Fuji music sensation, Wasiu Haruna-Ishola, popularly known as Lagunja 1, has paid a heartfelt tribute to Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the late Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, who passed away on Sunday, July 13, at the age of 91.
In a statement issued from Europe, where he is currently on a musical tour, the Ijebu-born artiste and protégé of Fuji legend King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1 De Ultimate), described the monarch’s death as a monumental loss to Ijebuland, Yoruba land, and Nigeria as a whole.
“July 13, 2025, is a date that can never be forgotten in the history of Ijebu and indeed the entire nation,” Lagunja said. “Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona was more than a king—he was a pillar of wisdom, culture, and progress who defined what it meant to serve one’s people selflessly.”
Lagunja 1, an alumnus of Abusi Edumare Academy, Ijebu-Igbo, hailed the monarch’s 64-year reign as a transformative period that saw significant strides in education, healthcare, cultural identity, and economic development in Ogun State and across Nigeria.
“Kabiyesi was a unifier, a man of foresight, and a royal father whose leadership inspired generations. His dedication to peace, progress, and people’s welfare will remain a blueprint for traditional leadership,” Lagunja stated.
He also reflected on the coincidence of Oba Adetona’s passing on the same day as former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the moment as a “double national tragedy.”
“To lose two prominent national figures in one day is heartbreaking. But the memory of their service will live on.”
Oba Adetona, installed in 1960, was Nigeria’s longest-reigning monarch. Widely regarded as a beacon of modern monarchy, his leadership helped position Ijebu as a model of cultural pride, political influence, and socio-economic development.
“May Kabiyesi’s soul rest in perfect peace, and may we continue to honour the values he stood for—dignity, wisdom, and devotion to the people,” Lagunja concluded.
