Victor Akinkuolie

Residents of Ondo town, the headquarters of Ondo West Local Government area of Ondo State, appeared to have been gripped by anxiety as news of the purported death of Oba Stephen Adeyemi Akinmusire filtered into the town.

Oba Akinmusire is the traditional ruler of Udoko, an ancient community within Ondo town, located at the extreme end of Ondo along the Ondo/Ile-Ife road.

Traditionally, the holder of this title is popularly referred to as “Oludoko” in local parlance and is said to be a first-class monarch, following the recent upgrade of the Ondo State Council of Traditional Rulers.

Although the purported news concerning the monarch’s death, who was also a former director in one of Nigeria’s oil companies, has not been officially announced in the community, information from an impeccable source close to his family revealed that the late community leader, a holder of a National Honour, passed away in his palace located at Arigbabola, along the Ondo/Ile-Ife road in Ondo town.

Similarly, details of the illness he suffered before his purported demise are yet to be confirmed at the time of filing this report. However, sources said the 94-year-old monarch, who reigned for 39 years, had not been visible at social gatherings for some time.

When our correspondent visited the palace of the monarch, the whole place was quiet, while the entrance gate to the palatial building was locked.

Though shop owners around the palace were seen engaging in commercial activities, some people, believed to be chiefs under the monarch, were gathered in groups at the palace frontage, apparently making preparations to announce his purported death in line with the traditions and culture of the Udoko community.

Similarly, a trip around major streets within the jurisdiction of the monarch indicated that many people were unaware of the news of his purported death, as they continued with their daily activities. Although some people were seen gathered in groups, it was unclear whether they were discussing the development, as they spoke in hushed voices.

Oba Akinmusire ascended the throne in February 1986, succeeding Oba Ayoade Akinmusire, who reigned from 1950 to 1979.

As the Oludoko of Udoko, Oba Adeyemi Akinmusire was the traditional leader of the Udoko people in Ondo town and played a significant role in the cultural and social affairs of the town.

Oba Akinmusire was a knight in the Anglican Church Communion, a Justice of the Peace (JP), and an ardent member of Saints’ Stephen Cathedral Church, Oke-Aluko, Ondo.

He was a member of several organisations and won numerous awards, including the National Productivity Merit Award, Ondo Town Merit Award, and the University of Lagos Distinguished Alumnus Award, among others.

In a statement, the Defense for Yoruba People’s Rights (DYPR) described Oba Akinmusire as a respectable traditional ruler par excellence who made valuable contributions to the development of his community and Ondo State in general.

The statement, signed by the National President of the Yoruba group, Otunba Muyideen Olamoyegun, noted that the vacuum created by the revered monarch’s demise would be difficult to fill.

Similarly, the President of the Ondo Ekimogun Youths Congress (OEYC), Comrade Lucas Famakinwa, expressed sadness over the monarch’s death and urged the bereaved family not to mourn excessively but rather to thank God for his life.