American basketball star and Boston Celtics player, Jaylen Brown, has been honoured with a traditional Yoruba ancestral name during a visit to the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Brown visited the historic Yoruba city on Monday and was received at the Ooni’s palace by the monarch, alongside traditional rulers and palace officials. During the visit, the Ooni formally bestowed the name “Babatunde” on the NBA star, describing it as a traditional and ancestral identity that connects him with Yoruba heritage and his African roots.

The Ooni’s Senior Media Officer, Sodiq Lawal, explained that the Yoruba name “Babatunde” means “the father has returned” or “the ancestor has returned.” The monarch formally presented the name to Brown, telling him that he would henceforth be known as Babatunde Jaylen Brown.

“This is to certify that you have been officially issued Babatunde as your traditional and ancestral name,” the Ooni said, expressing confidence that the name would bring Brown good fortune and further strengthen his connection with Yoruba culture and heritage.

The naming was not presented merely as a ceremonial gesture but as part of the Ooni’s broader effort to highlight the historical links between Africans on the continent and people of African descent across the world. Ogunwusi described Brown as being connected to a common ancestral heritage and said the visit offered an opportunity for the basketball star to reconnect with his roots.

The Ooni used Brown’s visit to speak about the historical and spiritual importance of Ile-Ife, which he described as a major centre of Yoruba civilisation and ancestral heritage. He explained that the ancient city remains significant to Yoruba history and continues to preserve generations of cultural traditions, royal lineage and ancestral history.

Ogunwusi also reflected on the impact of slavery and forced migration, noting that the movement of people from Africa over centuries had separated families and communities that originally shared common ancestral origins. He encouraged people of African descent, particularly those living in the diaspora, to make efforts to reconnect with their ancestral communities and learn more about their history.

According to the monarch, stronger interaction between Africans living on the continent and those in the diaspora could promote a deeper appreciation of African identity, culture and heritage. He said Brown’s presence in Ile-Ife was an example of such reconnection and an opportunity for the NBA star to learn more about the history associated with his African ancestry.

The Ooni further highlighted the importance of the royal institution in preserving the history of Ile-Ife. He noted that generations of ancestral history and royal lineage have been preserved through the palace and the traditional institution, making the city an important destination for people seeking to understand Yoruba history and heritage.

He also encouraged Africans and people of African descent around the world to visit Ile-Ife and other locations connected to their ancestry. According to him, such visits could help people gain a deeper understanding of where they come from while strengthening their appreciation of African culture and identity.

The monarch said the connection between Africans on the continent and members of the diaspora should be viewed as a shared heritage rather than a distant relationship, stressing the importance of preserving and passing cultural history from one generation to another.

Brown, who plays for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association, expressed appreciation for the reception and hospitality extended to him by the Ooni and the palace.

The basketball star said the experience provided him with an opportunity to learn more about his heritage and encouraged others to make efforts to visit places connected to their ancestral roots.

The visit and naming ceremony therefore combined sports, culture and African heritage, with the Ooni using the occasion to strengthen the connection between a globally recognised NBA star and Yoruba ancestral identity. Brown’s new traditional name, Babatunde, now stands as a symbolic link between the basketball player and the heritage the Ooni said he shares with people of African descent around the world.