“The Distinguished Senator relayed the relationship that existed between the late Oniroko and his late brother, the immediate past Olubadan, Oba Dr. Sen. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II which he said could not be glossed over, hence the condolence visit being made.”
One unique thing about Ibadan as mighty as the metropolis is in terms of land mass and population, as noted by Senator Mohammed Kola Balogun sometime ago, is the interrelationship among the indigenes.
Ibadans are brothers and sisters and this, as explained by the Distinguished Senator is born out of the fact that Ibadan sons and daughters would always have something in common which becomes a bond of relationship sort of.
If they are not paternally related, it could be maternal, it could be living together on the same street, attending the same school, membership of the same social club, worshipping in the same Mosque or Church, it could be through the communal annual celebration of Egungun Festival, through politics and or through marriage. All these interactions wedge a relationship among the Ibadan indigenes to make them one indivisible entity as said by the politician!
When the senator’s late brother and the immediate past Olubadan, Oba Dr. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II, was alive, he was always heard referring to the late former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Victor Omololu Sowemimo Olunloyo as ‘Egbon mi’. And little did those around know that the bug had bitten his brother, Senator Kola Balogun, who also enjoyed brotherhood relationship with the late Mathematical prodigy.
Yet, in the real and practical biological definition of brotherliness, there’s no trace whatsoever to link both Balogun and Olunloyo families. While the Baloguns have their roots in both Ogbomoso and Iwo, Olunloyos are Owu, reputed to be majorly of Abeokuta origin descendants.
Very much in doubt if the paths of the two families ever crossed before 1983 when both late Dr. Senator Lekan Balogun and late Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo met on the political field as gubernatorial gladiators.
While Dr. Lekan Balogun contested as the gubernatorial candidate of the Nigeria People’s Party (NPP), Dr. Olunloyo flew the flag of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and controversially emerged as the winner of that year’s gubernatorial election which also had the late Chief Bola Ige of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), the then incumbent governor, on the ballot.
Anyway, both Senator Kola Balogun and the late Dr. Olunloyo were good brothers as reflected in the condolence visit paid to the Molete residence of the former governor a couple of days ago. From the level of interaction between the visitor (Senator Balogun) and his host and the widow of the late politician, Mrs. Ronke Olunloyo, it was glaring that the Distinguished Senator was a regular caller/visitor at the house.
While Senator Balogun was trying to apologise for his late visit to the family after the exit of the icon on the 6th of April this year owing to his being in Abuja when the incident happened, the widow interjected him and said she had been wondering over the conspicuous missing of the senator’s face among the sympathisers.
Condoling the widow, Senator Balogun told her that the legacy of the unique personality of her late husband, whom he described as ‘a special gift to mankind’ should be enough consolation for her. He shared with her some memorable moments he had with the departed academic giant and how he was always called upon by the late Dr. Olunloyo himself if his visit to him was being delayed.
The widow equally acknowledged all what Senator Kola Balogun said and praised him for his love for the family, just as she urged him not to abandon the family after the demise of his dear brother.
At Iroko, an agrarian community in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state, the community was still mourning the passing of its monarch, His Royal Highness, Oba Sunmaila Olasunkanmi Abioye Opeola, Kurunloju 1, on Saturday, 31st May, 2025. On getting to the residence of the late monarch, his two widows were seen, sitting on a mat, ostensibly observing an Islamic injunction.
The Distinguished Senator relayed the relationship that existed between the late Oniroko and his late brother, the immediate past Olubadan, Oba Dr. Sen. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II which he said could not be glossed over, hence the condolence visit being made.
Senator Kola Balogun described the late Oniroko as a very loving and loyal member of the larger Ibadan traditional council. He disclosed that the late Olubadan held him in a high esteem and would always send for him on anything relating to the Royal Highnesses. He enjoined the family to keep up the legacy of loyalty the late monarch was reputed for.
Responding on behalf of the family, Alhaja Modinat Toyin Abioye thanked the former federal lawmaker for finding time out of his tight schedules to visit the family. She equally remarked that her late husband was the go-between the Palace during the reign of the late Olubadan and his colleagues Royal Highnesses.
•Ogunsola writes from Ibadan.
