Isoyin Ijebu—the ancient land of honey resting gently between hills and history—woke up differently on Friday, November 14, 2025. It was as though the wind paused in reverence; as though the trees, proud witnesses of centuries, leaned closer to watch destiny unfold. The town, warm in spirit and rich in memory, stood still to welcome home one of its own: Tunde Tony Sokan, the prodigal son who never truly left.
Though oceans may have carried him across continents, the heartbeat of Isonyin had pulsed quietly beneath his everyday life abroad. And on this day, destiny circled back with poetic symmetry as the Saderiren of Isonyin, HRH Alaiyeluwa Oba Abdulrasheed Omotayo Cossy Salami, placed upon him the revered title of Asiwaju of Isonyin—a title reserved for a torchbearer, a first among equals, a son whose steps light the path for others.
The monarch’s words carried both pride and awe.
“I am marveled by your love and unwavering commitment to the progress of Isonyin,”
he declared, his voice echoing the sentiments of generations past and yet unborn.
But it wasn’t just a pronouncement—it was an affirmation. A recognition that sometimes, the soil remembers before the man does. Oba Salami spoke again, with the tone of a father receiving a long-travelled child:
“Asiwaju Tony Sokan, your dedication is top-notch. Your vision for Isonyin’s future is inspiring.”
The moment felt larger than ceremony. It felt like restoration.
Born in London but molded by Nigeria’s cultural richness, Tunde Tony Sokan’s life carries the duality of the global and the local. His early years at Government College Ibadan, followed by his Economics degree from the University of Ibadan, planted the seeds of discipline and excellence that would later bloom across borders.
His journey through Nigeria’s financial institutions—BCCI and Nigerian Arab Bank—was merely a prologue. In 1989, he returned to the United Kingdom, a return that marked the beginning of a 30-year rise in the financial services industry.
Today, Sokan stands recognized as a member of the British Chartered Insurance Institute and a proud life member of the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)—a global symbol of professional mastery.
Yet, none of these accolades managed to dilute his love for home. For many, diaspora creates distance. For Sokan, it became a megaphone amplifying responsibility. Isonyin was never far from his heart, and he proved it through the Isoyin Health Centre Renovation Project—an initiative he leads from abroad, pushing for improved healthcare, improved facilities, and a renewed sense of ownership among indigenes.
While others may return home only in festive seasons, Sokan returns through service, commitment, and presence—both visible and invisible.
As he knelt before the ancestral throne, Isonyin witnessed a gathering woven with royalty and reverence. The ceremony drew custodians of heritage: HRH Abdumojeed Adetoye Alatise, Gbegande of Ososa; HRH Kunle Dehinbo, Okemu of Ala Ijebu; HRH Adedotun Oduneye Odusanya, Olu of Odosenlu; HRH Olusanu Olaniyi, Ajalaye of Ilugun; HRH Adebisi Onafuwa, Oliworo of Iworo; HRH Oluremi Abayomi, Elese of Ilese;HRH Bar. Johnson Adebayo Okubena, Eleruwon of Eruwon; HRH Bar. Olusegun Ogunye, Ojotumoro of Abigi; and HRH Abdurasak Adenuga, Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye.
The scene shimmered with tradition—drums speaking an ancient language, dancers moving in rhythms handed down through centuries—yet the installation itself flowed through Christian prayers, a gentle blend of culture and faith that mirrors today’s Yoruba identity.
Friends, family, diaspora dignitaries, scholars, chiefs, and market women filled the grounds, each face illuminated by pride —including Mrs. Bose Pitan, Prof. Mrs. Olaleye, Dr. Lanre Adeloye (USA), Princess Pauline George, Dr. Okocha, Akinrogun Tunde Odoyin, Mr Sakiru Omoyele and his wife, the Odusote family, Olori Adebanke Salami, Chief Bola Awoyungbo, Yeye Adesola Salami, the Yeye Royin of Isonyin, Arch. Debo Aina, market women, and the chiefs of the land—were also in attendance. It wasn’t just a title conferred. It was a community welcoming leadership.
Titles in Yorubaland are not ornaments; they are assignments. They carry expectation, burden, honour, and hope. Asiwaju—the one who leads, who goes ahead, who sees tomorrow before it arrives.
For Isonyin, a town whose sweetness has endured through centuries, the installation of Tunde Tony Sokan signals not just recognition but rebirth. A moment where heritage meets modernity. Where diaspora meets home. Where destiny meets duty.
And on that sacred Friday, under the listening sky, the land of honey embraced its new Asiwaju—a son returning with both hands full of experience, wisdom, and promise.
A beginning, not an ending.
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