The Founder, Proprietor and President of Atiba University Oyo, James Adesokan Ojebode, Ph.D, JP, has condoled with the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, the Oyo Mesi, the Oloris and the entire people of Oyo kingdom as well as Oyo State over the transition and demise of the 44th Alaafin of Oyo, Oba (Dr) Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi Alowolodu III, who passed on to the great beyond to join his ancestors at the Afe Babalola University Specialist Hospital, Ado-Ekiti after 52 years of reign as the Alaafin of Oyo, at the age of 83 years on Friday, 22nd April, 2022.
Ojebode described the sudden death of Alaafin as shocking, saying that the permanent chairman of the council of Obas in Oyo state and a first class Oba in Yoruba land died at a time that the State, Nation and even Yoruba land still need his wealth of experience.
He said “The death of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Atanda Adeyemi III came to me as a rude shock. His death is personal to me because of the relationship that existed between us while he was alive.”
He further stated that Kabiyesi’s love for education made him to support the establishment, birth and christening of the only indigenous Private University in Oyo, “Atiba University Oyo”, and this earned him more respect in the tertiary education enterprise of the country.
“He was also at a time, the Chancellor of Uthman Danfodio University, Sokoto, and before his transition the Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri. He was also the grand patron of Atiba University, Oyo during his reign.
“The relationship of Atiba University Oyo with a man of integrity, like the Alaafin of Oyo is steadily giving us an edge, thereby making the university to continue to grow and glow amongst her peers in Nigeria and internationally. Kabiyesi invested heavily in the growth, progress and development of his community and those dwelling therein,” he added.
He further said that; Alaafin Adeyemi III had played his own role and has left the scene; and that the Kabiyesi has only gone to join his ancestors, “the Kabiyesi is not dead, he lives on.”
The Lion hearted philanthropist and recipient of Academic Leadership Award of the Chemical Society of Nigeria, James Adesokan Ojebode further stated that the demise of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Atanda Adeyemi III has left a big vacuum that will be very hard and difficult for anyone to fill. He said,
“We feel extremely naked, we feel like somebody has undressed us, deprived us of the blanket that covered us. Alafin was a symbol of respect, unity and he loved his people.
He was a leader with very high penchant for educational growth and development. Alaafin was a very good historian and a great King who brought development not only to Oyo as well as Oyo State but to Yorubaland, Nigeria and the World at large”
The Founder, Atiba University further said that Kabiyesi’s work in Oyo town, Oyo State, Yoruba land and the Nation at large is truly remarkable and cannot be quantified. The Alaafin of Oyo made many contributions to the development of the Country. As a supreme traditional ruler, Kabiyesi utilized his position to better and consistently pursue the improvement of his people’s welfare at all times.
Ojebode prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Imperial Majesty, urging all Oyo sons and daughters, the Oloris, the Oyo Mesi, Bashorun of Oyo, Baba Iyaji of Oyo and all Yorubas to accept the demise and the exit of the Kabiyesi as an act of the eternal God.
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