Olubadan’s passing, great loss to Yorubaland — Gani Adams

Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has expressed shock over the passing of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, describing the death as a great loss to Yorubaland.

Iba Adams said this on Friday in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, in reaction to the death of the revered monarch, declaring that Olubadan’s death had robbed Yoruba land of one of its illustrious sons and a prominent monarch, whose transformational ideals was indelible.

The Yoruba generalissimo noted that though the time Oba Balogun spent on the throne of his forebears was short, but said the revered monarch made remarkable impacts within that short period of time, pointing out that the late Olubadan was an agent of positive change in Ibadan and its environs, who would be remembered for his great exploits and transformational ideals.

Adams said the late Olubadan, in his lifetime, did well by bringing the people of Ibadan together as one big family and equally restored the dignity of the traditional institution in Ibadan with his influence and exposure.

“I received the news of the death of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, with rude shock.

“This is a great loss to Yorubaland and to the great people of Ibadan and Oyo State in general.

“Kabiesi celebrated his second anniversary on the throne last week and death came knocking yesterday barely a week after. It was a sad reminder of the fact that life itself is transitory.

“The late Olubadan’s life had been full of remarkable achievements, and his two-year- ascendancy on the throne was even the best of years for the people of Ibadan in terms of the quality of development and transformation of Ibadan and the adjoining towns in Oyo State,” the Yoruba generalissimo said.

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“In his life, the late Olubadan did well by bringing the people of Ibadan together as one big family and he restored the dignity of the traditional institution in Ibadan with his influence and exposure.

“The late Olubadan was a very educated man, a British trained P.hd holder, a former university lecturer, former member of the management staff of Shell British Petroleum, former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Nigeria People’s Party, NPP, former Senator and a very successful businessman,” he added.

The Yoruba generalissimo condoled with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, the immediate family of the revered monarch and sons and daughters of Ibadan, saying that Olubadan’s death was a big loss to the people of the state.

According to him, Oba Balogun lived not only for the people of Ibadan but for humanity, saying that would be one of his legacies that he would be remembered for.

He prayed to God to grant the soul of the monarch eternal rest and also give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“Kabiesi’s unequal memories will continue to resonate as he lived not only for the people of Ibadan but for humanity and that would be one of his legacies that the revered Oba would be remembered for.

“The Olubadan was very liberal and contented. He was the first Oba in the history of Ibadan that broke the jinx of installing many Obas in the length and breadth of Ibadanland. He also brought respect to the stool of the traditional institution in Ibadan.

“Part of his laudable achievements was that he brought peace and unity across Ibadanland. He made tremendous progress by ruling over a megapolis of one City, 21 towns, 3189 villages with 42 kings, over 100 chiefs, over 200 mogajis and over 3000 Baales, spanning a geographical spread nearly the size of Lagos State.

“This was a great milestone that he achieved as an Oba. The late Olubadan did all these successfully with truth, honesty and a sense of purpose as it was done in Ile-Ife and Egba land,” Iba Adams said.