One of the mysteries at the Palace of late Alaafin is a special man known as Baba Kekere who has served, saw the beginning and the ending of three Iku Baba Yeye, as the occupiers of the stool of the top-most Yoruba monarch is addressed. Here is his story.
“I don’t need a wife again.” Pa Morenikeji Lasisi popularly called Baba Keji or Baba Kekere said as his face beamed with what could neither be described as a smile nor a laughter. He paused, cleared his throat and continued in conc Oyo dialect, “all my children are in Ile Hausa (North), I have dedicated my life to serving the Alaafin, and I have done that actively for three of them. I don’t need any woman again but if you want to give me anything at all, give me money.”
He narrated in a video obtained by Platforms Africa how he actually witnessed the reigns of four Alaafins in Oyo even though he was young and has not joined the palace when Oba Lawani Agogoija (1905-1911) was on the stool. But he has served and outlived three Alaafin after Agogoija.
He served :
1. Oba Adeniran Adeyemi II, Lamidis father between 1945 & 1956.
2. Oba Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II between 1956 & 1968 and
3. Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, between 1970 &
2022.
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Baba kekere’s duty is to run errands for the king and he said he is, despite his age, eargely waiting to serve the fourth Alaafin. Besides, he will be witnessing the corronation of the fifth.
He walks briskly in and around the Alaafin of Oyo palace. He is very popular not only because of his diminutive figure but because of his humility and he does not get angry.
Some call him a man with repository of knowledge of the Palace for he has the history off hand and some call him the Palace library or an archive.
He is called Baba Kekere possibly because of his height. His age is unknown because his birth was not recorded but it is assumed that he should be over 100 years now. His real name is Morenikeji Lasisi.
