
What was your best memory of him?
There are a lot of memories. However, the day I won the primary election on December 7, 2014, as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress when we were dancing from Durbar to the palace, it was a day to my birthday, and he was extremely happy. He came out to congratulate me and told me to go on and win the general election. It’s a memory I always remember.
Do you hope to one day become an Alaafin?
I’m a member of the House of Representatives. I want to discharge my duty to my constituency and contribute my quota to the growth of Oyo and the development of Oyo town, attract projects, Federal Government presence in the town, serve the people, see to their welfare, support the nation’s legislation, and sponsor bills that will have an economic and social impact on the growth of the nation. At the moment, I’m focused on the office and duties that have been bestowed on me by the people of Oyo Federal Constituency.
Before his death, Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi III had a dream of Oyo town being a state and having its capital. Do you think that dream has gone down the drain?
No! The dream continues. Every Oyo man knows he has that dream. You see, Oyo province is the only province before independence that hasn’t become a capital. Kaduna province has become a capital. Ibadan was under Oyo province; Ife, Osogbo and Ijesha were under Oyo province, so, Oyo is supposed to have become a capital. However, since we believed Oyo and Ibadan are almost the same, because of how large Ibadan was when Oyo State was formed, Ibadan was chosen. However, there was always the Oyo Empire under which all of these places mentioned were. This wasn’t Alaafin Adeyemi; there has always been the Oyo Empire. Also, being the largest city in West Africa, Oba Adeyemi believed that Ibadan was supposed to be a state and have a capital and the remaining parts of the present Oyo State should be the new Oyo State with Oyo as the capital.
If this happens, where would the Ibarapa go and won’t the Ogbomoshos raise eyebrows?
Ibarapa will go with Ibadan while the other parts like Oke Ogun, and Ogbomosho will go with Oyo. The Alaafin institution already has a traditional rule on the kingship of all the Oke Ogun Obas. I must confess to you that 98 per cent of the kings in Oke Ogun who are alive today were all crowned by Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III. All the monarchs from Ogbomosho know who traditionally is their head, which isn’t a controversy. It’s history and you cannot separate traditional institutions from history. The Opetu took Alaafin as his father while Alaafin Adeyemi of blessed memory took him as his son.
Did Oba Adeyemi leave messages behind on his inheritance in his will, including that of his many wives?
Are you dangling into family matters? That is not for public consumption.
