Tag: Olubadan

Mourners and sympathisers of different status and walks of life on Friday trooped into the Alarere residence of late Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun to commiserate with the immediate family on the demise of the monarch.

The visitors were being received by the wife of the late monarch, Olori Funmilayo alongside other family members.

The visitors who take their time to fill the condolence register, all lauded the late Olubadan on his impact on the ancient city and the state as a whole.

The Nation observed that the Alarere residence was devoid of its usual fanfare and heavy activities as many sympathisers at the residence were seen seated in clusters exchanging chit-chat. 

While many were recounting their last encounter with the monarch, others were full of stories of impact made on them by the late Olubadan.

Security operatives including uniformed police officers were seen in large number at the residence as gloomy and sadness enveloped the residence. 

The early callers, including, a legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prince Abioye Asanike said the late Olubadan, being so educated took control of city, the elites and managed the city very well. 

He said: “What I can just say about the late Olubadan is that after the demise of our former Olubadan Soliu Adetunji, Oba Balogun, being an educated person took control of the city, controlled of the elites and managed the city very well. 

“His death is a great loss to Ibadanland. We have been looking forward to seeing him using another nine years like our own father Olubadan Asanike but he stayed briefly and departed, that is God for you. 

“He did very well and I thought he was going to be the one to move to the new palace because he inspected the palace recently thinking that he will move there.”

Another early caller, the President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigene, (CCII), Adeniyi Ajewole who led top members of the Council on the condolence visit said it was painful that the late Olubadan could not occupy the almost completed Olubadan Palace, Oke Aremo despite inspecting it recently. 

Read Also: Olubadan’s legacies in Nigeria’s politics, development of Ibadan will remain indelible – Sunday Igboho

Ajewole said Oba Balogun, as a Senator, schoolar and indigene of Ibadanland, contributed immensely to the completion of Olubadan palace, adding that CCII thought he would be the first king to adorn the palace, but for his short reign.

The CCII PG said though the reign lasted just 2years and three days, Ibadanland would always remember him for peace and the unprecedented development witnessed in the ancient city during his reign. 

Other early callers who as at Friday had signed the condolence register include: the Oyo mesial, the Senator representing Oyo Central, Dr Yunus Akintunde, Oyo State PDP Women Leader, Alhaja Wulemot Ibitoye, NSCDC Egbeda Division, Oba Sabo-Ibadan, Alhaji Ali Dahiru Zungeru and a foremost media practitioner, Yinka Fabowale.

Oba Olalekan Balogun who was presented the staff of office by Governor Seyi Makinde, on March 11, 2022, joined his ancestors late Thursday night at age 81.

As at the time of this report, many of the sympathisers were already heading to the Mapo Hall, where the late monarch would be laid-in-state before being laid to rest at his Aliiwo ancestral home, Ibadan.

The late 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun will begin his journey home with a lying-in-state at the ancient Mapo Hall, Ibadan.

The corpse is presently deposited at the UCH morgue where it was moved, shortly after the monarch was confirmed dead, late Thursday night.

Read Also: Olubadan Oba Balogun dies at 81

The remains, it was gathered would be at the Mapo Hall, on Friday afternoon, to allow the members of the community to pay their last respects to the foremost monarch.

The late Olubadan was installed at the same venue two years and three days ago.

The remains would later be moved to the Aliiwo family compound for interment according to Islamic rites.

The former governor of Oyo State and the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Rashidi Ladoja on Friday, March 15, said that the people of Ibadan are already aware of who will succeed Oba Lekan Balogun as the next Olubadan of Ibadanland

Following a private meeting of the Olubadan-in-Council convened at the Alalubosa residence of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the Ibadan chief affirmed that the city has already designated its next Olubadan, leaving no room for doubt.

He said: “The Departed monarch (Oba Balogun) came from the Otun line, the next monarch will be from the Balogun line, so, the head of the Balogun line is the Balogun of Ibadanland, who has become the Olubadan designate.

Read Also: Olakulehin to be crowned new Olubadan

“We all know that Ibadan does things accordingly, if a king dies, we already know who is next, we refer to him as designate.

“We are here to formalize what is next after the burial rite of the deceased has been completed, we also discussed how to give a befitting burial to the deceased.

“Since the deceased is a Muslim, he has to be buried in the Islamic way, and the Islamic way is that he has to be buried today, so, it has been decided that he will be buried today at Aliwo, which is his ancestral home by 4 pm today.

“There will be a lying-in-state at Mapo hall from 12 pm to 1 pm before they move to Aliwo for burial, after that, there will be prayer for the monarch

“There is no date yet for the coronation of the new Olubadan, but the date shall be announced as soon as the burial rite for the deceased is completed.”