Oba Agunsoyebiosupa Aladesuru (I), who was the king between 1890–1941, and his wife, OloriJohanah Ogunkolade Aladesuru, who was the eleventh wife, were the parents of the king and his two siblings, namely: Late Princess (Oni) Olufunmilayo Fatunla (Nee Aladesuru) and Prince John Aladebusuyi Aladesuru.

Oba J.A. Aladesuru attended Baptist Central School, Igede-Ekiti. He was trained as a photographer at Iseyin between 1955 and 1956. He worked as a clerk in the Upper Region Agricultural Farm, Ilora, near Iseyin, Oyo State, between August and November 1956.

He taught at Pinnock Memorial Baptist Primary School (PMPS) via Ilora between 1957 and August 1958. He was transferred to First Baptist Primary School, Ilora via Oyo, as a teacher and later transferred back to Pinnock Memorial Primary School in January 1959.

History has it that at the turn of making Late Oba Agunsoyebiosupa Aladesuru I, Onigede of Igede, the father of the present strong and handsome Oba, the king, the choice was made without any election; it was a matter of bringing him home from Iworoko-Ekiti, where he was residing.

The same thing happened to his son. While Oba J.A. Aladesuru was at Ilora, he visited his friend, High Chief J.A. Olowere, the Osolo of Igede, at Ibadan. Chief Osolo, during his visit to Igede, was caught in the web of the struggle to have his friend installed as the King.

When Chief Osolo met his friend later, he seized the opportunity to brief the Prince, now the King, on the idea being mooted back at home. However, the Prince, Oba J.A. Aladesuru’sreaction was as spontaneous as it was negative. He rebuffed the offer in its entirety.

Highly disenchanted with the development, the Prince drafted a strongly-worded letter that he intended to send to his people at home. But God tempered his annoyance with some elements of rationality as he decided to have his letter perused by his friend before being dispatched. To his eternal credit, Chief Olowere counselled his friend against sending the letter, and the latter complied.

Mr J.A. Olofin (Balogun of Igede), who was then a councillor in Ado District Council as well as a member of Ekiti Divisional Council, went ahead to convene an inclusive conference of all Igede people on the issue of Onigede chieftaincy in early 1959. It was held at the house of High Chief Aro Famoroti. In attendance were the High Chiefs (Agbailu) and eminent Igede indigenes. The conference main theme was “Onigede Selection and Rule of Law.”

At the end of the conference, a position paper endorsed by all stakeholders was prepared and forwarded to the Western Regional Government in Ibadan for necessary approval. Apart from MrOlofin, other known indigenes of Igede who played notable roles included Chief Mrs J.A. Fatunla, Mr E.O.D. Adedipe, Mr S.A. Fajemilehin and Chief J.O. Osuntokun, the then Minister of Local Government in the Western Region, who also made valuable input.

Government approval of Prince James Adelusi Aladesuru as the Onigede-elect finally came very early in 1959.

27th Onigede of Igede-Ekiti

Descendant of the OKIRIBITI ADEYIBAKA Dynasty

On the receipt of the official letter of approval from the government, the Enumo met and fixed the crowning ceremony of the Onigede for 26th June, 1959. But the greatest task remained getting the Prince to accept the offer. The clarion call to bring the Prince home got intensified in all quarters. Indeed, it became the dominant issue in public discourse in the town and in any gathering of sons and daughters of Igede outside the town.

At a point in time, one of the Princes who had earlier been sensitized by Chief Ogundana decided to bell the cat. His name was Prince Simeon Aladesuru. Because of the sensitivity of the mission to be accomplished, i.e. bringing home his brother, he had to prepare very well. In this wise, his sense of history, versatility and experience all combined put him in good stead to accomplish the task. Thus, with the letter of appointment of his junior brother as Onigede carefully tucked inside his travelling bag, Prince Simeon headed for Ilora.

On Monday, 8th June, 1959, he arrived at his destination. Coincidentally, he saw his brother at a distance away, going out with a view to executing an assignment given earlier to him by his church. The naming ceremony of a newly born baby to a co-church member was to take place and he had been assigned to lead the solemn ceremony.

On sighting his visitor, the Prince’s eyes were enveloped with darkness and uncertainty. He was thoroughly confused. Though he had not been told, he already knew the likely reason for the visit of the least expected august visitor. All the same, the message was finally delivered to him and, despite the initial mixed feelings with which the young Prince received the message, he finally bowed to the verdict of fate.

He summoned courage and went ahead to perform the initial planned naming ceremony of a co-church member.

Very early the next day, Tuesday, June 9, 1959, the two Princes set out for Igede en route Ibadan. But throughout the period that the journey lasted, it was a gory tale of emotional pains for the would-be Onigede. For once, he felt quite nostalgic for Ilora and the good times he had had in the community and, on the other hand, he looked at the challenges posed by the task ahead with trepidation.

But the situation in Igede was at variance with his expectations when he and his half-brother arrived in the town later in the day. As a matter of fact, his anxieties fizzled away when they got home as they were welcomed ceremoniously by the people of the town.

Immediately, Kabiyesi was crowned. He became a rallying point of Local Government administration and took effective control of his chiefs and the entire people of Igede. The age groups were coordinated and strengthened, while Elegbes and the war veterans of Igede were encouraged to hold their meetings regularly. Kabiyesi elevated some deserving chiefs to Enumostatus to ease his administration.