At the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun’s Alarere home, former President Olusegun Obasanjo paid a condolence visit on Thursday.

Thursday, March 14, 2024, saw the passing of the 81-year old late Oba Balogun, who ruled for two years.

Olori Olayinka and Olori Olufunmilayo Balogun, the late Oba’s wives, received Obasanjo.

The late Oba Balogun, according to Obasanjo, was a close friend.

He said, “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’.

“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’ translated, 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 not how long, but how well.”

Tajudeen Aremu, the former Head of Service of Oyo State and Bobajiro of Ibadanland, responded on behalf of the family, saying that the former President’s actions during the visit were an expression of true love.

Aremu said, “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.”

Oba Hamidu Ajibade, the Ekerin Olubadan, had earlier welcomed Obasanjo and his party and mentioned that the former President had visited the late Olubadan prior to his coronation and that his visitation now, following his death, was a manifest expression of their shared love.