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Tag: Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi

  • How to combat emerging security threats- Alaafin

    How to combat emerging security threats- Alaafin

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has underscored the necessity for effective and efficient Intelligence in the country.

    Oba Adeyemi also urged all stakeholders in the country’s security circles to come together and brainstorm, in order to ensure enhanced intelligence-gathering and management towards effective combat of emerging security threats.

    Alaafin gave the admonition on Thursday in his palace when he received the Assistant Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence.

    Corps [NSCDC] for Zone A comprising Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo,  and Ekiti States, Abdul-Waheed Bamidele Popoola and his entourage who paid him a courtesy visit.

    ‘’ While we should not allow western education to destroy our native intelligence, there must be holistic synergies among our security agencies on intelligence gathering. Rudimentary principles of Intelligence requires that certain things needs to be known by decision makers to set certain requirements, while field operatives must know what to gather and keep.

    As a corollary, obtained raw data or information must be evaluated to provide the best possible answers to questions initially asked, while the processed information must be passed on to the authority, who should apply them purposefully to national ends,’’ Oba Adeyemi said.

    Underscoring the role of public policy in national security matters the Paramount ruler  noted that it cannot be over emphasized because

    of the vital role it plays in identifying problems and deciding on what measures to take, to address the problems, as well as, assessing if measures are effective or not, towards effective monitoring implementation of the measures.

    Oba Adeyemi who appreciated the NSCDC  for its understanding of the cultural and historical importance of traditional rulers, lauded what

    he called gallant efforts of the Corps’ officers and men in safeguarding the nation’s economic base from saboteurs.

    ‘’Your contributions to national survival must be lauded by well meaning individuals. You work day and night assiduously to checkmate

    nefarious activities of oil bunkererers and pipelines vandals. In the course of this, a number of personnel were lost in the battle against

    these economic saboteurs. You are doing wonderfully well and must be commended’’.

    Alaafin who made case for adequate provisions of sophisticated equipments and facilities for the Defence Corps, in order to boost the

    morale of personnel, as well as ensure optimal performance, also pledged his continued support and assistance for the NSCDC.

    Earlier in his address, the Assistant Commandant-General said he was in the palace in appreciation of the monarch’s contributions towards

    effective operations of the Defence Corps both in Oyo metropolis in particular and Oyo State in general.

  • Alaafin gives 20 motorcycles to APC

    Alaafin gives 20 motorcycles to APC

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, has said any politician who is interested in evolving an orderly and free polity must extol the right of dissent.

    The monarch spoke yesterday in his palace while donating 20 motorcycles fixed with public address systems to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    At a colourful occasion attended by hundreds of party members and residents, Oba Adeyemi said there are two pillars upon which the modern nation-state is built, which includes authority and freedom.

    He said the motorcycles would go a long way in assisting the party to reach out to rural areas for canvassing and mobilisation.

    Oba Adeyemi warned against any violence even in the face of provocation, noting that under no circumstances should the party canvassers and mobilisers engage in untoward acts, such as mudslinging, derogatory and abusive songs.

    An APC leader, Chief Samuel Akindele, described the Alaafin as a “real royal democrat”, whose outpourings are not only full of philosophical merits, but make ample sense at this critical stage of democratic experience.

     

  • AKEEM ADEYEMI: Boxing is the secret of Alaafin’s longevity

    AKEEM Adeyemi, first son of His Royal Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III – the Alaafin of Oyo – has given fresh insight to the longevity of the foremost Yoruba’s monarch.

    Born 76 years ago, the Alaafin of Oyo, who succeeded Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II, is one of the longest-reigning monarch in Nigeria since he will be marking his 45th anniversary on the throne in November. Speaking exclusively to The Nation Sport& Style, Akeem said the Alaafin’s love for pugilism right from his early days has contributed largely to his prolonged existence, adding that his beloved father actually fuelled his interest and that of his siblings for sport.

