Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has paid glowing tributes to the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II, noting that his reign, though short but was very impactful.
The former president said this when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the late foremost traditional ruler at his Alarere residence on Thursday.
Oba Balogun, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, joined his ancestors on 14 March, 2024, just about 72 hours after the celebration of his second year anniversary and was buried at his Aliiwo ancestral home the following day.
Obasanjo, in a press statement by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the late Olubadan, Oladele Ogunsola, described the late Oba Lekan Balogun as a personal friend, noting that his visit to the family of the late Olubadan was his duty.
“The late Olubadan was not a foreigner to me. He was my friend and it is my duty to pay this visit to his family. He carried the position very well, he was ‘Gbobaniyi’.
“Naturally, we would have loved him to be around us for much longer time, but God knows best. As it is said in Yoruba ‘o wuni ka jeran pe lenu, oofa ona ofun o je’. That is, as much as we want to hold the meat in our mouth, the drawer from our oesophagus won’t allow us.
“As I said, God knows best. Assuming that death did not come when it came but a worse thing happened, what could have been our reaction?
“We thank God for him, it is no how long, but how well”, the former president, accompanied on the visit by Chief Oyewola Fasawe and Arole Gbenga Adewusi, among others, added.
In his terse condolence message in the register, Chief Obasanjo wrote, “Kabiyesi Balogun, sleep in your creator’s bosom.”
Responding on behalf of the family consisting of two of the oloris, Olayinka and Olufunmilayo and few of the children, the Bobajiro of Ibadanland and former Oyo State Head of Service (HoS), Alhaji Tajudeen Aremu, said the visit by the former president was a demonstration of genuine love.
Chief Aremu recalled that Chief Obasanjo truly demonstrated true friend by the visit which was a manifestation of the saying in Yoruba that whoever that identifies with somebody in his or absence is truly a friend of such a person.
“There is nothing our late father can do for anybody now. He is no more in a position to offer anybody anything, either tangible or intangible.
“So whatever anybody does for him now is not because of receiving anything in return from him, but out of deep love and concern.
“The family appreciates Your Excellency and it is our prayer that God will preserve you more for the country in general and for Yoruba in particular,” the former Oyo HoS added.
Welcoming him and his entourage earlier, the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, recalled that the former president was among the dignitaries that paid the late Olubadan visit before his coronation.
He said the coming round of Obasanjo after the death of the Olubadan was a clear demonstration of the love that existed between the two of them.
He prayed the Almighty Allah to repay Obasanjo the good deeds and love being showed the family of the late Olubadan.
Oba Ajibade however charged the former president not to make the visit a one-off thing but something that should be periodical as a way of identifying with the family.
