Alhaja (Princess) Rafatu Ademinure Awofisayo, the last surviving child of the 48th Ooni of Ife, Oba Ademiluyi Ajagun Lawarikan I, has passed away at the age of 102.
themomentng reports that she died peacefully in early April 2026, according to family sources.
Reacting to her death, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, described her passing as the close of a long chapter in the town’s history. In a statement through his media office, he spoke about her role in preserving her father’s legacy and her efforts in promoting unity among people of different beliefs in the community.
Princess Awofisayo was born into the Otutu Royal Compound of the Lafogido Ruling House in Ile-Ife.
She remained the only surviving direct child of her father, who ruled between 1910 and June 1930.
With her passing, many see it as the end of a living link between present-day Ile-Ife and its early 20th-century royal history.
She started her education at Salvation Army Elementary School in Ile-Ife and later continued at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church Elementary School in Aiyegbaju, Olopo, after her father’s death. She was raised by her mother, Olori Elizabeth Odunlade Ige Ademiluyi, and became involved in small-scale trading from a young age, dealing in items such as mats, kolanuts and palm oil.
In 1942, she got married to the late Alhaji Jimoh Elutide Awofisayo, a farmer and cocoa trader from Ilode in Ile-Ife. Over time, she became well known within the Muslim community in Ifeland and held several titles, including Iya Adinni, which was her most recognised position.
She is survived by six children, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family has not yet announced details of her burial.
