An invitation card revealing the conferment of the traditional title of Aare Baasofin of Yorubaland (the Supreme Lawmaker of Yorubaland) on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, by the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has surfaced online hours after the death of the Yoruba paramount ruler.
It was gathered that the late Alaafin had communicated the conferment of the title to Gbajabiamila in a letter dated September 7, 2021.
The letter was subsequently presented to the Speaker at the National Assembly, Abuja, by members of the Oyomesi Council led by the Bashorun of Oyo Kingdom, High Chief Olayinka Ayoola, who is the traditional Prime Minister of Oyo Kingdom.
The viral IV revealed how the Speaker had lined up the chieftaincy conferment ceremony as part of activities to mark his 60th birthday.
The card shows that the installation is slated to take place on Friday, May 27, 2022, with the All Progressives Congress’ presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, named as the Chairman of the occasion.
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Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, was slated to be the Royal Father of the Day while Chief Commander, Ebenezer Obey and K1 De Ultimate have been named as the musicians to entertain guests at the event.
An official of the palace confirmed the event was planned but failed to give details.”We should not be talking about what will happen to the event now. We are still mourning,” he said.
Gbajabiamila described the passing away of the Alaafin as a sad development that touched him personally.
He said the death of the paramount Yoruba ruler came to him as a rude shock, describing the late Alaafin, who had been like a father to him, as a very intelligent father with a sound grasp of traditional, social, political and international history.
“Oba Adeyemi was a man of peace whose five decades of quality leadership to his people endeared him to the masses.
“The Alaafin would be sorely missed by him and all Nigerians, especially the Yoruba people, as he served as a father figure to all, giving wise counsel when needed.
“He has supported the political career of many Nigerian leaders, especially in the quest of Gbajabiamila’s journey to the Speakership of the country,” he said, adding that the death of the traditional ruler has created a void too difficult to fill.