*Visits late monarch’s family in Ibadan
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Aare Akinrogun of Ibadanland and former Chief of Army Staff and former Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd) on Monday, said that the demise of the late Olubadan of Ibadanland Oba Lekan Balogun is very painful and a great loss.
Speaking during his condolence visit to the Alarere residence of the late Oba Balogun, the former Chief of Army Staff declared that with the passage of the late monarch, “we have lost a friendly, jovial, compassionate and loving monarch.
” The exit of Oba Balogun is a loss of great monarch. His passage, though very painful, but we are grateful to the Almighty Allah, he made his mark and left great legacy, ” he said.
Receiving the former Chief of Army Staff on behalf of the late Olubadan family, Senator Kola Balogun stated that family of the late monarch are grateful to the Almighty Allah for for the quality service Oba Balogun gave Ibadanland during his two-year reign.
” We are feeling 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”, he said
Senator Balogun added, “We are grateful to the Almighty Allah for 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”.
Appreciating Lt Gen Buratai for the visit, Senator Balogun disclosed that he was not surprised with the visit by the retired General, in view of the cordial relationship between the visitor and the family, which though started with the coronation about two years ago, has blossomed like decades of interactions.
Also, the Oniroko of Iroko, Oba Ismaila Abioye Opeyemi who led the association of the Royal Highnesses of Ibadanland to condole the family of the late monarch described late Oba Balogun as a man with no restriction to his accessibility.
Oba Opeyemi stressed that his death caught everybody unaware as his news of illness was not heard and it made it more painful.
” We took consolation in the fact that our departed father made history and his impact on all of us would remain indelible in our lives because the crowns we all parade now were his legacies which nobody could alter in history”, he said.
The Oniroko added, ” We shall forever remain grateful to him just as we implore all the people left behind not to mourn but to rejoice in the impactful and fulfilled life lived by the departed great monarch”.
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