The 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, was on Friday laid to rest at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Aremo, Ibadan, Oyo State, in a ceremony marked by tributes, military honours, and calls for responsible governance.
Dignitaries at the funeral included Governor Seyi Makinde; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, represented by the General Officer Commanding 2 Mechanised Division, Maj. Gen. Obina Onubogwu; top politicians; traditional rulers; and prominent indigenes of Ibadanland.
The late monarch, a retired Major in the Nigerian Army, was accorded full military rites, including ceremonial gun salutes and the presentation of the national flag to his family.
Delivering the sermon, the Archbishop of Ibadan Province and Bishop of Ibadan North Diocese, Most Rev. Williams Aladekugbe, urged Nigerians to live with accountability to God in mind. Quoting from 2 Corinthians 5:10, he said, “Let us be mindful of how we live and avoid judging others without knowing the full story. How you spend your today can determine the outcome of your tomorrow, for everyone will one day give an account to the Creator.”
The cleric also took aim at politicians already campaigning for the 2027 elections, particularly those promising to serve only a single term. He described such moves as acts of desperation and a distraction from governance.
“Any politician bargaining for a single term is not being sincere. It is also desperation when leaders are seen carrying plates and serving food at parties. These antics will never work in Nigeria,” Aladekugbe stated.
He expressed concern over what he described as the government’s disconnect from citizens, noting that recent increases in telecommunications tariffs amid rising costs of living and deepening poverty showed insensitivity to the people’s plight.
“Talking about 2027 now is an abuse of the people’s mandate. It reflects a reckless disregard for their concerns. Elected officials must focus on security, governance, and the welfare of the people, not political scheming,” he warned.
Calling on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to prioritise security, the cleric lamented persistent killings from banditry, herdsmen attacks, and other violent crimes.
On the late Olubadan’s reign, Aladekugbe described Oba Olakulehin as “a leader of grace with a compassionate heart” whose time on the throne brought peace, development, and transformation to Ibadan’s traditional institutions.
The burial was attended by the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal; former Deputy Governor, Ahmed Gbadamosi; former Minister of Steel and Power, Wole Oyelese; PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja; the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole; Mogajis (family heads), Baales, military officers, and operatives of the Amotekun Corps.
