Sources from the Ancient Palace of the highly revered monarch have confirmed the demise of the Iku Baba Yeye, Lamidi Adeyemi.
9News Nigeria reports that the Alaafin Adeyemi, the third from the Alowodu Ruling House, died in the late hours of Friday at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti.
Alaafin, or The Owner of the Palace in the Yoruba language, is the title of the emperor of the medieval Oyo empire and present-day Oyo town of West Africa.
He ruled the old Oyo Empire which extended from the present-day Benin republic to Nigeria originating from states in the South East and West to the North.
Alaafin Adeyemi III was born Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi on October 15, 1938 into the Alowolodu Royal House, and as a member of the House of Oranmiyan to Raji Adeniran Adeyemi (born 1871), who later became Alaafin in 1945, and Ibironke of Epo-Gingin.
Kaabiesi Lamidi Adeyemi succeeded Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II in 1970, during the governorship of Colonel Robert Adeyinka Adebayo, after the end of the Nigerian Civil War.
In 1975, the head of state General Murtala Ramat Muhammed included Oba Adeyemi in his entourage to the hajj.
He was chancellor of Uthman dan Fodiyo University in Sokoto from 1980 to 1992.
In 1990, President Ibrahim Babangida appointed him Amir-ul-Hajj in recognition of his commitment to the consolidation of Islam in Nigeria.
