The family of the late Chief Dr. Adekola Gabriel Oyewo (JP), Balogun of Oba-Ile and Associate Professor of Drama, has announced funeral arrangements to celebrate his life and legacy.
In a statement released by the Balogun Adekola Oyewo Memorial Committee, the family described the late scholar, traditional leader and theatre veteran as a man whose life was marked by purpose, honour and enduring impact.
Chief Oyewo, who passed on at the age of 80, was remembered as a respected father, grandfather, colleague, cultural figure and elder statesman whose contributions to Nigerian theatre and community development left lasting footprints.
The funeral activities are scheduled to hold from Wednesday, August 5 to Friday, August 7, 2026, across Ile-Ife and Oba-Ile.
Activities will commence on Wednesday, August 5, with a Wake Keep and Service of Songs at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Igboya, Ile-Ife, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
On Thursday, August 6, a Commendation Mass will take place at the same venue between 10:00am and 12:00 noon.
Later in the day, family members, friends and associates will gather for an Artistes’ Night featuring tributes and cultural displays at Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.
An exhibition showcasing the works and photographs of Dr. Kola Oyewo will also run from 1:00pm on Thursday until 4:00pm on Friday at The Pit Theatre, African Studies Building, OAU, Ile-Ife.
The final burial rites will take place on Friday, August 7, beginning with a motorcade conveying the remains of the deceased to Oba-Ile at 7:00am.
This will be followed by a lying-in-state at Ese Ola’s Compound at 9:45am and a Requiem Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Oba-Ile, by 11:00am.
Interment, which the family stated will be strictly for family members and close allies, is scheduled for 12:45pm at Labaluyege Villa, Oba-Ile.
The funeral ceremonies will conclude with a reception at Aderounmu Grammar School Field, Oba-Ile, beginning at 1:00pm.
The family called on friends, associates and well-wishers to join in celebrating what they described as “a life of artistic legacy” and honouring the memory of a man whose influence transcended academia, culture and traditional leadership.
