In the 1970s, Serge King, an American-born man with a growing interest in black nationalism, established a Yoruba kingdom in the United States, naming it Oyotunji. Upon assuming leadership, he took the royal name Oseijeman Adefunmi and ruled the self-governing community until his death in 2005.
Adefunmi’s journey began years earlier when he discovered that he was a descendant of a Yoruba ancestor who had been enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade. At the time, he was working as a graphic designer and nightclub dancer and was married to a Dutch model. His exploration of African identity eventually took him to Cuba, where he became a Yoruba priest, deepening his commitment to African spirituality and culture.
Upon returning to the United States, Adefunmi purchased land in Beaufort County, South Carolina, and founded Oyotunji, a community governed by its own political and social systems inspired by Yoruba traditions. He divorced his white wife, citing incompatibility with his dedication to black nationalism, and later married five wives, all of whom resided within the kingdom.
Oyotunji’s economy partly relied on spiritual services offered to Black Americans outside the community, who sought guidance from the gods and devils recognized in Yoruba practice. This practice generated roughly $80 per month. Marriages within the community followed specific regulations: men had to be at least 28 years old, and their wives had to be at least ten years younger. Women were forbidden from bearing children outside of marriage.
The kingdom’s legal framework handled minor crimes internally. While serious offenses such as murder were referred to the American legal system, burglary and r–ape cases were adjudicated within Oyotunji, with fines ranging from $80 to $100. Reflecting on the vision behind his experiment, Adefunmi explained, “We are trying to live the same life as the Africans.”
Following his death in 2005, Adefunmi’s son, Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II, succeeded him as the king of Oyotunji, continuing the legacy of his father and preserving the community’s cultural and spiritual traditions.
Photo credits and details:
Top: Children in Oyotunji village.
Left: Adefunmi with his son, his successor.
Right: Two of his five wives carrying ceremonial items.
Source: The Drum / Archivi | Credit: Ethnic African Stories
