Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II, the leader of the Oyotunji African Village in Beaufort County, South Carolina, was tragically killed in a stabbing incident.
According to reports, the incident occurred during a heated argument with his sister, Akiba Kasale Meredith, who has since been charged with murder.
The authorities were alerted to the incident around 2:45 p.m. on July 29, 2024, and despite being taken to the hospital, the 47-year-old Adefunmi succumbed to his injuries [❞] [❞].
Oba Adefunmi II was a significant figure in promoting Yoruba culture and African spirituality in the United States. He was part of a lineage of spiritual leaders dedicated to preserving and teaching African traditions, continuing the work of his predecessor, Oba Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, who established Oyotunji Village in the 1970s as a center for African cultural education and spirituality [❞].
The suspect, Meredith, was apprehended shortly after the incident and is currently held at the Beaufort County Detention Center. The investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to uncover more details about the circumstances leading to the tragic event [❞].