HRM Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Adéṣínà Fálùadé Aníkinníkùn III, Ìlúfẹ́milóyè 1, the Olú of Ìbògùn Balógun, was born into the family of Mr & Mrs Fálùadé in Sángo, Ọ̀tà, Ògùn State about five decades ago. His father was Chief Àlàní Fálùadé (a.k.a Aníkinníkùn), while his mother was Mrs Fálùadé. She was a famous trader. Ògúnkànmí Ìbràhímọ̀ (the Great-great-grandfather of Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé) together with Balógun Àjùwọ̀n and other hunters came from Orílé Òwu to settle in Ìbògùn. It was through the lineage of Ògúnkànmí that Chief Àlàní Agbéfáwọ̀ was born. His grandfather, Chief Àlàní Agbéfáwọ̀-bí-ẹ̀wù was a prominent Ifá Priest who hails from Ìbògùn Land, in Ifọ̀ Local Government Area of Ògùn State. His father, Chief Àlàní Fálùadé Aníkinníkùn who was born in Ìbògùn Balógun was also a renowned Ifá Priest who settled down at Sáńgo, Ìjokò Road, Ògùn State. He is from Alébíoṣù compound, Tótoró, Abẹ́òkúta.
His Early Years
Few days after the birth of Kábíyèsí, as customary to the traditions of the Yorùbás, his predestination (Àkọsẹ̀jayé) was foretold. It revealed that Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé would become a renowned Ifá Priest as well as a King, but he misinterpreted being a king to be a wealthy person, because he considered a wealthy person to be a king in his own disposition.
As a young, intelligent and vibrant son, Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé took after his father in mastering the arts of Ifá divination. Although, this never affected his Primary and Secondary School education.
Education
Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé attended ODC (Ota District Council) Primary School, Sángo, Ọ̀tà in the year 1979, he later proceeded to Ansarudeen Grammar School, Ọ̀tà in 1985 but he graduated from Nawar-Ur-Deen Grammar School, Sholu, Ifọ̀, Ògùn State in 1991. Prior to his enthronement, Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé was admitted into the National Open University (NOUN) in 2015 to study International and Diplomatic Studies. However, being an Ifá Priest and an advocate of African culture, he realised he needed to study a course that will be more relevant to his career. In view of this, he left the programme he was running in NOUN and enrolled into the University of Lagos, (which is known as: The School of First Choice, and The Nation’s Pride) to study Linguistics/Yorùbá at the Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies.
His education comprises both Ifá Divination and Formal Education. As a young man who started the practice of Ifá divination at a tender age, he never allowed that to interrupt his formal education. At first, he started learning the art of Ifá from his father before proceeding to Ẹ̀gbá town under the supervision of a powerful Ifá Priest, Fátúmbí Àlàní Aláráamọ̀ọ́kì of Ẹ̀gbá land. He also received education from Late Chief Oluwo Adesumbọ from Ìbògùn Ọláògún, and Late Chief Pẹ̀kun Olúwo from Ìkèrèkú. This gave him the opportunity to acquire wider knowledge on Ifá as a way of life. All the experiences he gathered from his father and his master, Fátúmbí Àlàní coupled with his industrious nature contributed immensely to the great height he has attained in the profession. Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé is married with children.
Business and Achievements
After mastering the Arts of Ifá divination, he settled down at Ewupẹ, Sango, Ọ̀tà according to the directives of Ifá, where he started attending to people’s predicaments through Ifá consultation and established Ajígbọ́tifá Temple Ltd in 2001. The Temple is a home of Ifá divination, trado-medical centre registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in 2002.
Ọba Fákàyọ̀dé Fálùadé, has been able to change the general misconceptions of people on Ifá oracle by establishing another organisation called Ifá Olókun Foundation in 2013, with the primary aim of promoting the socio-cultural values of the Yorùbás as well as the provision of humanitarian services. The foundation is an NGO approved and registered with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and houses the Ifá Olókun Institute where Priests are trained.
The Foundation has erudite Ifá Priests as its Board of Trustees:
- HRM Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda, Adeyemi III, The Alaafin of Oyo.
- Professor Wándé Abímbọ́lá, Àwísẹ Awo Àgbàyé, Former VC, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ifẹ̀.
- Professor Idowu Ọdẹyẹmi, Aṣáájú Ifá Àgbááyé.
- Chief Ifáyẹmí Ayinde Ẹlẹ́búìbọn, Àràbà of Òṣogbo Land.
Kábìyèsí, as a devotee of Ifá was the first Ifá Priest to introduce open field quarterly crusade on Ifá divination in Ọ̀tà, Ògùn State. Aside being an Ifá Priest, Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé also invested in oil & gas business. He is also the Chairman/CEO of Falkany Nigeria Limited, a building and construction company. It must be mentioned that Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé has travelled far and near, some of the countries he had visited include: United Kingdom, Holland, Germany, Australia, Poland, Ireland, Canada, Cuba, France and Greece. He has received numerous awards and chieftaincy titles prior to his enthronement as the Olú of Ìbògùn Balógun.
