Ajimobi extols late Olubadan, promises befitting burial
The Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has described the late
Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade I as an
accomplished all-rounder who left an indelible footprint in the sands
of time.
The governor, who extolled the late Olubadan during the official
notification of his death by the Olubadan-in-Council, on Thursday,
promised that the state government would give him a burial befitting
of heroes and statesmen.
The Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Saliu Adetunji had led members
of the council, the leadership of the Central Council of Ibadan
Indigenes (CCII) as well as princes and princesses of the late monarch
to the Governor’s Office to formally inform the governor about the
incident.
Ajimobi said that even if he had lived for another 100 years, his
death would still have been painful to him and indeed, the sons and
daughters of Ibadanland, considering what he called his exemplary,
pious and disciplined life.
“Kabiyesi was an accomplished man in all ramifications. He left an
indelible footprint in the sands of times, having served this country
in different capacities as a teacher, civil servants, a Second World
War veteran, a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a
parliamentarian of note.
“He was an irrepressible patriot, an Ibadan irredentist, a
disciplinarian, a good father and an unstoppable democrat. He sees to
the success of anything to which he was committed. He won an election
as an independent candidate even when independent candidacy was not
popular.
“A man of stoic character, consistent and Godly, he was a firm
believer in the rule of law. If Baba had been in the saddle for
another 10 years, he would have contributed to the campaign for
cleanliness of Ibadan. He would never play the ostrich.
“Kabiyesi was a nationalist and I am promising before you today that
the state government under my leadership will give him a burial
befitting of heroes and statesmen. On behalf of the government and the
good people of Oyo State, I pray for the repose of Baba’s soul,’’ he
said.
The governor said he took solace in the fact that the late foremost
traditional ruler lived an exemplary life.
Earlier, the Balogun had said that the High Chiefs and Kabiyesi’s
children visited the governor to notify him of the passage of Oba
Odulana whom they said joined his ancestors on Tuesday evening.
He said the Olubadan-in-Council would have loved to have the late
monarch around for at least 10 more years but that they had succumbed
to the supreme will of the Almighty, the giver and taker of life.
Also speaking, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Lekan
Balogun, tendered the unreserved apology of the council to the
governor for the late information about the Olubadan’s demise, saying
that he (the governor) was supposed to make the formal announcement.
Balogun, who attributed the development to some logistics problems,
then presented a letter to the governor on behalf of the
Olubadan-in-Council to formally inform him that Oba Odulana had joined
his ancestors.