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Barely 72 hours after his two years on the throne as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Mohood Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, bowed out gracefully Thursday evening at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan after a brief illness.
Aged 81, the late monarch was taken to the hospital Wednesday morning having stayed indoors throughout Tuesday on account of a slight malaria fever, though he was hail and hearty on Monday during which he received few guests who paid him congratulatory visits on his second anniversary on that day.
Making the announcement was the Baba-Kekere Olubadan and his younger brother, Dr. Sen. Kola Balogun, through a press statement made available to journalists in Ibadan by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the late monarch, Oladele Ogunsola.
According to the statement, Dr. Balogun disclosed that Oba Balogun would be buried at his Aliiwo ancestral home by 4.00 pm on Friday according to Islamic rites just as he said that the State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, though already verbally informed would be formally notified early in the morning.
The late Olubadan was the first and most educated to have emerged as Ibadan monarch, a British trained P.hd holder, a former university lecturer, a former member of the management staff of Shell British Petroleum, former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Nigeria People’s Party (NPP), former senator and a successful businessman.
His last official outing was the Olubadan Advisory Council’s meeting which he presided over last Saturday where the decision to de-robe Mogaji Akinsola, Olawale Oladoja, was taken. He however, on Tuesday instructed the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, to midwife a small committee to deliberate on last Friday’s decision on what should be the position of Ibadan Zone in the proposed newly reconstituted Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
The decision of the small committee was earlier on Thursday ratified by the Olubadan Advisory Council at a meeting presided over by Otun Olubadan and the former governor of Oyo State, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, and was to be taken to the late Oba Balogun for his signature Friday morning to meet the deadline for submission to the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters later in the day.
The late Olubadan is survived by his wives, children, and grandchildren.
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