HISTORY OF YORUBA OBAS THAT WERE DETHRONED

IBIKUNLE AKITOYE, OBA OF LAGOS

Among the earliest prominent traditional rulers dethroned was Ibikunle Akitoye, the oba of Lagos who ascended the throne in 1841 but was deposed in 1845, with the involvement of his nephew Kosoko who later succeeded him as oba.

Against the advice of his chiefs, Akitoye recalled kosoko so as to bring him back to fold, but the result was that he lost the throne to him but later got it back through the help of the British in 1851. Part of what caused his travails, as was told, was his move to ban slave trade, as local merchants, who were prominent slave traders, kicked against this and mobilised for his removal.

ADEYEMI, ALAAFIN OF OYO

Adeyemi Adeniran II ascended the throne as the alaafin of Oyo in 1945 and reigned for about a decade before his abrupt and unexpected dethronement in July 1955 by Obafemi Awolowo, leader of old western region, reportedly over political reasons.

In 1950, Awolowo established the Action Group, promising freedom from British rule among other things for all those who followed him, particularly the westerners. The alaafin was among those who did not identify with Awolowo and did not hide the fact that he was a fan of Nnamdi Azikwe and by extension the National Council of Nigerians and the Cameroons (NCNC), a rival party for Awolowo’s camp. He was at some point also accused of conspiring to work against the regional government, part of what led to his suspension and eventual dethronement. His son is the incumbent alaafin of Oyo.

ADESOJI ADEREMI, OONI OF IFE

Adesoji Aderemi reigned as the ooni of Ife for about 50 years, from 1930 to 1980. He was dubbed the first literate ooni and was also very wealthy. He later served as the governor of western region between 1960 and 1962, before his removal by Ladoke Akintola, premier of the western region.

OLUWADARE ADESINA, DEJI OF AKURE

Who remembers Oluwadare Adesina, the former deji of Akure, who fought with his wife in public? He was dethroned after the public brawl with Bolanle, his wife, an act that was widely described as a public show of shame. The Ondo state government deposed Adesina in 2009, after invoking sections 17(1) and (2) of the state’s chiefs law, accusing him of conducting himself in the “most dishonorable, condemnable and disgraceful manner.”

The dethroned king was also banished from Akure for six months. The council of kingmakers had called for his deposition, while his estranged wife, now late, sued him for battery.