*Pays condolence visit to Balogun family in Ibadan
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo today, visited the family of the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun to commiserate with them on the demise of the late royal father.
Speaking during the visit, Chief Obasanjo said though the reign of the late Olubadan was short, but it was impactful.
Chief Obasanjo during the visit, described the late Oba Lekan Balogun as his personal friend and the visit being paid was his duty.
“The late Olubadan was not a foreigner to me, he was my friend and it is my duty to pay this visit to his family. He carried the position very well, he was ‘Gbobaniyi'”, he said.
The former President added, “Naturally, we would have loved him to be around us for much longer time, but God knows best. As it is said in Yoruba that ‘o wuni ka jeran pe lenu, oofa ona ofun o je’ that’s as much as we want to hold the meat in our mouth, the drawer from our oesophagus won’t allow us.
“As I said, God knows best. Assuming that death did not come when it came but a worse thing happened, what could have been our reaction? We thank God for him, it is no how long, but how well.”
Accompanied on the visit by Chief Fasawe and Arole Gbenga Adewusi among others, the former President in his condolence message wrote, “Kabiyesi Balogun, sleep in your creator’s bosom”.
The Bobajiro of Ibadanland and former Oyo State Head of Service, Alhaji Tajudeen Aremu while receiving Chief Obasanjo on behalf of the family of the late Olubadan, said the visit of the former President what the former President was a demonstration of genuine love.
Chief Aremu recalled that Chief Obasanjo truly demonstrated true friend by the visit which was a manifestation of the saying in Yoruba that whoever that identifies with somebody in his or absence is truly a friend of such a person.
“There’s nothing our late father can do for anybody now, he is no more in a position to offer anybody anything, either tangible or intangible, so whatever anybody does for him now is not because of receiving anything in return from him, but out of deep love and concern. The family appreciates Your Excellency and it is our prayer that God will preserve you more for the country in general and for Yoruba in particular”, Chief Aremu added.
Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade while welcoming Chief Obasanjo and his entourage recalled that the former President was among the dignitaries that paid the late Olubadan visit before his coronation and his coming round now after his death was a clear demonstration of the love that existed between the two of them.
He prayed the Almighty Allah to repay him the good deeds and love being showed the family of the late Olubadan with a charge to him not to make the visit a one off thing but something that should be periodical as a way of identifying with the family.
