As Ogungbangbe mourns passing of Akeji of Ikeji Ile Ijesha "A king who ruled with wisdom and now joins the ancestral council."

OUR EDITORIAL

The cosmic order has again claimed one of its finest custodians of our cultures and traditions by the sacred transition of Kabiyesi, Oba Adebayo Ayegbo Ogunmokun, the Akeji of Ikeji Ile Ijesha in Oriade South LCDA of Osun State. His reign epitomized the timeless grandeur of Yoruba kingship. In the annals of tradition, kings do not merely pass, they ascend into the pantheon of revered ancestors, where their legacies become the sacred fabric around which history is woven.

Amid the echoes of mourning and the solemn dirges of heritage, Dr. Thomas Olaleye Ogungbangbe, a distinguished stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State extols the virtues of the departed royal father, describing his reign as "a golden epoch of visionary leadership, cultural preservation and developmental strides that will remain indelible in the consciousness of his people across ages."

We at MPT, agree no less with our principal who's also the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CITA ENERGIES. The departed Kabiyesi was not merely an occupant of a throne, he was the living embodiment of Ọ̀mọlúwàbí ethos, an unshakable pillar of justice, custodian of ancestral wisdom and guiding light whose influence extended far beyond his immediate domain. 

The _Obaship_ throne in the Yoruba ontology, is not an ornament of power but, a sacred institution through which destinies are shaped; conflicts, resolved; and the cultural sovereignty of the Yoruba people is reaffirmed.

We also know that the Akeji stool, deeply rooted in the traditions of Ijeshaland, is a symbol of spiritual authority, moral fortitude and continuity of an ancient lineage that predates modern constructs of governance. Oba Ogunmokun upheld this sacred trust with fidelity, and the legacies of his forebears tapestried, plaited with the aspirations of his subjects as they evolved. Under his watch, Ikeji Ile Ijesha flourished, an attestation to his deep understanding that tradition and progress are twin pillars upon which great civilizations are built.

As the traditional rites of passage begin to usher the rested king into the ancestral temple where it's believed that he will sit in council with his progenitors, the land here on earth mourns, yet it also celebrates. In Yoruba cosmology, death is not an end, but a passage into eternal relevance. The spirit of the Akeji will continue to watch over his people, guiding their steps as they forge ahead with the wisdom he imparted.

Expressing his deepest condolences to the royal family, the traditional council and the entire people of Ikeji Ile Ijesha, Prince Ogungbangbe called for a collective reflection on the enduring legacy of the departed monarch.

The scion of the Ajagbusi Ekun Royal Dynasty of Iloko Ijesa in Oriade local government council area of the state said, "kingship is eternal, yet rare is the traditional ruler whose name transcends his lifetime. Kabiyesi Adebayo Ayegbo Ogunmokun was such a sovereign whose deeds have earned him a place in the unbreakable chain of history. May the Supreme Architect of the Universe receive him among the honoured ancestors and may his people find strength in the legacy he has left behind."

From here at MPT as we write, we hear the resounding drums of mourning and poetically evocative, heave the rites of the transition of the legendary Oba Adebayo Ayegbo Ogunmokun, the Akeji of Ikeji Ile Ijesha. He's not dead but remains immortal, etched into the consciousness of his people and the soul of the kingdom, left behind.

Sun re o, Kabiyesi! The Great Akeji of Ikeji Ile Ijesha! 

*The EDITORIAL edition, as our collective perspective with responsibility, is assigned to Oyewale Babatunde, one of us on the Dr. Thomas Ogungbangbe MEDIA & PUBLICITY TRUST. The piece is edited and passed by MPT*@isaacolusesi@gmail.com