How time flies! And a year has just gone bye that humanity lost one of its finest, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Sen. Mohood Olalekan Ishola Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II. Though, just like yesterday, but the truth is that it was exactly a year last Friday, 14th March, 2025, when the revered oba joined his ancestors after two years and three days on the throne!
The late Olubadan was a man of many women, but, whoever was conversant with the Alarere residence which also served as the palace would identify a particular constant figure beside Oba Balogun, either before or after his ascension to the throne of Olubadan. Call her the last woman standing, she fixes in.
She is Olori Olufunmilayo Lekan Balogun. It was not a thing of surprise therefore to see her putting up an anniversary programme to mark the first year of the demise of her darling husband, whom she usually referred to and called ‘Baami’ at the Aliiwo Central Mosque on Sunday, about 48 hours after the D-Day.
A programme dedicated to prayers in appreciating God for a well spent life by the departed monarch and for His faithfulness to all those left behind by him since the incident last year, it was classy. And it became a kind of reunion arcade for acquaintances that had parted since the exit of the rallying force and the common denominator.
It was an event that also brought nostalgic feelings and the deep sense of loss suffered by the death of the late Oba Balogun resurfaced again among those, whose the reign of the late Imperial Majesty brought into contact.
The love of Ibadan traditional institution for the late Oba Balogun was obviously on display at the event which had in attendance the presence of his successor, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Akinloye Owolabi, Ige Olakulehin I, through Jagun Olubadan, Chief Kadiri Abass. Other members of the institution, consisting His Royal Highnesses and Iyalode arm, were led by Balogun of Ibadanland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola.
Olubadan’s representative, Jagun Kadiri Abass, in his goodwill message, thanked God for the late Olubadan, whom he described as a very accommodating and open-hearted father. He recalled that it was Oba Balogun that installed him as Mogaji Irefin in 2022. Fortunately, his traditional decoration and admonition was done by Oba Ajibola, who was then the Otun Balogun. He attested to the friendly closeness between the late monarch and Ajibola, lamenting that death unfortunately separated them and robbed Ibadan more of the benefits the relationship could have yielded.
Jagun Abass praised the Aliiwo Family for the maintenance of the ancient mosque, where he said he was a regular caller as a kid. He praised the late Oba Balogun for his immense contributions to Ibadanland through his involvement in the traditional system and Nigeria at large through his politics. He remarked that the departed monarch left behind a very big shoe and prayed for wisdom and capacity for whoever would succeed him to carry through.
Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Ajibola, who said there was no need for him to speak again after Olubadan had spoken through his representative, disclosed that he had to break the protocol because of the relationship that existed between him and the late Oba Balogun.
According to him, “we were friends with deep understanding of each other. A very gentle, meek and easy going personality whose love for all was unquantifiable. He was the meekest Olubadan in recent history. Had a very short reign, but very impactful and left behind legacy of peace and tranquility. Whoever will succeed him in Aliiwo has a lot to do because of his record of achievements both as a player in Ibadan traditional institution and national politics.”
From the league of Royal Highnesses consisting of Oniladuntan of Laduntan, Adebowale Kamorudeen Adeyemi, JP, Onilagun of Lagun, Najeemdeen Olalekan Bello, Alajia of Ajia, Nureni Yusuf Adegbenro, Ololosunde of Olosunde, Muili Mosaderin and Onisade of Isade, Saliu Oguntayo, Oniroko of Iroko, Oba Ismaila Olasunkanmi Abioye Opeola spoke. He described the late Oba Balogun as a unique Olubadan who made history that would remain unmatched for many generations.
“Any compound in Ibadan that writes its history without adequate reference to the late Oba Balogun has written uncompleted history,” he said. Going personal, Oniroko recalled that he wept profusely on hearing the news of the passing of the late oba then because the late Oba Balogun was like a father to him.
“Truly, he was a father to all because of his open door policy and his non-discriminatory disposition. Without being immodest or accused of sycophancy, it is under the present Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola when, by the grace of Almighty Allah, he becomes Olubadan that we can experience the kind of warmth and love we had under the late Oba Balogun,” he said.
Oniroko was full of praises for Olori Olufunmilayo, who organised the programme in honour of the late traditional icon for remaining steadfast and committed to the noble and good ideals stood for by her late husband. He recalled how she supported the late Olubadan to fulfill his mission by her deep sense of understanding, cooperation and accommodation, noting that unlike in some places where wives would be stumbling block and driving away people from their husbands, hers was different.
“Olori Olufunmilayo understood the nature of the late kabiyesi as a man of the people and did not do anything whatsoever to frustrate him. Rather, she too was open-hearted and accommodating. Highly respectful and unassuming. A loving wife and mother who is not a fair weather wife, but a wife of all seasons which gave birth to why we are here today”, Oniroko submitted.
On behalf of the Iyalode line, Balogun Iyalode of Ibadanland, Chief Soyege, who led others in the line, consisting of Chiefs Mrs. Moji Ladipo, Mrs. Tawakalitu Sharafadeen Alli, Mrs. Folake Akande, Mrs. Ayo Alaga and Mrs. Olaide Ajibola, praised the late Olubadan for playing well his part.
She thanked God for the Aliiwo Family since the exit of their arrow-head last year and prayed for continued love and peace in the family. She remarked that Ibadan history remains unending just like the metropolis itself keeps expanding and each player would continue to add his or her own to the unending history, adding, “the late Oba Balogun added his own to it as being enunciated all along.”
The initiator of the programme, Olori Olufunmilayo in her brief remark, was full of thanks and praises for all her guests. She maintained that the attendance once again showed that the love for the late Oba Balogun while alive was real and for this she was very happy.
As noted in opening remark by the cleric, Olori Olufunmilayo, “the programme is designed as a forum to pray for the departed soul and to thank God for keeping everybody and everything left behind by the late Kabiyesi well. Nothing can be too much to be done in honour of a husband like a father and a truly loving father, not only to his biological children, but to all. We will continue to miss his love, care and warm. But, principally, one is grateful to God that he lived a fulfilled life.”
Sen. Mohammed Kola Balogun, who was the Baba-Kekere to the late Olubadan, in his vote of thanks, was full of praises for Ibadan traditional system for making adequate representation at the programme. He remarked that the late kabiyesi was a man of peace and that was what he used his short but remarkable reign to promote in Ibadan.
He added that “the calibre of attendees and the various segments of Ibadan traditional institution represented at the programme shows that love and I can only wish and pray that it (love) remains abiding amongst us all.
“I thank and appreciate everybody for making time out to honour our departed patriarch at this holy month. I know what it means and I consider it a great sacrifice on the part of all. May the Almighty Allah honour you all. On behalf of the Aliiwo dynasty, I thank you all,” Sen. Balogun added.
Among other notable personalities that graced the occasion were Yeyeluwa of Ibadanland, Chief Mrs. Bosede Adedibu, Yeye-Oba of Ibadanland, Chief Mrs. Olatoyosi Adetoyese, Alhaja Bola Akinsola and Alhaja Tawakalitu Adedotun, the Director of Administration and general Services of Ibadan South-East Local Government.
•Ogunsola was the media aide to the late Olubadan.
