Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Balogun dies at 81

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, has passed away at the age of 81.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State confirmed the monarch’s demise.

In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Governor Makinde announced that Oba Balogun passed away on Thursday evening, March 14, at the University College Hospital in Ibadan.

He wrote, “With total submission to the will of God, I announce the passing unto glory of our father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“A mighty Iroko has fallen; Oba Balogun has joined the ancestors.

“In Kabiyesi, Ibadanland had a cosmopolitan and well-experienced Olubadan, who made indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short while.

“On behalf of the government and good people of the state, I condole with the immediate family of the Oba Balogun, the Olubadan-in-Council, the state Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland. It is my prayer that God grants repose to the soul of our late monarch.”

“The passing of Oba Dr. Balogun marks the end of an era for Ibadanland, leaving behind a profound void in its rich history and heritage,” he added.