Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed what the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, told Omololu Olunloyo during the selection of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
The 88-year-old said on Wednesday, during his opening remarks as the chairman of the requiem symposium in honour of late Olunloyo, who was the then commissioner of local government and chieftaincy affairs under Adeyinka Adebayo as military governor of the Western State of Nigeria
Describing Olunloyo as “a genius and exceptionally intelligent human being,” Obasanjo recalled the tension surrounding the selection of a new Alaafin in 1970.
“We had … the fortune or whatever of appointing the Alaafin of Oyo, Adeyemi. The immediate past Alaafin… the kingmakers picked the son of the Alaafin that was sent to exile. And that was a problem.… Victor came to my office … and he picked a piece of paper, he sat down and said, ‘you know I have a problem.’ … The problem was that the kingmakers had selected the son of the Alaafin that Awolowo sent on exile.”
Obasanjo said he advised Olunloyo to consult with Ooni Aderemi for guidance.
“And I said, I don’t know what to do. Go to Ooni.… When he went to Ife, he went to see Baba. When he told Baba the story, Baba said: ‘Allow the children of those who had been there to continue there. They are the ones that won’t spoil the place (stool). The rest is in our hands.’”
Obasanjo added that Olunloyo was still unsure and was then advised to approach D.S. Adegbenro, who would in turn speak with Obafemi Awolowo.
“That’s why Adeyemi, the son of erstwhile Alaafin, sent to exile by Chief Awolowo, was able to become the Alaafin and with the support of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.… That was Omololu that took it like a job and achieved what needed to be achieved.”
Oba Lamidi Adeyemi became the Alaafin of Oyo in 1970 under the military government of David Jemibewon.
He went on to rule for over 50 years until his death on April 22, 2022.