50th Coronation Anniversary: Afenifere Describes Alaafin as Great Pride to Yoruba at Home and Abroad

The Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, in its congratulatory message to  the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, the Iku Baba Yeye on the occasion of his 50th anniversary on the throne, has described the monarch as a great pride to Yoruba at home and abroad, having brought peculiar gravitas and character to the throne.

Afenifere stated this on Wednesday in the message issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin, felicitating Oba Adeyemi who was coronated on 14th January 1971 at the age of 31 succeeding the late Alaafin Ladigbolu.

The group said, “The Pan-Yoruba Socio-political group, Afenifere is delighted to congratulate the Iku Baba Yeye, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi as he hits 50 years on the throne as the Alaafin of Oyo..

“The Alaafin in 50 years has brought peculiar gravitas and character to the throne and he is a great pride to Yoruba at home and abroad.

“We proudly celebrate his golden years and pray that God will keep him for many more years in dedicated service that we are proud of always.”

The pan- Yoruba group, while also praying long reign for the Alaafin in “full health and his coast enlarged,” said it could not but mention in particular the peculiar leadership the monarch provided for the Yoruba in the dark days of a former military dictator, the late General Sani Abacha when evil walked over the country unhinged.

Afenifere, however, expressed hope that God that saw the country through that evil period would always do same and navigate the nation and the citizens “through dangerous moments and our land will never be destroyed,” adding: “We shall always give thanks to God like we had to do when Abacha evil expired.”