The Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Hon. (Dr.) Babatunde “Tunde” Diya, has penned an emotionally charged tribute to the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, revealing how the monarch courageously defended his family during their “darkest political season.”

In the tribute titled “A Tribute From A Grateful Son of Destiny,” the local government chairman recalled how Oba Adetona stood firmly with his father, the late General Oladipo Diya, during the former military vice president’s persecution in the 1990s.

“When my father, General Oladipo Diya, stood at the crossroads of persecution during one of Nigeria’s darkest political seasons, many chose silence. Many walked away. But Your Majesty, you stood firm,” Hon. Diya wrote.

The chairman described the late monarch as a “moral compass in a time of turbulence” who provided critical support when “danger circled close.” He emphasised that the Awujale’s intervention was not for political gain but as a matter of principle.

“You raised your royal voice not for favour or fame, but for justice—for truth. You reminded the world that the Ijebu people do not turn their backs on their own,” the tribute stated.

Hon. Diya, who currently serves as Odogbolu LG chairman, connected his present public service to the late monarch’s legacy, stating: “Today, as I serve… I do so bearing not only the name of my father but also the legacy of a king who stood by us in our greatest trial.”

The tribute painted Oba Adetona as both a royal figure and a courageous advocate, noting that his reign ” defined nobility in its highest form—not just in regalia, but in righteousness.”

In closing, the Odogbolu chairman used powerful Yoruba royal metaphors: “The Iroko has fallen, but its shade shall cover us for generations.” He pledged to uphold the late monarch’s values of “justice, truth and loyalty” in his administration.

The tribute was signed by Hon. (Dr.) Babatunde Oyetola Diya in his official capacity as Executive Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Ogun State.