The Akran of Badagry Kingdom in Lagos State, His Royal Majesty De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, has died.
The revered monarch reportedly passed away in the early hours of Monday, January 12, 2026. As of the time of filing this report, details surrounding the circumstances of his death had not been officially disclosed.
Until his demise, Oba Menu-Toyi I was the oldest serving traditional ruler in Lagos State. He reigned for several decades, providing steady leadership to the Badagry Kingdom and playing a prominent role in traditional governance within the state.
Formally styled His Royal Majesty De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I (OFR, LLD, DLitt, JP), the late monarch was the paramount ruler of Badagry and a highly respected member of the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs. He was widely regarded as a custodian of culture, history and peace in the ancient coastal town.
Born on September 18, 1936, he was the fifth child of His Majesty De Wheno Aholu Ajiyon-Kanho, the 17th Akran of Badagry. He received his formal education at the Salvation Army Primary School, Lagos; Methodist School, Badagry; and Methodist Teachers’ College, Ifaki, Ekiti, between 1956 and 1957.
A royal figure of many parts, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I began his professional life as a teacher, serving in various schools across the Badagry Division. His passion for literary works and the dissemination of knowledge later drew him into journalism.
He commenced his career in the media in 1961 with the West African Pilot newspaper. Over the next three years, he served as a diplomatic correspondent and chief reporter with the Post Group of Newspapers. Following the closure of the Post Group, he joined the Daily Sketch as a senior sub-editor before moving to The New Nigeria newspapers, where he rose to the position of Acting News Editor (South).
His outstanding performance as a senior journalist earned him a grant from the International Press Institute to study at the University of East Africa, where he obtained a diploma with distinction. He also jointly won a prize on the Law of the Press with a journalist from Uganda. Throughout his life, the monarch remained a strong supporter of the growth and development of journalism in Nigeria and across Africa.
His appointment as the Akran of Badagry was approved by the Executive Council of the Lagos State Government on October 7, 1976. He ascended the throne of his forebears on April 23, 1977, following a coronation ceremony at which he was crowned and assumed the royal title of De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I in accordance with tradition.
Tributes are expected to pour in from traditional institutions, government officials and residents of Badagry as preparations begin for official burial rites.
The Badagry Kingdom mourns the passing of a royal father whose legacy of service, intellect and dignity will endure for generations.
