Because excellence is a virtue that every sane individual should aspire to, it is somewhat difficult telling excellent people from seasoned publicists. Nevertheless, when one notable Maestro of Excellence celebrates another, there is no confusion as to what is the substance and what is the shadow.
The prestigious Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland clocked 86 on May the 10th, 2020. As felicitations and congratulatory missives were streaming in from the length and breadth of the African community, Globacom boss and foremost Ijebu personality, Otunba Mike Adenuga was on ground to serenade his king—as he has done in recent years.
Mike Adenuga spoke grandly of the heavyweight that is Oba Adetona. He described the Awujale as a man of distinction, with a determination to see Ijebuland getting the acclaim it deserves, and a heart for his people. As always, Adenuga invited both traditional and nontraditional leaders to take notice of the Awujale’s exemplary leadership, nobility, and commitment to the good people of Ijebu-Ode.
Adenuga’s praises are not short of the mark. Oba Adetona is one of the longest reigning monarchs in the country—an enviable feat in today’s society of depositions and exiles. Oba Adetona’s enduring sovereignty is the product of strength of character, strength of will, and a determination to see justice done in his domain.
At 86, Oba Adetona has led a defiant life. At his coronation as the 57th Awujale of Ijebu-Ode, Oba Adetona had much to uphold and much to advance, particularly because he was only 26 at the time, and had had the crown surrendered to him by his father. Amidst great turmoil and political turbulence, Oba Adetona used both his traditional education and western literacy to stay relevant, regal and an avatar of the Kabiyesies of old.
Today, Oba Adetona is still immeasurably relevant, and an inspiration to the sons of Ijebuland—including business merchant and chief, Mike Adenuga—and every other person who knows and aspires to excellence.
