By Our Reporter
Former military governor and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George, has paid a glowing tribute to the late Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, describing him as a monarch who embodied dignity, class, and uncommon leadership throughout his 64-year reign.
In a personal statement, Chief George recalled his earliest encounter with the revered monarch as a young student at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School in 1960, when the then 26-year-old prince returned to Nigeria to be crowned as the Awujale.
“I was in Form 1 at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, in 1960 when the 26-year-old Prince returned to Nigeria to be crowned as the Awujale of Ijebuland. With my classmates, we lined up along the road leading to Itoro Hall where the coronation took place,” he said.
George reminisced about his later interactions with the monarch during his time as military governor of the old Ondo State under General Ibrahim Babangida, noting that Oba Adetona maintained a warm, fatherly relationship with him until his passing on July 13, 2025.
“He burst out laughing when I told him the story of us lining up as boys to witness his coronation. Till he died, Oba Adetona was a father figure to me,” George added.
The Atona Oodua of Yorubaland extolled the late monarch’s unmatched contributions to the cultural identity and global reputation of the Ijebu people. He praised Oba Adetona’s bold and dignified interactions with governments, citizens, and the diaspora.
“Oba Adetona was a formidable leader and monarch who protected the name of the Ijebu, home and abroad, and projected their image,” George stated. “The annual Ojude-Oba event became a reference point for others, thanks to his creativity, dynamism, and connections.”
He also recalled a political dispute between the late monarch and former Governor Olabisi Onabanjo that required the intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a testament to the Awujale’s prominence and influence.
Expressing gratitude to God for Oba Adetona’s long life and impactful reign, George described his passing as “a huge loss” and prayed for divine comfort for his family and the entire Ijebu nation.
“I know his legacies will continue to remain indelible,” he said.
Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona reigned for over six decades, making him one of the longest-reigning monarchs in Nigeria’s history.