NEWS
Owa Ajero Inaugurates Palace Commissioning Committee
By Femi Alufa
His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Joseph Adebayo Adewole, JP, OFR, the Owa Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti and Paramount Ruler of Ijero Kingdom, has inaugurated a distinguished committee of eminent sons and daughters of Ijero-Ekiti to oversee arrangements for the commissioning of the new Owa Ajero Palace.
The palace commissioning ceremony is scheduled for Monday, 23rd February 2026, and will be performed by the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji.
This development was made public through a release issued by the Chairman, Central Caretaker Committee (CCC) of the Ijero Development Association (IDA), Dr. Oladipo Adebowale.
Members of the Owa Ajero Palace Commissioning Committee
- Barrister Adekunle Obasa – Chairman
- Hon. Femi Alufa – Secretary
- Chief Sagbale Ayo Ilesanmi
- Chief Eyelofin Modupe Omodara
- Hon. Adekunle Ogidi
- Hon. Adeyemo Adeola
- Hon. Yinka Oluwole
- Princess Adebimpe Adeleke
- Princess Adetoun Agboola Terms of Reference
The committee is mandated to work assiduously in designing and implementing modalities for a befitting and memorable commissioning ceremony worthy of the historic and cultural significance of the Owa Ajero Palace.
Historical Background of the Owa Ajero Palace
The first Ajero Palace in history was initiated during the reign of Ajero Ogbe (1376–1385) and completed under Ajero Atakumosa (1396–1409). Ajero Atakumosa also established the palace’s first shrine, Esu Atakumosa, located near the present Ajero Chapel within the palace grounds.
Almost a century ago,precisely in 1934, during the reign of Ajero Anjoorin Atobatele, the palace- popularly known as Aafin Ajero – was rebuilt as a storey structure, marking the beginning of the palace’s modernization.
Cultural and Administrative Significance
The Aafin Owa Ajero serves not only as the royal residence and traditional administrative headquarters of the Owa Ajero but also as the epicenter of authority, justice, heritage, and antiquities of the Ijero Kingdom. It is a revered symbol of Ajero splendor and one of the most prominent traditional institutions among the 16 primordial kingdoms of the Ekiti Confederacy before the British colonial era.
Covering approximately 22 acres of land, the palace comprises 16 courtyards and functions as a major venue for social, cultural, and ceremonial activities of the kingdom.
The New Palace
The new Owa Ajero Palace, constructed during the reign of the present monarch, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole, Arojojoye II, has undergone several phases of facelift and reconstruction over the past three decades. These efforts, driven by the Ijero community, have transformed the palace into a modern architectural masterpiece, blending tradition with contemporary elegance and standing as a proud symbol of Ijero’s heritage in the modern era.
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