Demola Akinyemi
10 August 2008
interview
THE sleepy Ayedun town in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State has been thrown into confusion since penultimate Saturday night when their monarch, Michael Sunday Ajiboye, Alokelehin the second (Ilufemiloye) died in mysterious circumstances.
The way the monarch died threw up possibilities of poison and spiritual attack which no one could instantly unravel. Ajiboye, who was installed as the community's paramount ruler on December 12 1999, was 47 when he passed on. Aged parents, one wife and four children survived him. He was said to be reluctant to be a monarch even when it was the turn of his ruling house because he was said to believe strongly that he had a promising career working with INEC in the state.
When Sunday Vanguard visited the ancient town which is about two hours journey from Ilorin, last Wednesday, one could feel the pall of sadness on the town, as almost everybody seen, whether in the shops or walking by, wore a grim look, mourning the departed monarch.
A prominent member of Ayedun Development Association described the late Ajiboye as someone loved by all and sundry. "He was humble to a fault and mixed freely with everybody, he said."
Another source, citing examples, told Sunday Vanguard that the eight years reign of the late monarch brought visible development to the ancient town as he encouraged the sons and daughters of the town both at home and abroad not only to come and have their own buildings at home but also establish businesses for the youths so that they would stay and work at home and not be tempted to seek employment opportunities in Ilorin or Lagos.
The state government was indeed constructing an ultra modern palace for him, a development that forced him to relocate to his father's house temporarily before death came. The angry sons and daughters of the community who refused to be consoled by the dictum, "it is not how long but how well, cursed the perceived killer(s) of their monarch.
The following day, shortly before he was buried, emotionally charged aged women, half naked, and youths went round the shrines in the town as was the tradition, cursing whoever might have killed the monarch. The essence of the action according to a palace source was to ensure that the culprits do not survive the next seven days. His only wife, Alhaja Maryam Iyabo Ajiboye, who was with the monarch when he died, spoke in an interview with Sunday Vanguard. Excerpts:
What can you say about your late husband?
He was a loving husband, very caring, he pampered me in everyway, he was so caring. I don't know what to say about him. But I want people to pray for him so that God will grant him eternal rest. I don't know what I can say about him, he was different, you cannot compare him with anybody. In character, you cannot say he was from his father or his mother.
He was simply God sent. Life for him was short, but I thank God that he spent it well. It is not how long but how well, I thank God for his life. I have no regret whatsoever marrying him, for having him as my husband. Even if I come again and if he comes again, I will love to marry him, to have him again as my husband. I thank God for his life.
Can you tell us his last moments?
Last moment? We went together to Omu Aran last (penultimate) Saturday, he was hale and hearty, to go and collect his newspapers. In the evening, he said I should follow him, we were doing this yam festival. He dressed so gorgeously that I was admiring him. I told him, ' look at you, you are looking younger all the time,' he said, 'yes' because of you.' I said, 'because of me? You are so lovely, I admire you,' we were joking, we were laughing.
In Omu-Aran, we went to see his friends, that same Saturday. We went round Omu-Aran, we played together. Later we dropped Olu Owode, his friend, and came back through Odo-Owa to see one of my friends but found that she had gone to Ilorin; so we decided to come home straight. When we came home, I cooked, he ate very well, nothing happened to him. He was joking with his junior brother's wife like a baby, putting torchlight on her face, that one will run right, left, he pursued him about with the torch light, that was around 7.30 p.m.
Charging of handset
So, later, we went inside. He had some friends with him, and rain was threatening, so those people went away and he was still playing with his junior brother's wife. I didn't know when he went inside to rest. When I entered, I met him, and he said I should go and lock the door. I said he should allow me to put on my towel to have shower. He stood up, put off his clothes, charged his handset and my own. He put on his radio, he usually listened to Osun Radio in the evening time. So I went to lock the door.
Coming back inside, he told me that his chest was doing somehow. I said could I bring water? He said no. Just like that everything started. I didn't know what to do, I ran outside to call people to help me. I went inside again, I picked him up, that was how he died, just like that.
How do you cope now?
It is only God that can help me cope; without him, only God .
How did you meet him?
I am from this town, my mother and my father are from this town. I am a Muslim but he was a Christian. We met and decided to marry. We successfully lived together with our different religions, he didn't disturb me and I didn't disturb him. My parents prayed for me, they did Muslim marriage for us, both families were happy. God gave us lovely children. My children loved him more than me because I am a disciplinarian, I am tough, very harsh and principled. I am the only female in my family; so I was trained the way they trained all the males.
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