Ademola Adegbite
The 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, was laid to rest on Friday, August 8, 2025, at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Aremo, Ibadan, amid a blend of solemnity, honour, and heartfelt tributes.
Dignitaries including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the Chief of Army Staff—represented by Major General Obina Onubogwu of the 2 Mechanised Division—and several prominent Nigerians gathered to pay their last respects to the monarch, who passed away on July 7, 2025.
As a retired Major in the Nigerian Army, Oba Olakulehin was accorded full military honours, including ceremonial gun salutes and the presentation of the Nigerian flag to his family, symbolising a final salute to his service both in uniform and on the throne.
Delivering the sermon, the Archbishop of the Ibadan Province and Bishop of Ibadan North Diocese, Most Rev’d Williams Aladekugbe, urged Nigerians to reflect deeply on the quality of their lives and refrain from judging others without full understanding. Quoting from 2 Corinthians 5:10, he reminded all that everyone will eventually give an account to God.
The cleric criticised politicians already campaigning for the 2027 elections, describing their “one-term” promises as a scam born out of desperation. He lamented the misplaced priorities of some leaders, who he said were more focused on self-promotion than addressing the country’s pressing challenges.
According to Aladekugbe, “To talk about 2027 now is a disgrace to governance… a reckless disregard for the concerns of the people.” He also decried rising telecommunications tariffs amidst deepening poverty, calling it a sign of insensitivity and disconnect from the plight of ordinary Nigerians.
He called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to urgently address worsening insecurity, noting that lives were being lost daily to banditry, herdsmen attacks, and other violent crimes. He described the late monarch as a leader of grace and compassion, under whose reign Ibadanland witnessed peace, development, and the transformation of its traditional institutions.
The burial was attended by a host of notable figures. Oyo State Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, former Deputy Governor Ahmed Gbadamosi, former Minister of Steel and Power Wole Oyelese, and Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (South), Taofeek Arapaja, were all present to pay their respects.
Also in attendance were members of the Olubadan-in-Council led by the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) led by its President-General, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole, alongside several Mogajis (family heads), Baales, military personnel, and operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun.
The ceremony united Ibadan’s traditional and political elite with its citizens, all mourning a monarch widely respected for his integrity, humility, and leadership.