Akran of Badagry Dies at 89

Yinka Olatunbosun

The Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, has passed away at the age of 89. He died after a brief illness, marking the end of a remarkable 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State. The monarch was regarded as a father figure and a source of wisdom, and his death has been described as a heavy blow to the people of Badagry.

Before ascending the throne, Oba Akran was a journalist and a teacher, and he played a significant role in promoting peace, unity, and development in Badagry. He was conferred with the national title of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 1981 and received honorary doctorates, including a Doctor of Laws (LL.D Honoris Causa).

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo described him as “an enduring symbol of unity, peace and inter-ethnic harmony” and “an apostle of inter-ethnic understanding and cohesion, inter-religious accommodation and tolerance, and inter-cultural cooperation.”

Residents of Badagry praised him as a “father figure whose wisdom, counsel and presence brought reassurance in moments of uncertainty.”

Indeed, the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs mourned the loss of a “towering traditional voice” describing him as a “custodian of Badagry’s rich heritage.”

Badagry is a historic town in Lagos State, Nigeria, known for its significant role in the transatlantic slave trade. It houses the first storey building in Nigeria where the first translated Bible in Yoruba was made.