How I Met Alaafin-Ashiat Folashade Adeyemi Reveals

Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, the Alaafin of Oyo is no doubt, one of the most revered traditional rulers in Yoruba land and by extension, Nigeria as a whole. He is married to a good number of women, where Ayaba Ashiat Folashade Adeyemi is one of them. She drew widespread attention in 2008 when she was delivered of a set of triplets

Ayaba Folashade whose relationship with the foremost traditional ruler was without controversy, especially her alleged relationship with a popular Fuji musician, spoke recently where she spoke about her blossom relationship with the prominent King and revealed how they met.

According to her she grew up in Sabo area of Oyo town, attended Stephen Alayande College of Education, and met Alaafin Adeyemi on her excursion to the palace.

She said: “I met him for the first time when I was on an excursion to the palace. During the excursion, I asked him so many questions. Probably that was where he took interest in me. I requested to have an interview with him to know more and develop the project I was working on. I was just 25 years old then. We became familiar and he later proposed marriage.”

Speaking further on the reaction of her parents to the royal proposal she said: “When I told my mum about it, she was a bit apprehensive. I quite understand why she was. I am from Isale Oyo, and the relationship between the Alaafin and the people of Isale Oyo was not very cordial then.

“On the other hand, my dad, an Isale Oyo man, was unperturbed. He said, ‘If your marriage with Alaafin will bring peace to Oyo, so be it.’ True to what my father said, my marriage to the Alaafin brought peace between him and the people of Isale Oyo. Although some people are still aggrieved, the majority of my people are in peace with and in support of the Alaafin now,  unlike before.”

Speaking on what has attracted him to the traditional ruler, Ayaba Folashade stated:

“He is wise and intelligent. Most times when he is not in the office or attending to visitors, he is in the library reading. He reads a lot and encourages us to read too. At times he would tell you to look for the meaning of a word; you will be surprised that he would tell you the meaning of that word as it is written in the dictionary or on Google. He is such a wonderful man. His depth of knowledge is unrivaled.

He is also a unique Yoruba monarch. He is popular and brilliant, and there is no place he cannot go as a Yoruba oba. Alaafin is the first among the Yoruba obas. The way he does his things is different.”

Ayaba Folashade however revealed her fears in marrying the King. She said:

“Yes, I was afraid. You know I was coming from a different background to join others. I didn’t know what I was going to meet or how others would react, and so many other questions were raging in my mind. But when I got into the palace, I discovered that my fears were unnecessary. The ayabas (queens) were very good to me. I got a warm reception. They taught me palace ethics, how to dress, how to combine colors, the rules and regulations of the palace, and tradition. The ayabas were wonderful and friendly.”

Meanwhile, the marriage since then have become very peaceful, flourishing, resourceful, and of course romantic. The marriage remarkably produced a set of triplets in 2008.

The Queen said: “Before giving birth to the triplets, I faced a lot of challenges. I waited for three years before they came. Their birth was significant for many reasons.

“First, while looking up to God for children to come, I went to hajj in 2008 and prayed to God to give me twins, but in answering my prayer, He gave me triplets. Kabiyesi prefers that his wives give birth early. So, the three years I had waited, Allah compensated me with three children. Even if there was no delay, I couldn’t have had more than three children in those three years.

“Secondly, I’m also the first queen in Yoruba land to give birth to triplets. Go and check history. I don’t know if any other wife of a Yoruba king will give birth to four tomorrow, but I’ve set a record. I know several wives of Yoruba monarchs with twins, but not triplets.”

And notably, Ayaba Folashade also said she is not missing anything by marrying Alaafin.

As the “Kabiyesi is very romantic…The age gap has not stopped him from showing affection. He shows affection more than some of these young men you see outside there. What a young man can do out there, Kabiyesi does better…I’m not missing anything. Being Alaafin’s wife has not robbed me of my freedom. It has not stopped me from doing anything.” She said.