On Friday, March 1, 2003, the venerable monarch of Lagos, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan passed on. His death brought to a close an era full of fond memories for Lagosians. A man on whom nobility sat like his own skin, Oba Oyekan reigned for all of 38 years and died at the ripe age of 91. Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said it all when he described the Oba's long reign as being "characterised by the phenomenal growth of Lagos socially, economically, politically and culturally."

As a man, Adeyinka Oyekan was the antithesis of the typical monarch. Although he became an Oba by ascription, he had undergone the work-a day life in which he fulfilled his ultimate dream of a thorough bred professional pharmacist, long before ascending the throne in 1965 at the age of 54 years. And although royalty dictated that he stand above his subjects, he was completely one with them. He was an extraordinary monarch with no royal hang-ups. He related with plebeian and patrician, old and young alike with the same common touch. His person was the very symbol of Lagos: impeccable taste and a zest for the good life.

What stood him head and shoulders above his peers and made him well suited for the obaship of Lagos was his extraordinary cosmopolitan nature. He was not only incapable of tribalism in the negative sense, he was one monarch who enjoyed the company of others no matter where they came from, their profession or status. He conferred the patronage of chieftaincy titles on Blacks and Whites, lawyers and entertainers, doctors and footballers, gospellers, socialites, oldies and youths. His capacity to appreciate individual difference was infinite and so was his encouragement of talent of all varieties.

He came to the throne after a lengthy and bitter legal tussle which went as far as the colonial Privy Council and in which the leading political parties of the day took sides. It is to his credit as a great conciliator that despite the partisan bitterness that foreshadowed his coming, his reign was marked by peace and harmony. If there was any monarch that the title of royal father fitted very well, it was Oba Adeyinka Oyekan who played the fatherly role to all in Lagos, both indigenes and residents.

Perhaps, his enlightened mind which reflected upon his reign can best be explained by his background. Born on June 30, 1911, Oyekan attended the Methodist Boys High School and Eko Boys High School all in Lagos before proceeding to King's College, Lagos the ivory-league breeding ground for children of the Nigeria elite. Then followed his professional training as a pharmacist at the Yaba College of Technology, yet another cosmopolitan spot for Nigerian youths in search of education. Thereafter, he practised pharmacy as a private business man while playing politics on the side from 1933 to 1965 when he ascended the throne.

Oba Oyekan's fun-filled and blissful reign is an ample testimony to what an educated man of culture, good breeding and understanding can do to re-invigorate the relevance of an institution like the monarchy in a cosmopolitan conurbation like Lagos.

Just as he lived, the ceremonies surrounding his departure have been made as simple as possible so that they would be less burdensome to his subjects. Elsewhere, the departure of some monarchs is shrouded in secrecy, leading to sinister speculations. But with Oba Oyekan, the public was informed of his death the day after. This has saved the millions of Lagos residents who are not indigenes of the State from needless anxiety.

We believe that one of the ways to show the last respect to this rare breed of a monarch is to make his funeral obsequies to be peaceful and inclusive of people of diverse ethnic backgrounds as a tribute to his cosmopolitan nature.

More than this, we equally believe that succession to the throne should be rancour-free and that the qualities of the lately departed Oba which ennobled the Lagos throne as never before should be borne in mind by the kingmakers in their choice of a successor.