Two years after the passing of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, CFR, LL.D., the memory of the late Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland remains deeply woven into the story of modern Ijesaland.
His transition on 11 September 2024 marked the end of an extraordinary 42-year reign that spanned generations, successive governments and profound changes in the social, economic and political landscape of the country. Yet, beyond the ceremonies of remembrance, his passing provides an opportunity to reflect on a more enduring question: what did the long reign of Oba Aromolaran mean for the development and collective destiny of the Ijesa people?
In this reflective tribute, Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi, Asiwaju of Ijesaland and Chairman of the Ijesa Community Development Association (ICDA), looks beyond the traditional symbols of kingship to examine the developmental legacy of a monarch whose reign provided continuity, advocacy, cultural stewardship and a rallying point for generations of Ijesas at home and in the diaspora.
From education and infrastructure to healthcare, community mobilisation, economic development and the preservation of Ijesa identity, the article explores how the Aromolaran era helped create an environment in which government, philanthropists, professionals, businesses and community organisations could contribute to the advancement of Ijesaland.
Two years after his transition, the question is therefore not only what the late Owa accomplished, but what vision and responsibility his 42-year stewardship has left for the present generation.
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Two years after the transition of late Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, CFR, LL.D. on Wednesday 11th September 2024 the late Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland, the passage of time has not diminished the significance of his 42-year reign. Rather, it has provided an opportunity to look beyond his departure and reflect on the remarkable transformation that took place across Ijesaland during the period he occupied the ancient throne.
To speak of the late HIM Oba Aromolaran's reign is therefore to speak of a period in which Ijesaland continued to expand its educational institutions, strengthen its commercial and industrial base, improve its infrastructure, preserve its cultural identity and deepen its engagement with governments, businesses, professionals and development-minded citizens. His role was not that of a conventional administrator who directly executed government projects; rather, as Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland, he provided the traditional authority, advocacy, influence and rallying point through which the aspirations of his people could be articulated and pursued.
One of the most significant features of his reign was the emphasis placed on education and human-capital development. Ijesaland has long been recognised for its strong educational tradition, and the Aromolaran era witnessed the expansion of opportunities for learning and professional development. Institutions such as the School of Health Technology, Ilesa, and the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, grew within this period, while the aspiration for a university in Ijesaland increasingly became a major developmental objective. These developments contributed to strengthening the Ijesaland's capacity to produce educated and skilled young people who could compete nationally and internationally.
The emergence of the University of Ilesa represents one of the most important developmental aspirations associated with the later years of Kabiyesi's reign. The dream of having a university within Ijesaland had existed for years, but it gained renewed momentum as part of the Ijesaland determination to expand access to higher education and create an institution capable of serving the educational and developmental needs of the people. The late Owa Aromolaran was particularly passionate about the actualisation of this aspiration, and the university ultimately became one of the enduring developmental milestones of the era. Government leaders who interacted with him acknowledged the importance he attached to the project and the desire that it should become a reality for his people.
Beyond education, the 42-year period also witnessed considerable economic and commercial development across Ijesaland. Infrastructure was another important dimension of the developmental story of his reign. Over the four decades, Ijesaland witnessed changes in its road network, educational facilities, commercial infrastructure and public institutions. The increasing urbanisation of Ilesa and the surrounding communities created new demands for roads, transportation, electricity, healthcare and other basic amenities. Kabiyesi consistently used the influence of his office to draw attention to these needs and to engage governments and other stakeholders on matters affecting the welfare of his people. His advocacy for improved road infrastructure was particularly important because of the strategic position of Ijesaland as a commercial and transportation corridor connecting different parts of the Southwest. The desire to improve major roads within and around Ilesa was therefore not merely about convenience; it was about economic connectivity, movement of people and goods, investment and the long-term competitiveness of Ijesaland.
Healthcare and social welfare also formed part of the wider developmental environment of the Aromolaran years. As the population grew and life expectancy increased, the need for better healthcare facilities and services became increasingly important. The emergence and strengthening of healthcare institutions across Ijesaland during his reign contributed to the Ijesaland social development and created a foundation upon which subsequent community-led initiatives could build.
Another remarkable dimension of his reign was the growth of Ijesa consciousness and collective mobilisation. Kabiyesi occupied a position that transcended individual community interests. As Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler, he remained a unifying symbol for Ijesas at home and in the diaspora. His palace became a meeting point for revered Traditional Rulers, professionals, entrepreneurs, community organisations and illustrious Ijesa Sons and Daughters seeking solutions to issues affecting the homeland.
This capacity to bring people together was particularly important because the development of Ijesaland has never depended solely on government. It has always required the participation of individual citizens, community associations, professionals, businesses, philanthropists and the Ijesa diaspora. The long reign of Oba Aromolaran provided a stable traditional platform around which these different interests could continue to identify with the collective aspirations of the Ijesa people.
