Oba Aromolaran: Life and times of the scholar king

The death of the 40th Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, on Wednesday September 11, 2024 at an undisclosed hospital in Ile-Ife, Osun State, brought down the curtain on the reign of a royal father who bestrode his domain like a colossus.

Oba Aromolaran, a holder of the revered academic honor of Doctor of Philosophy, was installed Owa on February 20, 1982, succeeding Oba Agunlejika, who passed on in 1981.

 Becoming a monarch over the Ijesas, one of the largest Yoruba sub-ethnic stocks, at the age of 45, could not have been by mere coincidence.

Reflecting on the tussle that preceded the choice of a relatively young publisher and author of many books, among several princes who had shown interest in sitting on the revered throne of Owa at the time, ex-Director General of Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Wale Idowu, said the clamor for an exposed ruler made then-Prince Aromolaran the unanimous choice of many influential Ilesa indigenes.
“Owa Obokun Agunlejika reigned between 1966-81. Oba (Dr.) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II succeeded him in 1982. Sir Lawrence Omole, the founder of the flourishing International Breweries Ltd (now PLC), gave massive support to his candidacy, along with the Ijesa Society, Ibadan.

“The clamor for an exposed, enlightened, and richly endowed Oba met with the desire of the kingmakers, who, in cahoot with the Ijesa elites, made easy the seamless emergence of Oba Aromolaran,” Idowu said.

He added, “Sir Lawrence Omole was an outstanding backer. The Ijesa Society in Ibadan, where then-Prince Adekunle Aromolaran had flourishing businesses, added their support. The Ijesa elites generally saw in the then-Prince a huge value and promise for the future of the Ijesa nation. His high academic credentials favoured him the more from the royal lineage of Bilayiarere.”
The presentation of the Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment by Oyo State Governor, Chief Bola Ige, incidentally an Ijesa man, to the newly installed Owa, held in Ilesa on May 20, 1982, was reportedly witnessed by a huge, ecstatic crowd of about 20,000 people.

History has it that the event was also witnessed by the late Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and many prominent leaders of the Unity Party of Nigeria, including then-Oyo State Deputy Governor, Chief S.M. Afolabi.

With the installation and presentation rites done, resting on the imposing frame of Oba Aromolaran was the high expectation of an elephantine size, from his subjects.

The fact that the new Oba, who possessed a Master’s Degree at a time when only a handful could boast of such academic feats, was said to be one major reason why his people believed he was fittingly the best man for the job.

In the 42-year illustrious reign of Oba Aromolaran, however, Ijesaland witnessed tremendous growth in human resources and infrastructural amenities, with the royal father constantly and consistently leading the charge for more recognition for his people and his domain.

Quick-witted, courageous, and fearless, Oba Aromolaran, in his often thick Ijesa accent, whenever he chose to speak in the Yoruba language, would not shy away from expressing his opinion on issues concerning public good and governance.

He held his own and was never seen as a second fiddle, notwithstanding reigning for a long time alongside some flamboyant and influential personalities like the 50th Ooni of Ife, late Oba Okunade Sijuade, late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, late Owaloko of Iloko Ijesa, late Oba Oladele Olashore, and the immediate past Orangun of Ila, Oba Adetona Adeyeni.
In the latter days of his reign, Oba Aromolaran did not hide his interest in having a university in his domain.

With the support of his subjects, the royal father pursued the dream rigorously and was ready to make it a condition for his people to support the second-term bid of then-Osun State Governor, Adegboyega.

He did not back off until Oyetola announced the upgrade of the College of Education, Ilesa, to a full-fledged university on March 31, at the inauguration and handing-over of the N1 billion worth Ijesaland Geriatric Centre, funded by the community, to the management of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife.

 Also, in one of his last public outings, Oba Aromolaran, despite his advanced age and failing health, on April 30, attended the flag-off of construction work on the first dual carriageway in Ilesa -Roundabout/Brewery dual carriageway -performed by the state governor, Ademola Adeleke.

