BREAKING: Olubadan of Ibadan Land, Senator Lekan Balogun, dies 2 years after coronation
*Gov Makinde mourns death of 82-year-old Yoruba King
*Says ‘a mighty Iroko has fallen’
*Profile of late Oba Balogun
By KEMI KASUMU
Sad news of death has been reported of the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadan Land, His Imperial Majesty Oba (Senator) Mohood Olalekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II.
He died Thursday 14th March 2024 equivalent to 4th Ramadan 1445AH at the age of 82 and his demise has been confirmed officially by the state government.
The first-class monarch died at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan a few hours after he was admitted into the tertiary health facility Thursday night of 14th March 2024.
He will be buried at 4pm today Fridsy 15th March in line with Islamic rites, according to family source.
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has officially announced the death of the Olubadan of Ibadan Land, Oba Senator Mohood Lekan Balogun, saying a ‘mighty Iroko has fallen’.
Makinde, while confirming the demise of Oba Balogun in a late Thursday night statement issued by his spokesman, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, described the late monarch as a cosmopolitan and well-experienced Olubadan, who made indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short time.
The governor expressed his condolences to Oba Balogun’s family, the Olubadan-in-Council, the State Traditional Rulers Council, the people of Ibadan Land and Oyo State at large.
He prayed to God to grant repose to the soul of the deceased monarch.
His profile
Oba Senator Dr Mohood Lekan Balogun was from the Ali-Iwo Compound in Ibadan North East Local Government Area of the Oyo Sate.
He was a businessman who, as at the time of his selection, waa sitting on the Boards of several companies with interests in oil and gas, distributive trade, management consulting, mechanised farming and export of non-oil items as well as travels and tourism.
Then a former Senator, the amiable Oba Balogun was an Administrator/Head, Industrial Relations, Recruitment and Scholarships, Planning and Development units at Shell Petroleum Development Company.
He was also a Research Fellow with the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, a director with Triumph Newspaper, Kano; Editor of the monthly magazine – “The Nigerian Pathfinder” as well as a Management Consultant for multinational organisations such as Leyland, Exiat Battery, and Nigerian Breweries.
He was a renowned technocrat, author and philanthropist.
Balogun represented Oyo Central Senatorial District at the Nigerian Senate Abuja between 1999 and 2003. He served as the Chairman Senate Committee on National Planning and was a member of many Senate Committees such as Appropriations, Security and Intelligence, Police Affairs, and Defence (Army).
He held a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration; Public and Social Administration and Economics from Columbus International University, Brunel University, and Manchester University all in the United Kingdom after his secondary and primary education in Oyo State.
He was a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 1992/1993 presidential election
The late Olubadan was also a Governorship Candidate for the Peoples Democratuc Party (PDP) in Oyo State.
He was also a research fellow at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State.
Oba Balogun, having fulfilled the about 34 stages to emerge as a member of the Olubadan-in-Council in line with the established installation process in the Ibadan tradition, became the Olubadan of Ibadan two years ago.
He started as Mogaji before he was promoted to the position of Ajia Olubadan for decades and then became the Osi Olubadan, then the Otun Olubadan, which is the very stage next to the throne and, from there although greeted with some controversies, ascended the throne as the substantive Olubadan of Ibadan Land on 11th March 2022 as successor to late Oba Saliu Adetunji.
According to the arrangement, whoever occupies the Olubadan seat must have passed through about 34 stages to emerge as a member of the Olubadan-in-Council.