The preservation of Ijesa culture and traditional institutions was equally central to his legacy. Development without identity can leave a people disconnected from their history. Throughout his reign, Kabiyesi remained the custodian of the cultural authority of the Owa Obokun institution and a symbol of the historical continuity of the Ijesa Kingdom.
Perhaps one of the most important contributions of the HIM Oba Aromolaran era was the continuity and stability of traditional leadership. Forty-two years on one throne meant that Kabiyesi became a constant reference point through several generations and successive governments. Administrations changed, political parties changed, national policies changed and economic circumstances fluctuated, but the Owa institution remained a stable point of identity for Ijesaland. That continuity mattered for development. Investors, community leaders and institutions could engage with a traditional authority that had accumulated decades of knowledge about the people, their aspirations and their challenges. The palace consequently became more than a royal residence; it became an important institution in the social and developmental life of Ijesaland.
The impact of his reign can also be seen in the growing recognition of Ijesaland's contribution to Nigeria's development. Ijesas who rose to prominence in government, academia, business, industry, medicine, law, engineering, banking, politics and other professions continued to maintain strong connections with their homeland. The traditional institution served as an important bridge between these accomplished individuals and the communities from which they originated.
In this regard, the legacy of HIM Oba Aromolaran was not only about physical development. It was also about mobilising the social capital of Ijesaland, encouraging people who had succeeded elsewhere to remember home, contribute to its advancement and see the development of Ijesaland as a shared responsibility.
This becomes particularly significant when we look at the remarkable community-development initiatives that have emerged in Ijesaland in recent years. The Construction of Owa Obokun Adimila's Plalace, Ijesaland Geriatric Centre, community-funded development initiatives, health interventions, educational projects, youth empowerment programmes and diaspora-driven development efforts did not emerge in isolation. They are part of a longer tradition of Ijesa self-help, philanthropy, communal responsibility and commitment to the development of the homeland; an environment that the stability and continuity of the traditional institution helped to sustain.
Perhaps this is why the most appropriate assessment of Oba Aromolaran's reign should not be limited to a list of projects bearing his name. His greatest developmental contribution may have been the platform of stability, identity, advocacy and collective responsibility that enabled many other development actors to contribute to Ijesaland.
A great Traditional Ruler does not necessarily have to personally build every road, school, hospital or institution. His responsibility is often to create the atmosphere in which development can take place, speak for the people, mobilise stakeholders, protect communal interests and inspire others to give their best to the homeland. In this respect, the 42-year reign of HIM Oba Aromolaran represents an important period of developmental continuity.
The description of HIM Oba Aromolaran as the builder of modern Ijesaland by Governor Ademola Adeleke at the coronation of his successor is therefore worthy of reflection. It captures the broader influence of a reign during which Ijesaland underwent significant transformation and during which the late Owa consistently placed the development of his people at the centre of his engagements with government and other stakeholders.
Two years after his transition, perhaps the most important question before Ijesaland is not simply what did the late Owa accomplish? it is what developmental vision did his reign leave for us to continue? The answer is compelling. A stronger educational system. A more prosperous economy. Better infrastructure. Improved healthcare. Greater community participation.
A one united Ijesaland where all dichotomies are erased. A stronger connection between Ijesaland and its diaspora. The preservation of Ijesa culture and identity.
And above all, a collective understanding that the development of Ijesaland cannot be left entirely to government, it must remain a shared responsibility of its people.
This is perhaps the enduring message of the 42 years of Oba Aromolaran's stewardship.His reign has ended, but the developmental agenda of Ijesaland has not.
Two years after his transition, therefore, we should remember His Imperial Majesty not only with nostalgia, but with a renewed determination to build upon the foundations laid during his long reign. Forty-two years of traditional leadership created a legacy that cannot be measured by one project or one institution. It must be measured by the development journey of an entire people.
Oba Dr. Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II inherited the responsibility of the Owa Obokun throne in 1982. For 42 years, he carried that responsibility through changing times, changing governments and changing generations. He witnessed Ijesaland evolve from one era into another and remained at the centre of its traditional identity throughout the journey.
Today, his physical presence is gone, but the responsibility he carried has passed to another generation.Our responsibility is now to ensure that the dreams of a greater Ijesaland for which generations before us laboured do not end with their departure.
That is perhaps the finest tribute we can offer the memory of the late Owa.
Not merely to remember him.
Not merely to mourn him.
But to continue the work of building the Ijesaland of which he and generations of Ijesas dreamed.
Two years after his transition, we remember a monarch whose 42-year reign remains a significant chapter in the modern history of Ijesaland.
We remember the stability, we remember the advocacy, we remember the development,we remember the unity, we remember the cultural stewardship, we remember the aspirations, and we remember the enduring call to place the collective interest of Ijesaland above individual interests.
May Almighty God continue to grant his soul eternal rest, comfort the royal family, and grant Ijesaland the wisdom, unity and courage to build upon the foundations of development established and nurtured during his remarkable reign.
Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi
The Asiwaju of Ijesaland,
The Chairman of ICDA,
Oke Baba Okuta Villa, Ilesa
11th September, 2026
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