The late Olubadan, Oba Olalekan Balogun who joined his ancestors on Thursday at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan was laid to rest according to Islamic rite at his family residence, in Ibadan amidst a large crowd of mourners.
Penpushing reports that the Chief Imam of Ibadan land, Sheikh Abdulganiy Agbotomokekere, led Islamic leaders to conduct burial arrangements and prayers on the remains of Balogun, who was the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
The lying-in-state was earlier held at the ancient Mapo hall, Ibadan, where tributes were showered on the deceased who was described as a peace-loving person, while the Olubadan-in-council, family and prominent personalities in the ancient town paid homage as a sign of last respect to the late monarch.
Penpushing further reports that the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal while speaking with journalists described the late traditional ruler as a cerebral monarch who took issues intellectually, adding that he was a friendly and jovial monarch.
The Deputy Governor prayed that the late royal father would meet his creator in peace, with assurance that the state government will get involved in further programmes to give the monarch a befitting funeral.
“Let me assure you, on behalf of the governor of Oyo State, who is, this evening, unavoidably absent, that whatever it takes to give a befitting funeral would be done whenever the governor comes back to the state’, Lawal said.
‘For now, his Islamic rite has been done; we have given him that rite and we believe sincerely that moving forward, whatever programmes that will follow will get the involvement of the state government’, he added.
Penpushing also reports that the deceased younger brother, Kola Balogun, described the death of the monarch shocking, and described him as a godly man, an intellectual and a humanitarian par excellence, recalling that he was still with him three days ago, adding that the late monarch did not show any sign he was leaving soon.
“He lived a fulfilled life. As a technocrat, he rose to the peak of his career in the academic world. He was a gubernatorial candidate in 1999 and performed wonderfully where he contested with the likes of Bola Ige, Olunloyo and he was the first Olubadan to be a senator, the first to crown other kings’, Balogun said.
“He has so many firsts to his credit, and you could see from people’s testimony, his time was peaceful and there was a touch of his intellect in all that happened. The neighbourhood crime rate went down during his time due to his administration, and the issue of land grabbing has reduced. There was peace, tranquility and love among Ibadan people’, he said.
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