The Oluoke of Okeigbo Kingdom, Oba Akintoye Adeoye, discusses how his Christian religion has not stopped him from performing traditional rites as a monarch.
The 18th Oluoke of Okeigbo Kingdom, Ondo State, Oba Akintoye Adeoye, speaks with NAOMI CHIMA about his journey from prince to traditional ruler, how his careers in regulation and ministry ready him for kingship, his Christian religion and traditional obligations, and his plans for even developmentI am from the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling Home of Okeigbo in Ondo State.
I used to be born to Prince Samuel and Abigail Adeoye. Aare Kugbaigbe was one of many co-founders of Okeigbo. He was a warrior who got here from Ehindi in Ile-Ife and have become the primary ruler of Okeigbo Kingdom. Adegbite was the daddy of Adekanye, who gave start to Adeoye, the daddy of Akintoye.
I’m the fourth individual from the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling Home to ascend the throne and the second Adegbite to take a seat on the throne of Okeigbo Kingdom. Earlier than ascending the throne, I used to be merely a prince. I grew up with my dad and mom in a really humble setting. I attended main colleges in Okeigbo and Okitipupa.
I later attended Methodist Excessive Faculty, Okitipupa, and spent about 9 months at Oloroke Grammar Faculty, Okeigbo. My upbringing taught me humility, exhausting work and aspiration. These qualities have remained with me all through my life. Sadly, my dad and mom didn’t intentionally educate us a lot in regards to the historical past of our group or lineage.
Nevertheless, our names mirrored our royal heritage, whereas our oríkì additionally captured our roots, historical past and exploits. What my dad and mom demonstrated very strongly was a rare love for Okeigbo. That love was virtually like a creed in our dwelling. With out anybody having to formally educate it to me, I absorbed that deep attachment to Okeigbo.
My dad and mom concentrated primarily on elevating kids who had been correctly introduced up, culturally grounded, hardworking and reliable. We’re having fun with the advantages of that upbringing right now, and we’ve adopted lots of the similar rules in elevating our personal kids. With the advantage of expertise, nonetheless, I now perceive that kids should even be intentionally taught about their historical past, roots and lineage.
Not like me after I was rising up, my kids are consciously conscious of their heritage and are addressed as prince and princess. Amongst all of the titles connected to your identify, which one do you secretly take pleasure in listening to essentially the most when your spouse calls you at dwelling? Each a kind of titles got here at a worth and adopted a journey. As a lawyer, I paid the value by years of research and lots of nights of exhausting work.
My years at Obafemi Awolowo College, Ile-Ife, the place I obtained my first and second levels, in addition to my time on the Nigerian Legislation Faculty, stay very memorable. I used to be ordained a pastor in 1997 beneath the spirit-filled and dynamic ministry of Archbishop Sam Amaga. I additionally obtained a bachelor’s diploma in theology from Life Theological Seminary of the Foursquare Gospel Church.
Then, on November 4, 2025, Ondo State Governor Fortunate Aiyedatiwa introduced me with the Workers of Workplace because the Oluoke of Okeigbo Kingdom. Changing into Oluoke is an ancestral and genealogical privilege, however ancestry and family tree alone may by no means have certified me. Schooling, character, competence and different qualities had been additionally obligatory. The most recent title is Kabiyesi, and at this stage of my life, I have to confess that I take pleasure in it.
My spouse has equally turn into the Olori. After I name her “Olori”, she responds, “Kabiyesi”. After I knowledgeable my spouse, she was neither significantly excited nor afraid. Curiously, about 5 years earlier than the stool grew to become vacant, she had already acquired what I might describe as a divine inclination that one thing like this might occur.
We didn’t focus on it extensively as a result of, on the time, changing into king was not one thing I used to be contemplating. When the stool finally grew to become vacant, I used to be not among the many first 5 individuals who expressed curiosity.
Nevertheless, after I finally joined the race, my spouse and youngsters gave me their wholehearted help. What traditional rites did you bear earlier than your emergence, and did any battle together with your Christian beliefs? I underwent traditional rites throughout the coronation course of. Curiously, African Traditional Faith was one of many topics I studied throughout my Increased Faculty Certificates programme and later throughout my theological schooling.
