By Rev Eniola Olatunji
This day four years ago,April 22,2022, I was away in Lagos to Minister at the RCCG Parish in Ketu when my phone buzzed late in the night that my father, Atanda Omo Iku t’Iku o gbodo pa; Omo Arun t’Arun Ko gbodo Se; baba mi Lamido Olayiwola Adeyemi 111 Omo Ojo pa Sekere, Iku Baba Yeye has joined his ancestors.
I was nervous. I couldn’t utter a word. Alaafin gone! Eja nla lo nibu. Araba wo ti gbongbo ti gbongbo.
1st January 2022 I was live with baba mi Atanda Alowolodu and Aremo Alaafin, Israel Tunde on a WhatsApp video call with an agreement to be in Oyo in June for three weeks to do a deep study of Baba using his vast library and other resources for an enormous autobiography. Baba had rebuked me for being far from him, an adopted son of the palace well known for years.
I first ever in my life met Kabiyesi on 26th December 1971 through my father, the late Olufi of Gbogan, Oba Dr. Solomon Babayemi, Afinju Adaba ti nje laarin Okin. He was close to the Michael Olatunji Kassim family of the University of Ibadan of which I am by grace the first son being Abayomi Kassim. Dr. Babayemi then of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan was on a research to Oyo and Igbeti. We went to Aafin Oyo with Aremo Olufi, Temitope Abayomi Babayemi and my sister, Sola Omotayo. Of course we ate amala, ewedu to dude, with cow meat. I was given the one with skin so I did school certificate anotating the meat not with diagrams but high consumption.
Alaafin Adeyemi never called me Eniola Olatunji since I changed names in 1997. It was Abayomi.
As a journalist who later became Oyo State Editor of the Republic Newspapers, I was closer to baba Alaafin. Together with some of my colleagues like Aliu Mohammed Olurotimi and Gboyega Kolawole we were always at the Aafin Oyo to ‘philosophize’ a terminology for Alaafin telling us about the history and traditions of the Yorubas. We traveled together to some cities like Sokoto where with late Adunoyi Ojo et al we visited former Nigerian President, Alhaji Usman Shehu Aliyu Shagari.
I tell you the truth in the Lord, I lie not baba mi Atanda was like the Biblical Moses who the Bible told us was deep in the Arts and Crafts of Egypt. I have in my about 50 years of Journalism practice with knowledge of many Yoruba Traditional rulers never known any Oba living or late that has mobile historical records like Alaafin Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111.
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He was an Amateur Boxer and an Accountant based in Lagos before he became Alaafin. Though aged, over 80 years then, he still engaged in boxing bouts punching heavily. He would do physical exercises daily like a 30 year old. In fact days before he passed on at Afe Babalola University Medical centre, baba had a domestic accident tripping on a staircase workout with his left hand in POP. He was so fit that he had two sets of twins less than a year to departure. I was thinkering of an exhibition bout between him and former World Heavyweight boxing champion, Prince of Shagamu, Anthony Joshua. Baba still goes six rounds in the ring three minutes each round. Ask Nigerian boxers.
Ha! Iku p’Abiri, Abiri ti Ku, Iku p’Abiri, Abiri re orun … Baba mi Atanda Alowolodu ti lo Ajo are ma Bo. (Abiri usage are two different Yoruba names meaning all shall die though in Yoruba land, Kabiyesis do not die, they enter the ceiling, won waja. My father, Atanda Alowolodu has gone on a no return journey).
The Balm of Gilead be upon his wives, children, relations, Oyo people and the entire Yoruba race wherever they are. I bless his children in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unknown to many, I first saw a Bible with six versions at his Library in 1990. He discusses the Bible more than the Pope though he is a devout Muslim.
No more time to ‘philosophize’ Kabiyesi. Bye bye Baba mi, Atanda Alowolodu, Alaafin Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111.
From Eniola Olatunji (Rev) writes from Abuja