    Last weekend, Akeem was the cynosure of all eyes when he was honoured as the Oyo State’s Sports Personality of the Year by the state’s chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigerian (SWAN) at a well-attended gathering in Ibadan. His choice was unanimous having berthed and financed the wave-making Atiba United (Football Club) of Oyo which gained promotion from the Nationwide League to

    Nigeria National League (NNL) in less than two years after its formation.

    “Sports is a natural phenomenon in Alaafin Adeyemi’s family and as many people already knew Kabiyesi was as a footballer and good boxer in his youthful days and most of us actually took after him in this regard,” the amiable ‘crown prince’ told S&S correspondent, Lanre Agiri.“Kabiyesi actually made sporting activities a paramount routine for every member of the family, especially the children right from our early ages.

    “He would wake us very early in the morning in order to join him to jog round the town before commencing other businesses of the day. It might interest you to know that although Baba still does that up till now despite his age and I want to believe that is one of the reasons that he has remained strong despite his old age.

    “Personally, I played football very well when I was at Olivet Baptist High School Oyo and I was also

    involved in track and field events in athletics. In fact, I was the school’s sports prefect during my secondary school days and you can see that my love for sport was inborn,” he remarked.

    He further delved into the sporting background of the royal family and explained how his father instilled into every member of the family perseverance, self discipline, and sense of responsibility which was derived from the routine that the Kabiyesi had taken them through right from their early ages.

    The young Adeyemi who recently just won the ticket to vie for a seat at the House of Representatives under the banner of All Progressives Congress (APC) gave further insight into the activities of the Alaafin from the cradle to the crown. Excerpts…

    How did you manage the prestige and honours of royalty with your sporting activities in school?

    Royalty is one thing and the sporting activity was another thing. Then, I never allowed my background from a royal home to affect me. I never allowed such to get into my head; and we were never trained to exhibit unnecessary affluence. What is important to me is the welfare of people around me. Even till now, I still play football together with our ex-internationals that are based in Oyo town at Durbar Stadium and I take their wellbeing as my utmost priority. They have an all Stars Team in Oyo and they play football regularly among themselves which allow us to interact and play together – you can verify that from anybody that follows football in the town.

    Did you know Kabiyesi as an active sports person while growing up?

    I did not really meet Kabiyesi as an active sports person since Kabiyesi enthroned about more than 40 years ago, he had stopped competing, but he did narrate to us about his exploits on the football field and boxing ring in the 60s. According to him, when he was playing boys club in the 50s, he was nick named ‘Ade One’ and when he took to boxing, his nickname changed to Ade Slumber Boy – just because he used to send his opponents to slumber land. My father said his dad did not want him to stay in the palace then, so the affluence in the palace could not corrupt him, so he was sent to live outside which exposed him to the wild world. He stated boxing with Broadway Boxing Club at Lafiaji area of Lagos Island as an amateur boxer. Some of his memorable bouts were against Ben Mendogo at Oyingbo Boxing Club, the one against Double Adaptor Alabi, Rena Cole, Oris Obilaso, Ben Agu who later represented Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games, Surprise Akins, amongst others. He said he started from fly-weight to Bantam weight and retired as Bantam-Feather weight. While describing his style of boxing, Kabiyesi said ‘because of my height, my fighting style was bob-and-wave. I bobbed. If you see some of his pictures when he was young, you would hardly believe that he was a boxer since there was no cut or scar to show on his body.  He also said he had the habit of sparring with bigger and professional boxers to sharpen his reflexes. Of course, I loved to road walk and rope skipping.

    What are the things that Kabiyesi and you are doing at present to sustain sports especially within your locality?

    Many things. You as a sports writer must have heard about the fast development of sports in Oyo town and the state at large through sustainable efforts at the grassroots. Kabiyesi in recent times had brought back glamour to the game of boxing which had been in the doldrums for many years in Oyo State through numerous financial and moral support. Many grassroots soccer competitions are being organised nationally and within the town in the name of Alaafin to discover new talents. I have instituted sports programmes that will benefit pupils in all primary schools in my locality; that is where the awareness should start if we desire to see better sports men and women in the future.

