ABOKE OF Ibadanland Dies

•As Family Reveals Success Process•The Story Of Chief IFASOLA IFAMAPOWAThe 2025 annual Oke ‘Badan Festival had come and gone. The Festival was held on the 27th of March. It had the normal procession of going to Oke’badan Hill at Awotan area of the ancient city to offer sacrifices and prayers for Ibadan’s sons and daughters all over the world and the city generally, and afterwards, an homage to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, Ige Olakulehin I, at the Oke Aremo palace.

While this year’s edition of the festival was so colourful and had different cultural displays as usual, one thing that was conspicuously missing, however, was the presence of Aboke.

The Aboke of Ibadanland, Chief Ifasola Ifamapowa, passed away on the 20th of February, 2025. He was aged 83. The 8-day fidau prayers in his honor at the historic Mapo Hall, Ibadan, was a well attended event. Ibadan Mogajis, traditionalists, representatives of top associations and brands as well as government officials were all present to pay their last respects.

Of course, Chief Ifamapowa will be dearly missed despite the fact that he died at a ripe age. The responsibilities he shouldered as the Aboke of Ibadanland was just too enormous. Until his death, Chief Ifamapowa was the representative of Aboke family, the direct descendants of the founder of Ibadanland, Lagelu. This is the family that is the custodian of Oke ‘Badan Festival, the most cherished and widely celebrated festival annually. And late Ifamapowa, as the patriarch of the family, was in charge of all the traditional and cultural activities of the family including Oke ‘Badan Festival.

But as it stands now, who will succeed Chief Ifamapowa as Aboke of Ibadanland and how will such person be picked? These and many more were part of the basis of discussion when this reporter visited the Aboke family compound at Beere area of Ibadan last week, and had a chat with late Chief Ifamapowa’s first child and the Arole Aboke, Mr. Kareem.

In the cause of the discussion, Mr. Kareem, among several other things, revealed to this reporter that there are sides of the same Aboke family that are entitled to the post. According to him, one is that of his late father so the next Aboke should emerge from the other side.

He said, “No discussion has come up as regards the post for now. That should be much later when the whole family will have a larger sitting. But above all, there are already laid down procedures to be followed in chosen the next Aboke. One of such procedures that is highly paramount is that the choice must be through ‘ifa’ divination. This is the tradition that has been there even before our own fathers were born. It has never failed.”

Of course, not many people know that there are a lot responsibilities and sacrifices attached to the post of Aboke of Ibadanland rather than the title. Apart from being the custodian of Oke ‘Badan Groove, an Aboke, as tradition requires, plait his hair and walk barefoot right from the day of his coronation. The coronation is done at Oke ‘Badan Hill at Awotan after which the new Aboke of Ibadanland goes to Olubadan’s palace to pay homage.

The known and established custom, as confirmed by Arole Aboke, is for the oracle to be consulted whenever an Aboke dies. Whoever Ifa chooses, becomes Aboke irrespective of age. In fact, the immediate past Aboke of Ibadanland wasn’t the oldest in the family when he was picked by ‘’ifa”. He became Aboke at the age of 44 and died at 83. In fact, he was summoned back home from Sokoto where he was working as a transporter.

-Dare Adeniran

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