My understanding of African Traditional Faith helped me drastically in approaching the traditional rites with data and perspective. Usually talking, many features of African custom have been demonised with out ample understanding of what they really signify. Data makes a significant distinction. Whenever you perceive the origins, meanings and functions of sure practices, you might be higher positioned to make knowledgeable judgments about them.
You have got been a lawyer, a Foursquare pastor and now an Oba. How did your expertise within the courtroom and the pulpit put together you for the palace? I say this with gratitude to God: my profession as a lawyer and my calling as a pastor ready me tremendously for the administration of the palace. The authorized occupation educated me in reasoning, justice, process, proof and the disciplined consideration of competing positions.
Ministry taught me about folks, conscience, compassion, management and accountability. These experiences have helped me drastically in administering the palace with a very good conscience, a sound understanding of justice and robust administrative capability. The chiefs and members of the group have given me optimistic suggestions about my efficiency. Our chiefs sit up for palace conferences, and I take into account {that a} very optimistic signal.
There is no such thing as a good knowledge besides the knowledge that comes from above. My current task is to function the pinnacle and father of Okeigbo Kingdom because the Oluoke. I got here into this accountability with expertise, however the actuality is that there isn’t a formal college the place somebody is educated to turn into a king. You turn into a king, after which you should develop into the accountability of kingship.
After I ascended the throne, I met excessive chiefs, senior chiefs and different chiefs who had been a part of the palace construction lengthy earlier than my arrival. Most of them are respectful; they perceive boundaries, and so they genuinely love and help me. The sensation is mutual. I seek the advice of them often.
I search their counsel, ask questions and take heed to their views. In the end, nonetheless, accountability for selections rests with me. Up to now, I’ve loved a really cordial relationship with my chiefs. We shouldn’t have rancour or pointless disputes, and I worth that drastically.
The trail to a traditional throne is usually contested. Some communities are lucky sufficient to emerge from such processes with a robust candidate, whereas others could have extra sophisticated outcomes. In my very own case, I consider I met the related standards when it comes to character, schooling, capability and competence. Trying again, I consider God had been getting ready me for the throne even after I had no private ambition to turn into king.
The method was contentious, however in the end, I emerged because the profitable candidate. I consider management requires character, braveness, capability, conscience and competence. These are qualities I’ve tried to carry to this workplace. In trendy language, I might say Okeigbo made a very good rent.
The competition was eager, with authorized battles earlier than your affirmation and presentation of the Workers of Workplace. What was your most attempting second throughout that interval? It’s not uncommon in Yorubaland for the trail to a traditional throne to be tough. There could be litigation, household disagreements, divisions inside communities, competing pursuits amongst ruling homes and, typically, political or governmental pursuits.
The choice course of itself was easy. Nevertheless, about an hour after I had been declared the winner, some thugs attacked the electoral returning officer, alleging that their most popular candidate had really gained. It was a daunting state of affairs. By the grace of God, the person survived.
That day stays some of the tough recollections of the whole course of for me. Did any traditional practices battle together with your Christian religion, and the way have you ever reconciled the 2 as a Christian Oba? The Bible teaches us to offer to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. There could sometimes be conditions by which traditional practices seem to battle with features of Christian perception.
Nevertheless, my understanding of African Traditional Faith has helped me strategy such issues with data, judgment and perspective quite than concern. Inside our traditional worldview, prayers and libations in the end recognise Eledumare, the Supreme Being. Totally different cultures and traditions could use completely different expressions of their makes an attempt to grasp the Supreme Being. The Greeks, for instance, spoke of the “unknown God”, whereas Christianity reveals Him to us as God Almighty.
As king, nonetheless, I’m not the daddy of Christians alone. I’m the daddy of everybody within the kingdom.
Subsequently, I’ve a accountability to create an setting of tolerance, peaceable coexistence and mutual respect. Each kingdom has its taboos. What are the taboos in Okeigbo Kingdom that an Oluoke mustn’t ever break? Many traditional taboos initially developed as guidelines supposed to protect the dignity and sanctity of the king’s workplace.
