Akran of Badagry, Oba Menu-Toyi Babatunde
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of the Akran of Badagry, Oba Aholu Menu-Toyi Babatunde, describing the monarch’s passing as a painful loss to Badagry, Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.
In a condolence message released on Monday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Gboyega Akosile, the governor mourned the revered traditional ruler, noting that his death marked the end of an era in the ancient Badagry Kingdom.
He said the monarch’s transition brought to a close decades of leadership defined by wisdom, cultural preservation and an unwavering commitment to the development of Badagry.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highly respected traditional ruler, a prominent member of the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs, passed away on Monday after a brief illness at the age of 89.
The late monarch reigned as the Akran of Badagry for nearly 49 years, during which he played a central role in promoting peace, unity and development within the kingdom.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the late Akran was not only a custodian of tradition but also a bridge between Badagry’s rich heritage and modern development, adding that his influence extended beyond the ancient town to Lagos State and the nation at large.
According to the governor, the traditional ruler rendered selfless service to his people and left behind a legacy of unity, peace and progress.
He described the late monarch as a stabilising force who harmonised diverse interests within the kingdom, while consistently promoting Badagry’s historical sites and cultural festivals both nationally and internationally, thereby boosting tourism and cultural exchange.
“On behalf of my wife, the government and people of Lagos State, I commiserate with the people of Badagry, the royal family, friends, associates and traditional institutions on the transition of the paramount ruler of Badagry Kingdom.
“The Akran, Oba Babatunde Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, was the Permanent Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added that the late monarch, who was also a respected journalist, made remarkable contributions to the growth and development of Badagry, using his position as a first-class traditional ruler to attract development to the ancient town.
The governor urged the royal family, subjects and the entire people of Badagry to immortalise the late Akran by upholding the values he stood for and sustaining his vision of unity and progress.
He also prayed that God would grant the royal family, the people of Badagry Kingdom and Lagos State the strength to bear the irreparable loss.
A NAN correspondent who visited the palace in Badagry reports that traditional rulers and chiefs were present, mourning the demise of the late monarch.
Sons and daughters of the late king were also at the palace, with some seen openly weeping as sympathisers continued to troop in.
A traditional chief, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the Akran passed on at about 1:30 a.m., while official confirmation of his death was made around 5:30 a.m.
“The Chairman of Badagry Local Government Area, Mr Babatunde Hunpe, has been informed, and we hope he will relay the information to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for an official announcement.
“That is why many of us are seated here at the palace to receive visitors.
“The Akran has gone to rest with his great ancestors,” he said.
NAN reports that several traditional rulers and chiefs later visited the palace for consultations ahead of the formal announcement of the monarch’s passing.
Further reports by NAN indicate that the late Oba was born on September 18, 1936, as the fifth child of His Majesty De Wheno Aholu Ajiyon-Kanho, the 17th Akran of Badagry.
He received his formal education at Salvation Army Primary School, Lagos; Methodist School, Badagry; and Methodist Teachers’ College, Ifaki, Ekiti, between 1956 and 1957.
Before ascending the throne, the late monarch worked as a teacher, serving in various schools across the Badagry Division.
His appointment as the Akran of Badagry was approved by the Executive Council of the Lagos State Government on October 7, 1976.
He eventually ascended the throne of his forebears during a coronation ceremony held on April 23, 1977, when he was crowned and assumed the royal title De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, in accordance with tradition. (NAN)
