Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide has paid glowing tribute to former Osun State Commissioner for Education and Yoruba nationalist, Prof. Adewale Adeniran, describing his death as a major loss to the Yoruba self-determination movement and the wider Yoruba nation.
Adeniran, a former university lecturer and pioneer Commissioner for Education in Osun State, died on July 26, 2026, at the age of 81.
In a statement signed by the organisation’s General Secretary, Yemi Akindele, the group described the late professor as a fearless advocate of a sovereign Yoruba Nation who remained steadfast in the struggle for the emancipation of the Yoruba people until his last days.
According to the statement, Adeniran dedicated the latter part of his life to the campaign for Yoruba self-determination, working closely with the movement’s mentor, Prof. Emeritus Stephen Adebanji Akintoye, where he served as a deputy in coordinating activities aimed at advancing the cause.
Ilana Omo Oodua hailed the late academic as a selfless leader, respected teacher and unwavering voice for the Yoruba people, noting that his commitment, sacrifice and leadership left an enduring legacy within the movement.
“Professor Adewale Adeniran was a courageous and selfless agitator for a sovereign Yoruba Nation. He worked sacrificially towards the emancipation of the Yoruba people and will be greatly missed for his dedication to the cause,” the statement said.
The organisation extended its condolences to Adeniran’s family, friends, associates, members of the Yoruba race and Yoruba Nation advocates across the world, praying that God would grant them the fortitude to bear the loss and repose his soul in peace.
Prof. Adeniran served as the pioneer Commissioner for Education in Osun State in 1992 and was widely recognised for his advocacy for Yoruba self-determination in his later years.