They’re basically prohibitions, restrictions and codes governing what a king ought to or shouldn’t do. Some are very historical, and in sure cases, data of their authentic goal could have been misplaced. Others could have originated from private selections made by earlier occupants of the throne for explicit causes however later grew to become accepted as custom with out subsequent occupants analyzing their authentic goal. Usually, there are expectations connected to my workplace.
As an illustration, I’m not anticipated to bow, kneel or prostrate earlier than one other human being. I ought to ordinarily not eat or drink overtly in public, and my head is predicted to stay coated. A king should additionally watch out about making pronouncements as a result of he shouldn’t casually reverse his personal orders. These customs differ significantly from one group to a different.
Since your coronation, has there been an evening when concern for Okeigbo stored you awake? What occurred? Sure. There was an incident across the boundary between Ondo city and Okeigbo by which some males kidnapped three folks.
One of many victims, who was from Okeigbo, sadly died from the shock of the expertise. The suspects had been finally apprehended and handed over to the police. It was deeply traumatic for me. I couldn’t sleep.
Whenever you turn into king, the struggling of your folks turns into very private. It was a really unhappy expertise. You have got declared this period “The New Jerusalem”. What particular modifications do you hope to carry to Okeigbo?
We’re working with main and secondary colleges to enhance instructional requirements and supply scholarships for vibrant college students from indigent backgrounds. We’re additionally working with the administration of the Ondo State Technical Faculty, Okeigbo, to enhance the establishment’s performance and relevance. Fifty scholarships have already been offered for Okeigbo indigenes attending the college throughout this tutorial session. We’re participating the Ministry of Well being to enhance the efficiency and patronage of the Okeigbo Well being Centre.
At current, we give moms who ship their infants on the well being centre N30,000 every. Aside from offering help to the households, the initiative is meant to encourage larger use of the power. Agriculture is one other main space. I’m working with the Ministry of Agriculture and different stakeholders to discover methods of accelerating agricultural productiveness and creating larger financial worth from agriculture.
The Governor of Ondo State, Fortunate Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has been supportive of our group, and there are different interventions and plans that I’ll not have the ability to catalogue right here. The governor is a buddy of Okeigbo, and he’ll at all times be welcome in our group, whether or not he’s in workplace or out of workplace. Okeigbo is fortunate. You started your coronation actions with a soccer competitors at Okeigbo Grammar Faculty.
Why? And what are your plans for addressing youth unemployment and attracting funding to Okeigbo? We hear Obas don’t dance anyhow in public. Which of your favorite songs will you dance to, or keep royal composure when the music comes on?
However that doesn’t imply an Oba can not dance in public. It’s a query of dignity and decorum. You can not overdo it, and it shouldn’t occur at each alternative. Every so often, within the acceptable setting, there may be nothing fallacious with it.
My favorite music stays Okeigbo traditional drumming, significantly when accompanied by the traditional lyrics and chants of our folks. In the event you had a day free from royal duties, authorized issues and sermons, the place would we discover you merely being Felix in Okeigbo? I might be instructing. I take pleasure in imparting data, significantly to younger folks.
If I had a very free day and will select what to do, spending time instructing kids can be very fulfilling. Of all of the cultural festivals, akin to Oro, Egungun and Ogun, which is your private favorite, and why? I’m the supreme traditional head of all of the festivals in Okeigbo Kingdom, so I can not publicly declare a favorite. A father shouldn’t overtly reveal larger affection for one little one than for the others.
Each competition represents a part of the historical past, tradition and id of our folks. My accountability as Oluoke is to respect that heritage whereas remaining a father to all. Relating to meals, I’m catholic. I take pleasure in most dishes!
Give me amala, gbegiri and ewedu, significantly within the afternoon, and I’ll relish them. Pounded yam and okra soup? Morning, afternoon or night, you’ll be able to belief me with them. Naomi Chima is an leisure and way of life correspondent at Punch Newspapers with over three years of expertise.
She covers Nigerian leisure, tradition, and social occasions, conducts persona interviews, and contributes to options throughout desks. Her work demonstrates hands-on newsroom expertise, editorial judgment, and a dedication to participating, correct, and audience-focused journalism. All rights reserved. This materials, and different digital content material on this web site, might not be reproduced, revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in complete or partly with out prior categorical written permission from PUNCH.
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