    You established a team that had now gained promotion to NNL within the space of two seasons, how did you achieve that?

    It was achievable through the determinations and hard work of the good staff we have in Atiba Local Government. I must give kudos to the Head of Local Government Administration, Chief James Odeniran, who was the acting Chairman of Oyo State Football Association. Our people here love football so much and I felt we must give them a team of their own that would enable them watch grade ‘A’ soccer matches at their home front in Oyo, and by the help of God we gained promotion at every attempt in each season right from  the

  • Alaafin advises youths on custom, tradition

    Alaafin advises youths on custom, tradition

    THE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has advised youth not to ensure that they remain firmly rooted to their tradition and custom. He stated this at a ceremony in memory of a late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Siyanbola Onikepe Ladigbolu, who reigned between January 15th 1911 and December 19th 1944.

    Oba Adeyemi also noted that one of the ways of preserving culture is to continue to research into the lifetimes and activities of our fore-bearers. He said a nation or tribe without customs is as good as a horde of gorillas ravaging  the deep forests.

    “It is true that modernisation has bombarded our tradition with various vices, but like an ancient fortress built to withstand fierce military onslaught, our traditions and customs have remained the pivot on which rests the dignity of the black man.

    If tradition is scrutinised under a historical microscope, it will be seen quite clearly that modernisation is an off-shoot of tradition and as the taproot that sustains modernisation, any attempt to destroy tradition is the surest way to ruin modernisation,” Alaafin said.

    Extolling the virtues of the late Alaafin Ladigbolu, Oba Adeyemi said the monarch’s reign was epochal as he recorded many outstanding successes. According to him, during the First World War, the late monarch gave strong support to the recruitment drive of the British armed forces.

    As such, several hundreds of recruits from Oyo and its environs enlisted in the army. He [late Oba Ladigbolu] also supplied food, men, and materials to the allied forces during the First World War, 1914-1918.

    “Following the German surrender in December 1918, the lae Alaafin Ladigbolu was honoured in Oyo palace by the British colonialists in Januuary 1920,’’ Alaafin recollected.

    Oba Adeyemi said the road and the railway initiated by the late Alaafin gave impetus to trade within the kingdom, adding that as a result, rubber, cotton and cocoa were introduced to Yoruba land and Oyo province got her share of the benefits.

    He noted that St. Andrews College that was inaugurated in 1896, had blossomed and is still reckoned with within and outside the region.

  • How I reunited Oyo, by Alaafin

    How I reunited Oyo, by Alaafin

    THE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, has said harmonisation of traditional values and modern governance will improve conflict resolution.

    The monarch said this became imperative because socio-cultural norms embedded in traditional institutions had remained an integral part of the people.

    Oba Adeyemi gave the advice at the inauguration of some buildings, central mosque and event centre built by the family of his predecessor, Oba Gbadegesin Ladigbolu.

    He narrated how the town was polarised into two opposing camps as a result of religious and political upheavals before he ascended the throne as the first literate monarch.

    ‘’During this turbulent period, harmony, mutual trust and fraternity completely broke down. Violence, acts of terror and hooliganism equally took the centre stage.

    ‘’ After my installation in 1971, I called some men who were on the two sides of the political and religious divides. These patriotic men, some of who had died, answered my call and the turbulence not only stopped, the polarisation ceased and the town was re-united.”

    Extolling the virtues of the late Oba Ladigbolu, who reigned between 1956 and 1968, Adeyemi said were it not for his predecessor’s pro-activeness, he would not have become the Alaafin.

     

     

  • How I reunited Oyo, by Alaafin

    How I reunited Oyo, by Alaafin

    THE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, has said harmonisation of traditional values and modern governance will improve conflict resolution.

    The monarch said this became imperative because socio-cultural norms embedded in traditional institutions have remained an integral part of the people.

    Oba Adeyemi gave the advice at the commissioning of some buildings, central mosque and event centre built by the family of his predecessor, Oba Gbadegesin Ladigbolu.