Deified by subjects, revered by outsiders

 Meanwhile, since the passage of the royal father became public knowledge, Nigerians across the globe have been celebrating the life of Oba Aromolaran through tributes and condolences.
President Bola Tinubu and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, in their separate condolence messages, paid glowing tributes to the departed monarch.
 In like manner, Osun State Governor, Adeleke, in his tributes, noted the late Owa-Obokun as “a father figure, a pillar of support, and a teacher, who was deeply committed to the development of Ijesaland and Osun State.

“Kabiyesi was a deeply selfless father, who took no prisoners when it came to matters of development and wellbeing of the people. He was a friend of good governance, no matter the colour or race.

“The last time I was with him was the flag-off of the dualisation of Brewery – Palace road. I am glad our late erudite scholar witnessed a new phase of development for Ijeshaland.”

Also, ex-Osun Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in a condolence message, commiserated with the people of Ijesaland, Osun State, and Nigeria, as he described the late royal father as a national treasure.

Oyinlola, who said he enjoyed over 30 years of relationship with Oba Aromolaran, recalled various engagements the monarch had with him in his years in government and testified to the royal father’s loyalty to Ijesaland and its people, and his fidelity to the oath and vows he took at the inception of his reign.

“My relationship with the late Oba extended well beyond my years as governor of Osun State. We had a very wonderful father-son relationship that lasted over thirty years, which included my time as the Military Administrator of Lagos State.

“With Owa’s death, we are left to reflect on the lessons of his extraordinary life of service to his people, which lasted over four decades. He gave his people love and leadership and left legacies that will serve as benchmarks to measure subsequent occupants of that stool.”
“The late Oba was imbued with uncommon wisdom and adequate education and knowledge. He effectively used his years as the paramount ruler to build and nurture relationships with various peoples, communities, and institutions in Ijesaland, in Osun State, and in Nigeria as a whole,” Oyinlola said.

Leading the tributes for the departed royal father among his subjects was the Asiwaju of Ijesaland, Chief Yinka Fasuyi, who, in a dirge sent to journalists, labeled Owa as “the torchbearer of Oduduwa relocates.”

Fasuyi’s statement partly read: “The symbol of Obokun Adimula transits. The elegance of Ijesaland royalty takes a bow! The pride of Yoruba traditional intellectualism exits. The conscience of Yoruba traditional rulers departs. The last of the titans bids farewell.”

Also, ex-Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and the Executive Director (Projects Implementation) at the Federal Housing Authority, Mr. Oluremi Omowaiye, in separate condolence messages, extolled Owa’s virtues of dedication and love for his community.

Aregbesola said, with Aromolaran’s sterling education and sagacity, he uplifted the throne and the institution of his fathers and kept his head high even in an era of the decline of traditional rulership.

Similarly, Omowaiye, in his tributes in honour of the deceased, eulogized the departed monarch for his exceptional qualities.

He said, “Kabiyesi Aromolaran was a worthy father and a quintessential imperial majesty who dedicated his life to the triumph of us, his subjects.
“We celebrate the life of this great scholar, author, publisher, accomplished civil servant, and traditional leader, even as we mourn his absence at a time when his profound counsel and guidance are needed most.”

In his tributes to the departed royal father, the chairman, Living Trust Mortgage Bank, Dr Wale Bolorunduro, said the monarch provided leadership in areas of education, teaching and scholarship at the national and international level.

He added that if past and present Nigerian leaders have perused and followed the published works of the late monarch, the country would not have found itself in the economic crisis that it has been plunged to currently.

“As a cosmopolitan Ijesa to the core, our late monarch has touched many spheres of life too numerous to catalogue at a stretch. The fact remains that the demise of our beloved father and king, Oba (Dr.) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran ll is a big loss to Ijesa land, Osun State, Yoruba land, Nigeria and humanity in general. We would no doubt miss his knowledge, wisdom and experience on matters of nation building ,and development. His fearless comportment and contributions on national issues are gone,” Bolorunduro said.