The Senate on Tuesday paid tribute to the late Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who recently passed on at the age of 91.
The motion, sponsored by Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), celebrated the monarch as an iconic presence in Nigeria’s traditional, cultural, and political spheres.
Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State, hailed Adetona’s legacy, describing him as “a symbol of unity, progress, and wisdom—not only in Ijebuland and Yorubaland but across Nigeria and the world.”
Daniel noted that one of the monarch’s most visible legacies was the transformation of the Ojude Oba festival into an international cultural and tourism event that consistently attracted global attention.
He also pointed to Adetona’s philanthropic efforts, including a poverty alleviation fund that grew from ₦500,000 to over ₦100m, benefiting thousands.
He added that in education, the monarch’s passion for leadership and learning led to a ₦1bn endowment for a professional chair in governance at Olabisi Onabanjo University.
This initiative gave rise to the establishment of a School of Governance Studies named in his honour.
Adetona was also recognised for his principled leadership, unshaken stand against injustice, and unwavering advocacy for good governance.
Joining in the tributes, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (Ogun West) reflected on the monarch’s deep commitment to Islam, noting that “He was born, lived, and was buried as a Muslim,” and was widely revered as a leading Islamic figure in Southern Nigeria.
He added, “His uprightness, sincerity, and fearless truth-telling on national matters were never in doubt,” Adeola said.
“He was a revered king, a father figure, and a pillar of truth and justice,” he added.
Following deliberations, the Senate unanimously adopted a series of resolutions which included observing a minute of silence in honour of the late monarch, sending a high-powered delegation to console with his family, people of Ijebuland, and the Ogun State Government and appealing to the Federal Government to name a national monument after him.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended Daniel for raising the motion and described the late monarch as “an icon and a great name in Nigeria’s history.”
Born on May 10, 1934, into the royal House of Anikilaya in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Adetona became the Awujale on February 2, 1960—an era that aligned with Nigeria’s independence.
The Punch
