Yoruba Man Who Came to Enugu in 1979 Becomes Tradition Ruler, Opens Up About His Past

Yoruba Man Who Came to Enugu in 1979 Becomes Tradition Ruler, Opens Up About His Past

  • The Yoruba community in Enugu State has selected Alhaji Abdulazeez Adebayo as their first-ever traditional ruler, uniting people from seven different states under his leadership
  • Adebayo, who has lived in Enugu since 1979, was chosen after a rigorous selection process that emphasized trustworthiness, character, and the ability to represent the Yoruba people effectively
  • The appointment of Adebayo, who has been a key figure in the community for over 35 years, is considered a significant milestone for the Yoruba community in Enugu

The Yoruba community in Enugu State has appointed Alhaji Abdulazeez Adebayo as its new traditional ruler.

Adebayo, who hails from Osun State, is the first-ever Oba of the Yoruba community in Enugu, marking a significant milestone for the Yoruba people in the region.

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Yoruba community in Enugu State unites under new Oba, Alhaji Abdulazeez Adebayo
Yoruba comunity appoints new Oba. Credit: Online Media
Source: UGC

Speaking during the community meeting held on Tuesday in Enugu, Adebayo discussed the diversity within the Yoruba community, which consists of people from seven different states: Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Kogi, and Kwara.

He also highlighted the various Yoruba ethnic groups in Enugu, including the Ibadan Progressive Union, Ede Descendants, and the Olateji, Ekiti, Ondo, and Ilorin Descendant Unions.

Today, the Ibadan Progressive Union has chosen to join the Progressive Yoruba Community in Enugu State, fulfilling our long-standing desire to have an Oba,” Adebayo was reported by the media to have said.

On the selection process, Adebayo explained, “The process involved finding someone with a good record, good behaviour, and the ability to care for his people. The selected individual needed to be trustworthy and capable of providing quality representation for the Yoruba people in the state.

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He further recounted how the journey to establishing a Yoruba Oba in Enugu began, noting, “Interest in the position was expressed as early as 2018. We lost about three candidates during the selection process. The Yoruba elders then decided to appoint a neutral and trusted individual, and I was chosen for the role.

Yoruba man ruling in Enugu State

Adebayo, who has been a resident of Enugu since February 7, 1979, shared his experience of living peacefully in the state for over four decades. “I came to Enugu on 7 February 1979 and have lived peacefully in the state since then,” he said, calling for support, love, and unity from the Yoruba community.

One of the aspirants, Chief Valentine Adesina, acknowledged the challenges faced during the selection process. “After the general meeting, a committee was established to address these issues. We started with about seven candidates, which were later reduced to three. After a thorough screening, a report on the candidates was submitted to the Yoruba community. We did not hold an election but considered criteria such as age and character. Ultimately, the elders chose Adebayo.”

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Adesina also praised Adebayo’s longstanding commitment to the community: "He has been a pioneer in managing the community for about 35 years. Many of the Yoruba elders who began with him have returned home or passed away.

Governor sacks Rivers Traditional Council Chairman

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State sacked Eze Sergeant Chidi Awuse as the chairman of the supreme council of traditional rulers council.

As reported by The Nation, Fubara announced the paramount ruler of Apara kingdom in Obio/Akpor local government area (LGA) of the state, Eze Chike Worlu Wodonas the new chairman.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Basit Jamiu avatar

Basit Jamiu (Editor) Basit Jamiu is an award-winning journalist and a human interest editor with more than 5 years of experience in the media (Ikeja Bird, Prime Progress, The Movee). He started his journalism career after graduating from Ekiti State University in 2018. He is a 2023 MTN Media Fellow, OCRP Fellow at ICIR, and Accountability Fellow at CJID. He also has professional certificates in Information Management, Technical Writing, Digital Marketing from Google. He can be reached via basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.

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