Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed deep sorrow following the transition of the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi, Afuntade I, who has joined his ancestors.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, the Governor described the demise of the prominent traditional ruler as a monumental loss, calling him a “repository of knowledge, history, and culture.”
The late Oba Alabi, a highly respected former diplomat, passed away after an impactful 14-year reign that brought remarkable peace, structural transformation, and sustainable development to the Ilawe kingdom and Ekiti State.
Governor Oyebanji highlighted the monarch’s exceptional tenure as the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers between 2019 and 2021. He noted that the Oba’s background in Nigeria’s foreign service—where he spent over 25 years and rose to Deputy Director—brought invaluable diplomatic wisdom to grassroots conflict resolution and state governance.
“The state has lost a repository of knowledge… and a selfless servant of his people,” Governor Oyebanji stated. “He had a unique way of articulating his viewpoints at every given forum, a development that earned him respect from all and sundry. A huge vacuum has been left behind.”
Key milestones of his reign include promoting unity among traditional rulers, fostering harmonious relations with the state government, and playing a foundational role in establishing the Federal College of Education, Ilawe-Ekiti.
The Governor extended his deepest sympathies to the immediate royal family, the Alawe-in-Council, and the people of Ilawe-Ekiti. Prominent figures, including former Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi, have also poured out tributes, praising the monarch’s unwavering dedication to preserving Yoruba heritage and driving educational investments.
