Olubadan: Ten significant facts about the late Ibadan monarch 

 

The death of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Olalekan Balogun came as a shock. Not because the man is beyond death. No. It is because he died a few days to the second anniversary of his coronation as the paramount ruler of  Ibadanland. 

Here are some significant facts about the 42nd Olubadan 

• Oba Balogun was born on October 18, 1942 in Ali-Iwo compound, present-day Ibadan North East Local Government Area of Oyo State. 

• He had his O- and A-level certificates in the United States while also doing a part-time job to sustain himself. 

• He proceeded to Brunel University where he bagged a degree and  master’s degree in Administration and Economics. 

• Balogun had earlier worked as a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, as editor ofThe Nigerian Pathfinder, and as a director with Triumph Newspaper, Kano. 

• Balogun worked with Shell British Petroleum Company where he rose to the position of the Administrator/Head, Industrial Relations, Recruitment and Scholarships, Planning and Development units.

• The late monarch was an astute politician who represented Oyo Central senatorial district between 1999 and 2003. 

• As a senator, he was chairman of the Senate Committee on National Planning and was a member of many Senate Committees such as Appropriations, Security and Intelligence, Police Affairs and Defence (Army).

• Balogun was a presidential aspirant on the platform of Social Democratic Party; he was also a gubernatorial candidate for the People’s Democratic Party in Oyo State.

• Balogun was a consummate writer who published many works including; Social Justice or Doom; Power for Sale; Arrogance of Power.

• Balogun was married to two wives with children.