Monday,8th April,this year marked the 20th year that the 38th Olubadan of Ibadanland,the late Alayeluwa Oba Emmanuel Adegboyega Adeyemo,Operinde 1st,joined his ancestors in heaven. May Kabiyesi’s noble soul continue to rest in perfect peace.Amen
Born on 1st January,1905,in Ibadan,his beloved hometown,Oba Adeyemo Operinde 1,was crowned the 38th Olubadan of Ibadanland,on 14th January,1994. The Royal Father joined his ancestors on 8th April,1999,aged 94.
Since I entered Ibadan, my beloved hometown, with my head and not on foot, on Friday, 27th October 1950, the late Oba Adeyemo Operinde 1 was the 11th Olubadan to reign before my very (korokoro)eyes.
I had witnessed the dynamic reigns of Olubadan Fijabi 11,Olubadan Alli-Iwo,OlubadanApete,Olubadan Akinyele,Olubadan Kobiowu,Olubadan Aminu,Olubadan Oyetunde 11,Olubadan Adebimpe,Olubadan Akinbiyi,Olubadan Asanike 1. And since Olubadan Operinde1 joined his ancestors in 1999,I have witnessed the progressive reigns of Olubadan Ogundipe Arapasowu 1, Olubadan Odugade 1 and the reigning 41st Olubadan,His Imperial Majesty,Oba Saliu Adetunji,Aje Ogungunniso 1.Long live our revered King.Amen.
It was the late Olubadan Adeyemo Operinde 1 who led me inside the sacred inner chambers of the Olubadan Palace,vide my formal installation on Monday,30th November,1994, as the Mogaji (Head) of my great Oyetunji Olundegun Family of Ile Oye,SW2/486,Ita Aregbe-Omo,Isale ‘Jebu Area of Ibadan. I was promoted the Jagun Olubadan of Ibadanland,on 14th December,2002,by the late Olubadan Ogundipe Arapasowu 1.
The late Olubadan Adeyemo Operinde 1 was born on 1st January,1905, in Ibadan.Kabiyesi attended Saint Cyprian School,Port Harcourt,Rivers State and Methodist Central School,Lagos.He obtained the 1st and 2nd Class Pupil Teachers Certificates.
He was a pupil teacher in Enugu until 1930,when he joined the Central Government Civil Service as a clerk in the Prison Headquarters,Enugu.He later worked in other Central government departments across the country and rose to the grade of a 1st Class Clerk in 1940.
The same year,the late Kabiyesi Olubadan Adeyemo Operinde 1 joined the British Army as the Training Officer of the newly-recruited army clerks in Kaduna,during the Second World War.He later was promoted as the Communication Liaison Officer of the Army.
During the second World War (1940 to1945)he served in East Africa,Burma,India,Somalia and Malta.He was demobilised in 1946 as a Staff-Sergeant.In 1947, he was seconded as the Treasurer to the Ibadan Native Authority.
In 1956, he became the Sole President of the Ibadan Customary Court,Oke Aare,until 1960, when he voluntarily withdrew his services.
Following the declaration of the state of emergency in the Western Region of Nigeria,in 1962,by the Tafawa Balewa-led Federal Government of Nigeria,the late Olubadan Adeyemo Operinde 1 was appointed the Western Region of Nigeria’s Commissioner for Local Government Affairs by the Administrator of the Western Region of Nigeria,the late Dr Moses Adekoyejo Majekodummi.
Olubadan Adeyemo Operinde 1, later retired from public service into private real estate development business. May the late Kabiyesi’s noble soul continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen
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