Lawyer Could Be a Nigerian King
A Kansas lawyer says he’ll throw his hat in the ring to become a Nigerian king, but his election may turn on a priest’s consultation with the gods.
Kansas City lawyer Adebayo Ogunmeno, 54, came to the United States when he was in his 20s and graduated from Washburn University law school in Topeka in 1990, the Kansas City Star reports. He is a prince in the Yoruba tribe in southwest Nigeria, and he visits annually.
In Kansas City, Ogunmeno practices criminal defense and personal injury law. If he becomes a king, he would rule in his home city of Sagamu and surrounding villages. Kings maintain peace and settle domestic matters and other disputes, he said. They co-exist with an elected constitutional government. “A king is the spiritual leader of the people,” he said.
Ogunmeno told the Kansas City Star that he plans to express his interest in the job because the current king is getting old. If the king dies or steps down, one of four ruling houses will conduct an election. A priest will then consult with the gods on a proper successor.
