The Akran of Badagry Kingdom in Lagos State Oba De Wheno Menu-Toyi I is dead.
He died at the age of 89.
The monarch’s death brings to an end his reign of 48 years on the throne of Badagry Kingdom, having ascended the throne on April 23, 1977.
Born on September 18, 1936, De Wheno Menu-Toyi I was the fifth child of De Wheno Aholu Ajiyon-Kanho, the 17th Akran of Badagry.
He had his early education at Salvation Army Primary School, Lagos and Methodist School, Badagry, before attending Methodist Teachers’ College, Ifaki, Ekiti, between 1956 and 1957.
Before becoming a traditional ruler, he worked as a teacher in schools across Badagry Division and later went into journalism.
He began his journalism career in 1961 at the West African Pilot, where he worked as a diplomatic correspondent and later served as chief reporter for the Post Group of Newspapers.
He later joined the Daily Sketch as a senior sub-editor and subsequently moved to New Nigeria Newspapers, where he served as a senior journalist and Acting News Editor (South).
During his journalism career, he received a grant from the International Press Institute to study at the University of East Africa, where he obtained a diploma.
He also shared a prize on the Law of the Press with a journalist from Uganda.
His appointment as the Akran of Badagry was approved by the Lagos State Executive Council on October 7, 1976.
He was crowned on April 23, 1977 and assumed the title of De Wheno Menu-Toyi I in line with tradition.
During his reign, he served as a member of the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission from 1979 to 1983.
He also held positions as chairman of the Chieftaincy Committee in Badagry Local Government and permanent vice-chairman of the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
In October 1990, he was elected by members of the council to represent it at the enlarged National Council of States in Abuja.
De Wheno Menu-Toyi I was awarded the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) on March 7, 1981.
As of the time of filing this report, details of burial arrangements have not been announced.
