••• VP Osinbajo, Gov. Ajimobi, others pay last respects
The remains of the late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1, who died on January 19, 2016 at the ripe age of 101 were yesterday interred in his compound at Igbo Elerin, Ibadan.
The corpse was interred after a funeral service at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Aremo, Ibadan attended by several eminent Nigerians.
The family of the late king had prepared a graveyard at St Peter, Aremo but later discovered that the late monarch had included it in his will that he should be buried in his compound at Igbo Elerin. So, they had to cover the grave they had dug after the discovery of the late monarch’s wish.
Eminent persons at the Church service included the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Governor of Lagos State Akinwunmi Ambode, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Deputy Governor of Anambra Nkem Okeke, former Governors of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala and Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, wife of Oyo State Governor, Mutiat Ladoja, wife of former governor Rashidi Ladoja, Minister of Communication Adebayo Shittu, High Chief Lekan Balogun, member of Olubadan-in-Council, all the children of the monarch led by Prof. Femi Lana, former governor of old Oyo State, General David Jemibewon (rtd), former Inspector General of Police Musiliu Smith, some traditional chiefs among many others.
Speaking about the late monarch, Prof. Osinbajo said, “We must be grateful that a man of such success and greatness lived among us. It is easy enough to make mistakes at age 70.
“But, if you lived about 101 years and we can still speak about you in a way that the Governor did, then truly we ought to bless and praise God that this man lived amongst us”.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who highlighted several achievements of Oba Odulana, said he was highly instrumental to his being chosen as the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in 2011.
-Vanguard