    He narrated how the town was polarised into two opposing camps as a result of religious and political upheavals before he ascended the throne as the first literate monarch.

    ‘’During this turbulent period, harmony, mutual trust and fraternity completely broke down. Violence, acts of terror and hooliganism equally took the centre stage.

    ‘’ After my installation in 1971, I called some men who were on the two sides of the political and religious divides. These patriotic men, some of who had died, answered my call and the turbulence not only stopped, the polarisation ceased and the town was re-united.”

    Extolling the virtues of the late Oba Ladigbolu who reigned between 1956 and 1968, Adeyemi said were it not for his predecessor’s pro-activeness, he would not have become the Alaafin.

     

     

  • Alaafin calls for synergy between traditional rulers, Police

    Alaafin calls for synergy between traditional rulers, Police

    Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, has urged Nigerians to break down barriers of apathy and mistrust that have characterised their relationship with the Police.

    The monarch also cautioned against the perception which traced the historical root of the Nigerian Police as a colonial force of oppression of the people.

    Oba Adeyemi made this appeal when the Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr.  Kolawole Sodipo paid him a courtesy visit in his palace.

    The paramount monarch said the country with a population of about 160 million people and a Police Force of less than 300,000 officers and men is an abysmal ratio that should be improved upon within the shortest possible time.”

    He said: “Mutual trust is the prime value that ought to form the basis of the partnership between the police and the public. A solid and lasting foundation of trust would enable the police form a close relationship between it and the people, which would in turn produce a result-oriented policing. There is the need for a genuine police-public collaboration with members of the community becoming active allies in the effort to support and enhance public security and safety.”

    Alaafin who commended the Police boss for his comportment, diligence and respect for traditional institution, called for synergy between traditional rulers, the police and other security agencies so as to enhance effective policing and ensure a crime-free society.

    Earlier, Sodipo had expressed his gratitude to the monarch for his unalloyed support to the state police command, and pledged his determination to reduce crime and criminality to the barest minimum in the state.

     

  • Alaafin marks 43 years on the throne

    Alaafin marks 43 years on the throne

    Residents of the ancient town of Oyo in Oyo State rolled out red carpets and big drums to celebrate the 43 years anniversary of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi on the throne. It was a colourful outing that also featured interdenominational prayer sessions.

    Though the palace had decided to mark the anniversary in a low-key, residents opted to celebrate the paramount ruler’s 43 years on the throne with glamour.

    The one-day event, which was held at the palace, started with inter-denominational prayers by adherents of the three recognised religions.

    The Otun-Alaafin of Oyo, Chief Moses Ogunmola said the “implicit in the concept of Alaafin’s administration was the acceptance of the principle of the rule of elders.  In the home, the shrine, the village, the town and every concourse of people, the pride of place and authority were given to the elders.  The exceptions were assumption of chieftaincies and inadequacy of merit for the post.  Thus, the people would look forward to the elders for direction, and the chiefs would pass their orders to the grassroots with the principle in mind.  Voting and undue search for the will of the majority was not the vogue; but instinct and general observation guided the leaders to follow the popular cause on a given policy, particularly the issue of declarations of war and peace”.

    Chief Ogunmola said the nexus operating between office holders in an administration and the society is the quality of benefit accruable from the services of the establishment.

    “The old Oyo empire community was socially stratified.  There were the nobility, the chiefs, the Esos (guards), the slaves, and the common men.  But, the society was peaceful.  Unrest was minimal as the operators agreed to accept their status. There was commonly social upward mobility.”

    He observed that there were in-built religious and practical test and practices that the monarch should undertake, such as appeasing the gods for rain in time of drought, robust health in time of epidemics and abundances in time of death.

    “Because the grassroots and the elite were looking for a result-oriented reign, such expectation and realisation made the incumbent popular.  This could be attested through the spate of unprecedented development that has been established in the city.  This ancientness is distinct and rare in the annals of Yoruba Kingdom,” Ogunmola said.