His Royal Majesty, Oba Alhaji Lawal Adebowale Oyetoloa Alao Gbadewolu I, the Alago of Ago Amodu, who recently joined his ancestors at the age of 140 was the oldest traditional ruler in Yorubaland.
He had a privilege no other living Yoruba monarch can claim to have; the late Alago was born during the Kiriji War that ravaged the whole of Yorubaland for 16 years.
Though a son of the Oyetola family of Sepeteri, he was born in Igboho where his forefathers had relocated to, following a chieftaincy dispute between the two ruling houses in the town. His forefathers vowed never to return to Sepeteri until the dispute was successfully resolved. The issue remained unresolved, prompting Alaafin Alowolodu to settle Oba Oyetola’s forbears in the present day Ago Amodu, the headquarters of Saki East Local Government Area.
As a young prince, Oba Oyetola had his reasonable share of exploration of Yorubaland. He left home in 1919 for Ijebu Igbo. He returned home and left for Ile Ife, where he was the gong drummer (Alago) for the then Ooni, Oba Adesoji Aderemi.
While in Ife, Oba Alao put his business acumen to great use as he traded in Aso Oke. His customer base extended as far as Ede, Osogbo, Ondo, Ilobu, Ifon Osun, Ikirun and the heart of Ijesaland. Interestingly, he got his supplies from the popular Oje Market in Ibadan.
He was one of those who followed Ooni Aderemi to Ibadan for the official opening of Mapo Hall in Ibadan on October 5, 1929, an event that also had Alafin Siyanbola Ladigbolu, Oba Akenzua of Benin as well as the then Alake of Abeokuta in attendance. Oba Alao was one of the few people who could claim to be present when His Excellency, John Ranking made Oba Adesoji Aderemi the Governor of the former Western Region.
In his lifetime, Kabiyesi once narrated how Obas including Alaafin Ladigbolu, Akenzua of Benin, Oba Ademola of Abeokuta and the then Awujale went to Ido Osun to see the first aeroplane that landed in Nigeria. He said all the Obas except the Alaafin entered the aircraft.
Oba Adebowale Alao performed the holy pilgrimage to Mecca in 1974 and became the Alago of Ago Amodu on January 17, 1980. May his soul rest in peace.
Packaged by Wole Adejumo
