In the sprawling metropolis of New York, a successful businessman received news that would forever alter his life’s trajectory.
Across the Atlantic, the sacred drums of his ancestral homeland were calling him home—not as a visitor, but as a king.
This scenario, once rare, has become increasingly common in contemporary Nigeria, where emigrants who built lives abroad are returning to ascend ancient thrones that have existed for centuries.
Far from the infamous, fictitious “Nigerian Prince,” the diaspora returnee monarch represents one of the most fascinating intersections of globalisation and tradition in modern Africa.
From the revered palaces of Ilé-Ifẹ̀ to the imperial courts of Ọ̀yọ́, Nigeria’s traditional institutions are experiencing a quiet revolution as emigrants increasingly emerge as the chosen successors to some of the continent’s oldest thrones.
The trend is particularly pronounced among Nigeria’s most prestigious traditional titles. Early in the year, Ọba Akeem Abímbọ́lá Ọ̀wọ́adé emerged as the 46th Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́ after an extensive international exposure in Canada (and the UK) over the past two decades. In fact, one news headline reported that the new Aláàfin said he “was sleeping in Canada when destiny called.”
The story is similar for the current Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀, Ọba Adéyẹyè Ẹnitàn Ògúnwùsì, who also left his business interests in the United Kingdom behind to wear the ancient crown in 2015.
This phenomenon however predates even 2015. In fact, the trend can be traced back to a few months before Nigeria’s independence, when the now-late Ọba Síkírù Adétọ̀nà abandoned his studentship in England to become the Awùjalẹ̀ of Ijebuland in April 1960, in which capacity he went on to reign for 65 years until his demise in August 2025.
The pattern extends beyond Yorubaland’s most prominent thrones. Just two years ago, Ọba Ghandi Afọlábí Ọláoyè left his ecclesiastical calling in the United States to become the 28th Ṣọ̀ún of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́. Similarly, Ọba Abdulrasheed Adéwálé Àkànbí, true to his middle name, returned home from Canada in 2016 to be crowned the 16th Olúwó of Ìwó.
Other incumbent Obas in Lagos and Ogun states are also included in this fold, including those of Mushin, Ọ̀tọ̀ and Ọ̀tà who had significant stints in the diaspora.
Even beyond Yorubaland, examples like the current Emir of Zamfara, who left his diplomatic career in Sudan to become the Sarkin and then Emir in 1997, demonstrate that this is not an exclusively southern Nigerian phenomenon, though it is more prevalent there.
In similar fashion, the current Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, returned from extensive international experience as a diplomat serving in countries like Angola, Sweden and Italy, to assume one of West Africa’s most historically significant crowns in October 2016.
The Obi of Onitsha, one of the most important kingships in Igboland, is also not left out with the current Obi, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, acceding the throne in May 2002 after a long corporate career with Shell International in London.
The preponderance of this trend in Yorubaland is not coincidental but reflects several unique characteristics of Yoruba traditional institutions and culture. Unlike many other Nigerian ethnic groups where succession follows strict patrilineal or predetermined patterns, Yoruba kingdoms often employ complex selection processes involving multiple royal families, kingmakers, and consultative bodies.
This system creates space for merit, education, and worldly experience to influence succession decisions.
Yoruba culture has historically been more open to external influence and change while maintaining core traditions. Many Yoruba communities prioritise candidates who demonstrate capacity for modern leadership challenges over purely hereditary claims.
Additionally, Yoruba traditional institutions maintained significant autonomy and prestige even during colonial era, making these positions attractive to accomplished diaspora Yoruba.
Moreover, the extensive Yoruba diaspora network, particularly strong in North America and Europe, created a pool of successful emigrants with both the financial resources and cultural connections necessary for traditional leadership roles.
Many Yoruba emigrants maintained strong ties to their ancestral communities, regularly contributing to development projects and participating in cultural activities, positioning them as viable candidates when thrones became vacant.
Dr. Ṣeun Williams, a Nigerian historian and university teacher, writes in from Dublin, Ireland.
