Oba Owoade Becomes 46th Alaafin of Oyo

Historic Crowning: Oba Owoade as Alaafin of Oyo

Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade has been officially crowned as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo in a grand ceremony held on April 5, 2025. The event took place at Olivet Baptist High School in Oyo, with Governor Seyi Makinde presenting the new monarch with the staff of office.

Oba Owoade succeeds the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, who passed away on April 22, 2022, at the age of 83.

Born on July 17, 1975, into the Owoade-Agunloye royal family, Oba Owoade is a great-great-grandson of Alaafin Agunloye and a direct descendant of Alaafin Atiba. He completed his secondary education at Baptist High School, Saki, Oyo State, and pursued Mechanical Engineering at The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, and The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Furthering his studies in the United Kingdom, he earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sunderland and Northumbria University, respectively.

Before ascending the throne, Oba Owoade amassed experience in both the banking and energy sectors, including roles at Oceanic Bank Plc in Nigeria and Manitoba Hydro in Winnipeg, Canada.

The coronation ceremony was attended by numerous dignitaries and marked the beginning of a new era for the Oyo Kingdom. President Bola Tinubu described the event as a transformative moment in the history of the Oyo Kingdom.

For a visual overview of the coronation ceremony, you can watch the following video: