Senator Smart Adeyemi has expressed deep sorrow over the death of the Eleta and Oluyara of Iyara, Oba Jacob Meduteni, who died on Sunday after a protracted illness.
Adeyemi, an indigene of Iyara, said the passing of the revered monarch has left a painful void and deeply affected him personally.
In a press statement personally signed by him and made available to newsmen in Lokoja, the senator described Oba Meduteni as a gentle, God-fearing, and highly accommodating traditional ruler who consistently sought the peace and progress of his people.
“The death of our revered paramount ruler was a personal loss to me. I’m soul-depressed and shocked. He was a kind-hearted, loving and God-fearing Oba,” Adeyemi said.
He further described the late monarch as a committed advocate for the development of his town, noting his passion for peace and the accommodating spirit that endeared him to his people.
“He was committed to the overall development of the town, a peace lover who sought for the peace and progress of all. He was highly accommodating, very passionate for the development of Iyara and a highly compassionate traditional ruler,” the statement read.
The senator lamented the loss of the monarch’s wisdom and cultural stewardship, adding that Oba Meduteni’s counsel and knowledge of Iyara’s heritage would be sorely missed.
“We will sorely miss his wise counsel, profound native intelligence, deep knowledge of our cultural heritage which he usually exhibited, and the fatherly roles he was always playing,” he said.
Adeyemi extended condolences to the people of Ijumu Local Government, particularly the Iyara community and the family of the late monarch, on behalf of himself and his family, praying that God grants the departed Oba eternal rest.
The death of the second-class monarch was earlier announced in a press statement by the President of the Iyara Development Association, Dr. Aliyu Badaki, who said Oba Meduteni passed away in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 76 following an illness.
Badaki said the monarch’s death has thrown the community’s sons and daughters, both at home and in the diaspora, into mourning, describing his reign as blissful and remarkable.
Oba Meduteni was appointed Eleta Oluyara on July 24, 2023, as a third-class chief by former Governor Yahaya Bello. The stool was subsequently upgraded to second-class status on September 26, 2023.
His coronation and presentation of the staff of office followed on Saturday, December 23, 2023. The Iyara community enjoyed relative peace throughout his reign.
