Some Nigerians residing in the United States have advocated for an independent, high-level investigation into the death of Chief Lukman Ojora Arounfale, a Nigerian-American and traditional leader based in South Carolina.
Available information also revealed that there are also plans underway to hold a solidarity march in honour of the late monarch, who until his death on Saturday, April 26, 2025, served as the Baba Oba (Royal Father) of Oloyotunji in the Oyotunji African Village, South Carolina.
SaharaReporters reported on Sunday that Chief Arounfale died from injuries sustained in an alleged assault said to have been ordered by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade.
The incident reportedly took place at the Alaafin’s palace and is believed to be linked to a fallout between Oba Owoade and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, over matters of royal supremacy.
Chief Arounfale, a U.S. citizen who had lived in America for over 40 years, was allegedly attacked alongside his wife and driver after attending a meeting at the palace on April 17, 2025. His family and supporters claim that the injuries he sustained during the assault led to his death.
According to the Secretary-General of the campaign group, Justice for Baba Oba, Chief Arounfale was lured to the palace under false pretences and brutally beaten in a room reportedly filled with palace guards and aides acting on the Alaafin’s instructions.
“We had a series of communications with the deceased man before he passed away, ditto his wife and his driver who were also assaulted on April 17, 2025, at about 4:00 pm,” the ‘Justice for Baba Oba’ group said in a statement sent to Team@orientactualmags.com.
The group noted that Arounfale’s death occurred less than a year after the passing of his predecessor, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II, the Oloyotunji of Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, United States.
The group said, “HRH Chief Arounfale, an American citizen, honoured an invitation by the Alaafin of Oyo via a man called Almorufu Yekini based in the USA. A few days after he went to meet with the Alaafin, according to the information gathered from the victim on Monday, April 21, 2025 that he, his wife and driver were assaulted barbarically by a group of people called ‘palace aides’ on Thursday, April 17, 2025.”
The group recalled that Arounfale suffered a brutal assault after a heated discussion with the Alaafin of Oyo during a palace meeting. According to the Justice for Baba Oba Oyotunji campaign group, Arounfale described the encounter as the worst experience of his life, stemming from a disagreement over the origins of Oyotunji village and his royal title.
During the exchange, the Alaafin questioned why Arounfale held the Baba Oba title despite not being an indigene of Oyo. In response, Arounfale explained that Oyotunji was founded by African Americans whose ancestors were enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade, and that their community traces its royal lineage to Ile-Ife, not Oyo. He maintained that the Ooni of Ife had crowned both late monarchs of Oyotunji—Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi I and II—and had issued them official recognition after traditional rites in Ile-Ife.
It was noted that tensions reportedly escalated when the Alaafin’s aides insisted that the Oyo palace had crowned the kings.
Arounfale reportedly presented evidence to support his claims, which infuriated the Alaafin’s camp. He, along with his wife and driver, was then violently assaulted—reportedly thrown down a staircase—suffering serious injuries.
The group said Arounfale succumbed to his injuries on April 26, 2025, nine days after the assault. They are now calling for a high-level investigation and planning a solidarity march in his honour.
“Again, we have put forward an Acceleration Agenda to supercharge these efforts. We urge the Governments of the United States and Nigeria to investigate the matter and prefer charges against the Alaafin of Oyo and his palace aides,” the group said.
“Our belief is that in every country, without exception, civil society voices must be heard. They must be at the table helping to shape policy and on the ground helping to deliver change.”
In a posthumous audio recording obtained and published by SaharaReporters, Arounfale emotionally recounted his harrowing experience at the Alaafin’s palace.
Narrating his ordeal in Oyo, the late Chief Arounfale recalled how he was lured to the Alaafin’s palace under the pretext of a meeting:
“When I returned to Lagos, some of Alaafin’s followers told me he wanted to speak with me. I asked them to give me two weeks because I was engaged with something. But I later decided to make the sacrifice and went. When I arrived, I met many people at the palace, but they quickly ushered me in, saying Baba (Alaafin) was waiting for me.
“Upon entry, they told me to remove my traditional beads before I could see the Alaafin—a request that had never been made of me before. I went in with my wife and those who accompanied me. When it was time to address him, I knelt and greeted him, saying, ‘Kabiyesi!’
“He asked, ‘Are you the Baba Oba?’ I said yes. Then he asked why I bore that title and if I was from Oyo. I said I wasn’t. He asked how I became Baba Oba, and I explained that I was crowned by the Ooni of Ife. That was when everything changed.
“I told him that we had had two kings before me at Oyotunji and that the Ooni had always crowned them. But he didn’t want to hear any of it. When I mentioned the Ooni, things escalated. He accused me of coming to spy for the Ooni and said I was illegitimately claiming a royal title.
“Suddenly, his guards began to slap and punch me—right there in his presence. They beat me severely, dragged me out, and continued the assault. I fell. I thought that was the end.
“My driver made a mistake—he had been recording my conversation with the Alaafin without my instruction. When they discovered the recording, they took his phone to delete it. Even after that, they continued beating me. They also beat my wife.”
His grieving wife confirmed the account: “I was begging them, saying we didn’t send our driver to record anything. But they insisted he was acting on our orders. They seized all our phones and began slapping and beating us. They beat me too.
“The Alaafin was sitting inside while all this was happening. His wife came out, and I tried to explain to her that we had come in good faith—we were invited. I told her we had been to the palace before and that we meant no harm. But she too insisted that the driver acted on our instructions, accusing us of coming to do evil.”
Chief Arounfale said after the brutalisation, the Alaafin ordered their arrest: They locked the gate and said we couldn’t leave. Then Alaafin called the police. Five officers came and we were told we were under arrest. They took us in a police vehicle and drove the car we brought as well.
“But the Area Commander used his discretion. He said I didn’t seem like someone who should be detained. He advised that I book a hotel room, sleep there, and return the next morning to apologise so they could let us go.
“He called the Alaafin while I was present, but there was no answer. He then called the chief of staff—again, no answer. So he said he’d send a text message. By 4 p.m., if there was no response, he would ask me to write a letter of apology.
“At 6 p.m., he asked me to write the letter. I wrote three or four lines, saying I didn’t believe I had done anything wrong, but if I had, I was sorry. We didn’t leave Oyo until 6:30 p.m. He [the Alaafin] claimed I was there to spy for the Ooni of Ife.”
Associates of the late Chief confirmed the palace encounter, saying the conflict intensified when he introduced himself using his full title, “Baba Oba of Oyotunji,” and mentioned that his crown came from the Ooni of Ife.
