THE sprawling town of Oyo town was agog on Thursday, January 14 as many from far and near stormed Oyo Empire to celebrate with Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111 on his 45th anniversary of his coronation.  It was a star-studded party that had eminent Nigerians in attendance.

Activities to mark the day had kicked off last year November in the United Kingdom when the Alaafin visited London to kick off the celebration. He was well received and honoured by the happening crowd and the British Empire. The visit also provided a rare and golden opportunity for Yorubas across the globe to meet and tap from Alaafin Iku Baba Yeye’s wealth of enormous cultural endowment; an uncommon gift many custodians of tradition and culture are devoid of. Every January 14 is the day of the official investiture of the Alaafin.

November 18, 1970, was the actual day Prince Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi was consecrated as the Alaafin of Oyo Empire by Colonel Adeyinka Adebayo, Governor of the old Western Region. It was the day Oba Adeyemi was invested with the insignia of royalty, on his succeeding to the Sovereignty. This was shortly after the Nigerian civil war.