My faith hasn’t stopped me from performing traditional rites – Pastor-turned Oba

The 18th Oluoke of Okeigbo Kingdom in Ondo State, Oba Akintoye Adeoye, has said his Christian faith has not stopped him from carrying out traditional rites.

Adeoye, a lawyer and ordained pastor, spoke in an interview with Punch, saying his study of African Traditional Religion helped him approach the rites with knowledge and perspective.

“Generally speaking, many aspects of African tradition have been demonised without sufficient understanding of what they actually represent,” he said.

He added, “As king, however, I am not the father of Christians alone. I am the father of everyone in the kingdom.”

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa presented Adeoye with the Staff of Office as the Oluoke of Okeigbo Kingdom on November 4, 2025.

He said fifty scholarships have been provided for Okeigbo indigenes attending the Ondo State Technical College, Okeigbo, this academic session, while mothers who deliver at the Okeigbo Health Centre receive N30,000 each.

The monarch described the most trying day of his emergence as the day thugs attacked the electoral returning officer about an hour after he was declared winner by the kingmakers. The man survived.