REMINISCENCES; FEMI ALUFA CELEBRATES LATE MUM AS AN EKITI PRINCESS AND DESCENDANT OF THE HEROIC VETERAN OF THE KIRIJI WAR
By Lekan Adejuwon
Femi Alufa, the Publisher of Ekiti Summit News Media Group and Convener of Ekiti Peace Day (Kiriji Memorial Festival) honour the life of his mother, Princess Grace Adesola Aduke Alufa (1950-2025) as a remarkable woman – an Ekiti Princess whose lineage carries the quiet dignity, courage, and resilience of generations. A woman born into royalty , noble heritage and descended from the heroic veterans of the Kiriji War, she embodied the spirit of a people who stood firm in the face of adversity and fought for unity, peace, and identity.
In her, royalty was never a title – it was a way of life. She walked with grace, spoke with wisdom, and lived with a strength forged from the stories of warriors before her.
Her maternal ancestor was Oba Fatimehin Aponlese,the (Oloja) Owa Ooye of Okemesi -Ekiti and Uncle of the Great Fabunmi Adesoye Oraralada who ignited the spirit of EkitiParapo (solidarity) to liberate his people from the power that subjugated them in the late 19th century.
She was also a scion of Chief Famoroti (Okere baradina), the Ominio of Ikoro -Ekiti,a veteran warrior during the Ikoro -Ekiti/Ibadan War of the 1840s which was a precursor of the Kiriji War.
She was also a maternal descendant of Ajero Agbeleja (reigned 1821-1866), the Ajero of Ijero who built Yara (defensive trenches) round Ijero -Ekiti against the invasion of the marauders and stay at home to fight the Ijero enemies like thunder as his name implied “Agbeleja bi Arira”.
Her paternal great grandfather, Prince Falade Obaleyakin was a sibling of Ajero Olamiloye Oyiyosoye (reigned 1866-1901),who was one of the greatest monarchs in Yoruba history for his bravery, chivalry and champion of the cause of his people.Ajero Oyiyosoye was not only royal personage but one of the most gigantic General in the Kiriji War.He was one of the principal Signatories of the Kiriji Peace Treaty at Imesi -Ile in 1886.
The virtues of her forebears- bravery, honour, service -flowed naturally through her every action, shaping a life dedicated to compassion, integrity, and sacrifice as a community health worker.
Her home was a sanctuary of love; her words, a compass; her presence, a blessing. She nurtured with tenderness but guided with firmness, ensuring that her children understood the value of heritage, humility, and hard work. She taught us that greatness is not in crowns or history books, but in the kindness we show, the battles we fight with dignity, and the legacies we leave behind.
As we reminisce her story and heritage, we celebrate not only a mother but a guardian of culture and memory – a bridge between the valorous past of Ekiti and the promise of tomorrow. Her transition leaves a silence that echoes deeply, yet her spirit lives on in the values she instilled and in the noble history she represented.
May her soul rest peacefully among her ancestors.
May her legacy continue to inspire.
And may her memory remain a guiding light – today and always.
- Lekan Adejuwon is the Editor of Ekiti Standard Newspaper.
Visit his website:
https://ekitistandardnews.com
Femi Alufa Celebrates His Late Mum as an Ekiti Princess and Descendant of the Heroic Veterans of the Kiriji War
By Lekan Adejuwon
Femi Alufa, the Publisher of Ekiti Summit News Media Group and Convener of Ekiti Peace Day (Kiriji Memorial Festival) honour the life of his mother, Princess Grace Adesola Aduke Alufa (1950-2025) as a remarkable woman – an Ekiti Princess whose lineage carries the quiet dignity, courage, and resilience of generations. A woman born into royalty , noble heritage and descended from the heroic veterans of the Kiriji War, she embodied the spirit of a people who stood firm in the face of adversity and fought for unity, peace, and identity.
In her, royalty was never a title – it was a way of life. She walked with grace, spoke with wisdom, and lived with a strength forged from the stories of warriors before her.
Her maternal ancestor was Oba Fatimehin Aponlese,the (Oloja) Owa Ooye of Okemesi -Ekiti and Uncle of the Great Fabunmi Adesoye Oraralada who ignited the spirit of EkitiParapo (solidarity) to liberate his people from the power that subjugated them in the late 19th century.
She was also a scion of Chief Famoroti (Okere baradina), the Ominio of Ikoro -Ekiti,a veteran warrior during the Ikoro -Ekiti/Ibadan War of the 1840s which was a precursor of the Kiriji War.
She was also a maternal descendant of Ajero Agbeleja (reigned 1821-1866), the Ajero of Ijero who built Yara (defensive trenches) round Ijero -Ekiti against the invasion of the marauders and stay at home to fight the Ijero enemies like thunder as his name implied “Agbeleja bi Arira”.
Her paternal great grandfather, Prince Falade Obaleyakin was a sibling of Ajero Olamiloye Oyiyosoye (reigned 1866-1901),who was one of the greatest monarchs in Yoruba history for his bravery, chivalry and champion of the cause of his people.Ajero Oyiyosoye was not only royal personage but one of the most gigantic General in the Kiriji War.He was one of the principal Signatories of the Kiriji Peace Treaty at Imesi -Ile in 1886.
The virtues of her forebears- bravery, honour, service -flowed naturally through her every action, shaping a life dedicated to compassion, integrity, and sacrifice as a community health worker.
Her home was a sanctuary of love; her words, a compass; her presence, a blessing. She nurtured with tenderness but guided with firmness, ensuring that her children understood the value of heritage, humility, and hard work. She taught us that greatness is not in crowns or history books, but in the kindness we show, the battles we fight with dignity, and the legacies we leave behind.
As we reminisce her story and heritage, we celebrate not only a mother but a guardian of culture and memory – a bridge between the valorous past of Ekiti and the promise of tomorrow. Her transition leaves a silence that echoes deeply, yet her spirit lives on in the values she instilled and in the noble history she represented.
May her soul rest peacefully among her ancestors.
May her legacy continue to inspire.
And may her memory remain a guiding light – today and always.
- Lekan Adejuwon is the Editor of Ekiti Standard Newspaper.
Visit his website:
https://ekitistandardnews.com
