Born to be King Sankofa Oyafunmike Nigeria Word to the Wise Poetry Exchange Advertisements

Born to Be King

By Osaremi O. Lanloke

A large smile came onto the face of this very amazing man as he ate his late night dinner at the table. His name is His Royal Highness (HRH) Oba Ofuntola Adefumni I. He was born Walter Eugene King in Detroit, Michigan on October 5, 1928.

HRH Adefunmi became very interested in African culture and traditions at an early age. His early endeavors was in 1956 when he formulated the Society of Dambada Hwedo. Dambada Hwedo represents the ancestors of whose names we do not know, including those lost in the middle passage of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

In 1956, HRH Adefunmi traveled a great deal in search of his culture, which included Egypt, Haiti and Cuba. He brought back his finding that he learned during his travels. He introduced the dashiki to the African Americans in New York City. They called him and his followers the “sheet people”.

HRH Adefunmi discovered during his travels that the land of Africa was so very large and there were so many cultures, traditions and religions on the continent. He decided to focus on the culture of the Yoruba. HRH learned that the many of the slaves brought to America were Yoruba and there were many vestiges of their culture remained in here.

In August 1959, HRH Adefunmi went to Matanzas, Cuba. While he was there he was initiated into the mysteries of the Yoruba deity, Obatala, King of the white Cloth, by the late great Ogunjobi and the late great Oshunbunmi. It was later learned that the head of this house was an African Olokun priestess by name of Osabi.

The Songo Temple in New York City was his next venture in early 1960. In 1961, the Songo temple’s name was changed to the Yoruba Temple.

He made a very profound prediction in 1962 that within 10 years there would be a African state formed here in the United States. His prediction was accomplished eight years later in 1970 when Oyotunji African Village was established in Sheldon, South Carolina.

In July 1969, HRH Adefunmi, his wife Osunbunmi and their two children moved to Buchs, South Carolina for a job at Transitional Academy. The job at the academy ended in September, so they moved to Savannah, Georgia and settled there for a while. Early that next year, HRH Adefunmi and his family moved to Sheldon, South Carolina and rented a home on Paiges Point.

In April 1970, HRH Adefunmi made a historical accomplishment by conducting the first initiations into the Yoruba priesthood by African Americans in the United States. The initiates were called the historic three and comprised of the late great Orishamola Awolowo from New York City to the temple of Obatala, Songodele Omowale from Gary, Indiana to the temple of Songo, and Omilade Ogundipe of Gary, Indiana to the temple of Yemoja. None of the historic three initiates settle in Oyotunji at that time.

During this time those who settled in Oyotunji with HRH and his family Edubi Ajamu with his wife and daughter, and Baba Adeyemi, who was an Oxford lay assistant.

During Oyotunji’s peek there were over 20 families comprising over 100 people living in Oyotunji. HRH Adefunmi established an Ogboni society which included all the heads of each of the compounds. HRH Adefunmi and his chiefs and Ogboni members would made the laws of governing Oyotunji . These laws were based on research and reflect the traditions of ancient Yoruba culture.

The Ogboni was just one aspect of the Yoruba government in Oyotunji. HRH established a men’s society, Egbe Akinkonji, and women’s society, now called Egbe Moremi. Each society focused on the issues that surrounding men and women. Lots of Public works projects where accomplished all over the village, to including, the Olokun head which is over ten feet high.
In 1981, another trip was made. HRH Adefumini attended an orisa conference. It was there that he made a presentation about Oyotunji, the village he had founded and was the leader. After his presentation, he was told that there was a ceremony that he must do. This ceremony was his coronation as the first African King outside of the African continent. He was given the Sword of Oramiyan and was paraded though the town of Ile Ife. The Council of Kingmakers came together and put him through his official rights to become the first African American King of the western hemisphere to include North America, South America and the Caribbean. His family, supporters and village welcomed him home and celebrated this momentous historic event.

His Royal Highness Oba Ofuntola Adefumni is not only a great leader, but a family man. He is the father of 23 children, and has lived most of his life as a polygamist. In 1989, HRH appeared on the national syndicated television show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, where he and his wives discussed living in a polygamous family and how it works.

HRH lives in Oyotunji with one his, Her Royal Grace Iya Sanla Odufunda Adaramola and other villagers. Oyotunji Village is now less populated due to people moving to other areas, establishing temples and organizations and sharing the lessons and experiences from the village. Many people come back to different festivals that are held throughout the year in Oyotunji. Oyotunji will continue and always be the Mecca of the African movement that was started in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Most people that have moved to other areas still consider Oyotunji their national home and recommend all Africans to at sometime to visit this historic, holy and magical place established by HRH and his followers to honor the ancestors and African Gods and Goddesses and for the resurrection of Yoruba culture for Africans in America.

One of his key note address

Reference:

Lanloke, O. (2003, June) [Interview with Omialadora Ajamu, former Head of Egbe Moremi]

Lanloke, O. (2003, June) [Interview with Ifaniyi Akintunde, African Historian]

Adefumni, O. (1980). The history of Oyotunji. Oyotunji African Village Oyotunji Royal Press,