Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Tuesday paid a condolence visit to the family of the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
Mr Obi was accompanied by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State in the last general election.
In photos and videos shared online, both men were received by members of the royal household as they signed the condolence register and paid their respects to the revered monarch.
Oba Adetona died on Sunday, at the age of 91.
He was buried on Monday at his Igbeba residence in Ijebu-Ode in a ceremony attended by dignitaries.
The Awujale was one of Nigeria’s longest-reigning monarchs, ascending the throne on April 2, 1960.
His reign, which spanned 64 years, was marked by visionary leadership, a commitment to justice and transparency and the preservation of Yoruba culture through initiatives like the annual Ojude Oba festival.
Peter Obi described Oba Adetona as “a highly principled royal father who spoke truth to power and stood as a moral compass in Nigeria’s political landscape.”
He added that the late monarch’s legacy of integrity and courage will continue to inspire generations of leaders and traditional institutions.
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour also praised Oba Adetona for being “a unifying force and a symbol of progressive traditional leadership in Nigeria.”
Oba Adetona’s death has been widely described as the end of an era for Ijebuland and traditional rulership in Nigeria.
