In a conversation with Adeyemi, who narrated his experience which is becoming common especially when he returns to Nigeria with his Lithuanian wife and children. He said, “At the Lekki Art and Craft Market, I saw an art work that I liked. I asked for the price and the artist replied, One million Naira”.
“I responded, negotiating for sixty thousand Naira. The artist looked at me and said in pidgin English, “which kind oyinbo man be
dis?”. Eventually I bought the art work for eighty thousand Naira. Mr Adeyemi spoke Pidgin and Yoruba with antiquitists and artists at the Art and Craft market and everyone was awed. He could be easily taken for a European which he inherited from his English mother. It is an excellent upbringing that his family brought him up in the cultural environment of his ancestors.
During his tour to Badagry, accompanied by Gideon, in a customized Korope air conditioned bus by Loving Lagos, at the smoked fish market, Adeyemi spoke in Yoruba as he introduced himself to the market women as Prince Adeyemi Aguda, from the royal family through his great-grandfather, Fadulu who is a descendant of Ajiperi Igodo, the Alara or King of Ilara-Mokin. He was born at Ibadan and raised in the royal court by his grand mother.
The Badagry market women were so excited to hear him speak Yoruba language and encouraged him to teach his children too. He said his children speaks six European languages. One of the fish sellers named his son Adewale Sewanu.
The fish sellers gave him and his family crayfish and fishes and didn’t collect money. They gave him for free and said they appreciate his undaunted connection to his root and that he should continue to teach his children the culture and local language because, who knows, his son may be invited or selected in the future to be the King in his hometown. How will he rule if he doesn’t understand the peoples culture.
The former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Akinola Aguda is Prince Adeyemi Aguda’s uncle. His uncle was the first indigenous African Chief Justice of Botswana. He also served as Chief Judge of Ondo State and played a pivotal role in the recommendation of Abuja as Nigeria’s capital.
The official residence of the Nigerian Vice President in Aso Rock Presidential Villa is called the Akinola Aguda House. This was named after his uncle. This was the last house MKO was moved to by the military before he was rushed to the hospital where he died.