A decade after assuming the mantle of Iyalode of Remoland, Chief Mrs. Folasade Ogunbiyi remains a respected symbol of service, leadership and advocacy. As she turns 80, Vanessa Obioha chronicles her life and legacy
Ten years ago, when Chief (Mrs.) Folasade Ogunbiyi was installed as the Iyalode of Remoland, she accepted the honour with a genuine sense of responsibility, admitting that she never expected nor understood why people would consider her a good candidate to succeed the late H.I.D. Awolowo, who held the title until her death.
“I feel highly honoured. I don’t know why everybody thinks I should become Iyalode. I pray that God will give me the enablement,” she said in a THISDAY interview in 2016. She was 70 years old then.
Installed by the late Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, His Royal Majesty Oba (Dr.) Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo (Erinjugbo II), Ogunbiyi stepped into one of the most revered traditional offices in Remoland.
Now 80, and a decade after her installation as Iyalode of Remoland, Ogunbiyi is widely regarded as a worthy successor to the late H.I.D. Awolowo. She is widely admired for her commitment to women’s development, community service, and cultural preservation. The office of the Iyalode, the apex female traditional title in Remoland, places her at the forefront of women’s leadership and community engagement. While each of Remo’s 40 communities has its own Iyalode, her office serves as the umbrella authority, bringing together the various groups and providing leadership through regular engagements. Traditionally, she is referred to as ‘Oba Obirin,’ meaning the ‘Oba of Women.’
