Oyo deputy governor, Ladoja, Akala, Adedoja, Wasiu Ayinde, others converge on Olubadan’s palace as Oba Adetunji is buried

Eminent personalities, including the the deputy governor of Oyo State, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan, former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, his successor, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala, former Minister for Youth and Sports, Professor Taoheed Adedoja,1 popular Fuji artist, King Wasiu Ayinde, on Sunday, converged on the palace of Olubadan of Ibadan, Late Oba Saliu Adetunji, to pay their last respect to the monarch.

The Popoyemoja road, leading to the palace was blocked to traffic as thousands of sympathisers thronged the area to commiserate with the royal family on the demise of the traditional ruler.

Oba Adetunji passed on in the early hours of Sunday at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan after a brief illness.

His remains, which arrived the palace around 11.30 am were later conveyed in a chariot driven hearse to Mapo Hall for Janaza prayer and lying-in-state. However, the corpse was brought back to the Popoyemoja palace and was interred around 4.25 pm according to Muslim rites.

The mood at the palace was sober as many relatives and admirers of the deceased monarch wept profusely when his corpse was being committed to mother earth.

In his sermon before the final burial, the Grand Imam of Ibadan, Sheikh Abdul Ganiyu Abubakri urged the people to live exemplary life and struggle to leave good legacies after their earthily sojourn.

He stated: “Death is a permanent end to one’s life and everybody would experience death whenever his or her time comes. But, we should endeavour to live exemplary life. Let us work on our character. We should try to exhibit good virtues and contribute our own quota positively to the development of our society.”

Reacting to the demise of Olubadan, shortly after signing the condolence message at the palace, the Oyo State deputy governor, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan, said “we thank God for the life of Olubadan. He finished the race on a very good note. He had seen it all. Kabiyesi had made a lot of people. Everybody in Ibadan knows that his reign was peaceful and it witnessed a lot of giant strides in development.

“We would miss him. Before he became the Olubadan, many people have been benefitting from his wealth of experience, his philanthropic gesture for more than 60 years. You can never see him getting angry. He was a man of peace. He was always happy and ready to transfer that happiness to others,” he remarked.

Also speaking, the former president of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero, said “Baba Olubadan’s death is a great loss to Ibadan. Despite the fact that he died at the age of 93, Ibadan people would miss him. He was a lover of peace. His death was a personal loss to me because I was very close to him even before he ascended the throne of Olubadan.”

Similarly, the popular Fuji artist, King Wasiu Ayinde, who was also at the palace described Oba Adetunji’s death as devastating, recalling that he played a critical role in his (Ayinde) rise to stardom in the music industry.

Speaking during a chat with journalists after paying a condolence visit to the monarch’s family at the palace, he said “Olubadan meant so much to me. He nurtured me since I was 15 years old. I am 65 years old now. You can imagine he nurtured me for 50 years. I will miss everything about him.

“There is no way I will not miss somebody that nurtured me for 50 years. The most important legacy in life is when you live a fulfilled life without compromising. Oba Saliu Adetunji was a disciplined man to the core. A man that was truthful and honest in all his dealings. He would never tell you what he would not do,” Ayinde asserted.

Also reacting to Oba Adetunji’s death, an aspirant for Ogun Central Senatorial District, Chief Wale Soyode described the monarch as great man, whose reign was characterised by meaningful socio-economic developments in Ibadanland.

In a press statement issued by his media office, Soyode stated: “Oba Adetunji’s candour further added impetus to the Yoruba traditional heritage and peaceful disposition contributed immensely to the harmony and healthy growth of Ibadan city. His legacies of peace, philanthropy and building people would remain indelible.”

Meanwhile, the media aide to the late Olubadan, Mr Adeola Oloko, on Sunday, described as unfounded rumours that the late Oba Adetunji was infected with COVID-19, saying the monarch passed on at about 1.00 am on Sunday at the UCH after a brief illness.

He averred that “Kabiyesi didn’t die of COVID-19. If he had died of COVID-19, we wouldn’t all be here today to bury him freely as we are. Some of us would probably be in isolation since we have had contact with him during the illness.

“He was in a private hospital for about five days but about 9.00 pm yesterday, his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to the UCH where he died after four hours,” Oloko remarked.

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Oyo deputy governor, Ladoja, Akala, Adedoja, Wasiu Ayinde, others converge on Olubadan’s palace as Oba Adetunji is buried