BY BASHIR ADEFAKA
In appreciation of his numerous contributions to peace and conflicts resolution in Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole, the Alaafin  of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi  III, has been conferred with the Senior Advocate of Peace.

The award organised by the Peace Corps Nigeria was held penultimate weekend at the Mid-Town East one, United Nations Plaza, New York City, United States of America.

In an official citation, the organisers described the paramount  ruler as “a prolific writer and thinker of formidable range, who has contributed extensively to the progress of his people both at home and in the Diaspora.”

Oba Adeyemi, Alaafin of Oyo

In a release made available to Saturday Vanguard by press secretary to the Nigerian foremost traditional ruler, Prince Fehintola Adeyemi, yesterday, the award was described as having earned the monarch special place of being one of the most prolific writers of the time, having written books, communiqués and articles on matters affecting local governments, traditions and customs,  as well as issues relating to national unity and peace-relating international affairs.

”All these treatises earned the imperial majesty the award and the accolade of being a serious-minded scholar and internationally-acclaimed leader of thought, man of excellence,  who should  be  celebrated. To mention a few of his contributions to peace in  Nigeria, Alaafin, through rare  wisdom and intellectual sagacity, resolved  over two decades of bloody clash between  Igboho and Kisi communities, as well as boundary dispute between Igbojaiye town in the Itesiwaju Local Government Area and Ofiki town in the Atisbo Local Government  Area all in Oyo State, over ownership of the mineral mining site at Budo-Are.

”He made decisive incursions into the history of these warring communities and made his summations based on historical artifacts. The crises were amicably resolved without prejudice.”

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the Alaafin’s decoration was witnessed by the Yoruba community in New York including Oyo indigenes who gave the occasion the resounding ovation it deserved.
Meanwhile, Oba Adeyemi, appreciating the honour done to him in far away United States of America, had described the award as having uninterruptedly traced the history of how Oyo Empire lasted for 600 years and “perhaps the longest Empire in recorded history due to Alaafin’s peace and conflicts resolution diplomacy.”

The monarch said, “The major essence of this award is peace. Peace originates as an occurrence of harmony characterized by the lack of violence. It also suggests sincere attempts at reconciliation, the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal relationship.

In diplomacy, art of government and royal court etiquette, the palace became the State House of the Yoruba nations, the citadel of authentic African culture, where Yoruba princes, princesses and heir apparent from other Yoruba states are groomed in the intrinsic values of Yoruba customary usage, hence the Yoruba saying of ‘Ajise bi Oyo laa ri, Oyo ose bi baba enikan’; that is, Oyo is a pace setter. Oyo’s due sense of due process is also remarkably, noted, in the popular saying – Itose, lo l’Oyo.”