Some of the Chieftaincy titles include:
- Olú Ọmọ Ẹ̀dú Àgbáyé, Ilé-Ifẹ̀
- Olú Ifá of Yorùbá Land, Ọ̀yọ́
- Àdìmúlà of Ìbògùn Land, Ifọ̀
- Ọ̀pẹ́lúwà of Ìtori Land, Ìtori
- Àràbà of Ọ̀tọ̀ Àwórì Land, Ìjànikin
- Bọ́baṣèlú of Meiran Land, Meiran
- Majestic Messiah of the Ifá Oracle, Ìtori Land, Ìtori.
The following organisations have appointed Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé as their Royal Father and Patron:
- Sango Indigenes Foundation
- K1 De Ultimate Fans Club
- Àbáláyé Nigeria
- Nigerian Union Of Tailors (Ogun State Chapter)
- Olabisi Onabanjo University
- Engineering Department, Egbeda, Ibogun, Ifo
- Marcedonian Chaplain Corps
- National Association Of Nigerian Students Initiatives (NANSDI)
- OOU Student Union Group, Ìbògùn Campus
- Nawar-Ur-Deen Grammar School, Ifọ̀.
- Yorùba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW)
- Ibogun-Dotun Area, Community Development Commitee.
- Ẹgbẹ́ Ẹlẹ́ja Ìyànà-Ìyésí, Ọ̀tà.
Kábíyèsí has received numerous awards and honorary certificates from home and abroad as a result of his tremendous contributions to Yorùbá race and culture. Some of the awards include:
- Award of Excellence, Ikeja Club, 2018.
- Award of Honour, National Association of Ogun State Student Union (NAOSS), Yaba Tech Chapter, 2018.
- Certificate of Leadership, Sango Indigene Foundation, 2018.
- Award of Honour, National Association Of Primary Schools Games & Sports Teachers (NAPS GAST), 2018.
- Intercontinental Eko Celebrities Awards, 2017.
- Investiture Award from Nigerian Union Of Tailors, Ògùn State Chapters, 2017.
- African Youth Leadership Awards, Accra, Ghana, 2016.
- Cultural Ambassador Award, Royal Star Entertainment Production, 2016.
- Award of Appreciation, The Octagon Nigeria Magazine, 2016.
- Award of Recognition from The Rotary Club of Akute, District 9110, Nigeria, 2015.
- Award of Ọmọ Yorùbá Ni Mí Jọ, National Association of Yorùbá Students’, Ghana, 2015.
- Award of Recognition, Ọ̀dọ́ Ọ̀jẹ̀, Ọ̀tà, Àwórì Land, 2014.
- Gold Merit Award from Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Parapọ̀ Internationl Council For Ifá Religion, 2013.
- Award of Pacesetter from West African Youth Affairs And Culture, 2012.
- Annual Heroes And Heroines Award, Harmony Media Communication, 2009.
- Award of Recognition from Motherless Children Home.
- NRCS Merit Award from Nigerian Red Cross.
- NANS 2018 National Outstanding Leadership Award of Excellence, NANS JCC OGUN AXIS.
- Award of Excellence, National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Pratictioners, (NANTMP)
- Merit Award 2018, Galilee Youth Forum.
- Outstanding Oba of the Year, National Association of Nigeria Student Development Initiative.
- Award of Honour 2018, National Association of Ogun State Student (NAOSS) Yabatech Chapter.
- Award of Excellence, Ìkeja Club.
- Award of Recognition 2020/2021, PCRC, Ibogun Division.
- Award of Honour 2021, Ecstasy Nigeria in partnership with The Art Traditional of Nigeria (ATON) & The Kegite’s Club International (KCI)
- Royal Father of the Year (2021) Ecstasy Nigeria in Partnership with The Art Traditional of Nigeria (ATON) & The Kegite’s Club International (KCI)
- Award of Excellence Performance in Sport Development, Ayson Promotions.
Kábíyèsí as a Philantropist
The philanthropic nature of Ọba Fákáyọ̀dé Fálùadé is not limited to the people of Ìbògùn alone. As he also serves the general community at large. He serves as a philanthropist to the people of Ìbògùn community and its environs. These are some of the projects executed by His Royal Majesty before and after he was enthroned:
- A Three-Day Free Eye-Test Programme in Ìbògùn Communities and its Environs.
- Monetary award to each best graduating students in Linguistics/Yorùbá, Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, for a period of five years starting from 2016/17 academic session.
- Building of Modern Market Stalls for all Ìbògùn Fùfú Sellers at Ẹgbẹ́dá Market.
- Financial Contribution for Electrification of Ìbògùn.
- Financial Contribution to Baptist Secondary School, Ọláògún.
- Building of Toilet Facility in Baptist Primary School, Ọláògún.
- Construction of Signpost for Baptist Primary School, Ọláògún.
- Construction of Culvert In Ewupẹ, Ọ̀tà, Ògùn State.
- Erection of Street Security Lights in Ibogun.
- Establishment of Ìbògùn Balógun Health Centre
- Scholarship programmes for some brilliant indigent students in Ìbògùn.
- Employment Opportunities under Oba Faluade Foundation.
- Provision of Six Concrete water passage rings, for bridge construction in Ìbògùn Alápotí.
- Provision and completion of 3 bore holes in Ìbògù
Kábíyèsí is available for spiritual divinations, consultations and readings as he is still a practicing Ifá Priest.