Olubadan: We’ve lost a friendly, jovial, loving monarch- Buratai

The Aare Akinrogun of Ibadanland and former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai has described the death of Oba Lekan Balogun as very “painful” and “sudden”.

Buratai said the death was a great loss, stressing that “we have lost a friendly, jovial, compassionate and loving monarch”.

It would be recalled that the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, died last Thursday evening at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

He was aged 81.

Speaking during his condolence visit, the former COAS said the exit of Oba Balogun was the loss of a great monarch, saying, “His passage was very painful, but we are grateful to the Almighty Allah because he made his mark and left a great legacy.”

Responding on behalf of the family, Dr. Kola Balogun, a member of the Senate at the Ninth Assembly said he was not surprised by the visit by the retired General given the cordial relationship between the visitor and the family, which, though started with the coronation about two years ago but had blossomed like decades of interactions.

He recalled that the Ibadan honorary Chieftaincy title holder came to the coronation and array of Generals and stayed for two extra days to ensure personal visitation to the late monarch.

He said: “We are feeling a great sense of loss because we never thought it was going to be so short. We however take solace in the popular aphorism that it is not how long, but, how well.

“We are grateful to the Almighty Allah for the quality service our departed hero gave Ibadanland during his two-year reign. The general comments trailing his passage since Thursday last week have been so consoling and soothing balm on the pains caused by his death.

“He scored many firsts and his efforts at ensuring that peace reigned during his time and the taming of the monsters engaging in land grabbing would go down in history as part of his enduring legacies”, Sen. Balogun added.