By Charles Pemu 
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, describing him as a towering traditional ruler whose legacy elevated the Yoruba race both nationally and globally.
Speaking on Sunday at the eight-day Fidau prayers held at Dipo Dina International Stadium in Ijebu Ode, Tinubu said the monarch’s support was instrumental to his 2023 presidential victory and called him a “courageous democrat” who stood firm during Nigeria’s struggle for democratic restoration after the annulled June 12, 1993 election.
“Our history would not have been complete if I had failed in the last election. I was successful because of your support and the blessings of the late Awujale,” Tinubu remarked.
The President, flanked by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, and governors from the Southwest, described Oba Adetona as a “leader of conscience” who embodied truth, dignity, and justice.
Oba Adetona, who passed away on July 13 at age 91, was buried the next day in accordance with Islamic rites. His reign, spanning 65 years, is regarded as one of the longest and most impactful in Nigeria’s traditional history.
Governor Dapo Abiodun hailed the late monarch as a “fearless conscience of the nation” who modernized traditional leadership while preserving cultural integrity.
“He became a bridge between our cherished past and the future… a voice to the voiceless and an irreplaceable monarch,” Abiodun said, urging Ijebus to uphold peace and unity in his honour.
Islamic clerics led by Sheikh Jamiu Bello and Prof. Emeritus Kamaldeen Balogun prayed for the late monarch’s soul and called on Nigeria’s leaders to govern with integrity, reminding them of the inevitability of death.
Meanwhile, the Ijebu Ode Local Government Chairman, Dare Alebiosu, announced that all markets in the city, closed since last Monday, would reopen from Monday, July 21. He dismissed rumours that they would remain shut for 75 days as “baseless.”