Makinde mourns as former Oyo SSG, Michael Koleoso, dies
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former Secretary to Oyo State Government (SSG), Michael Koleoso, has died at age 86.
Mr Koleoso died in the early hours of Monday. He was the National Chairman of the defunct Alliance for Democracy.
He was the SSG during the late Governor Lamidi Adesina’s administration between 1999 and 2023.
In a statement on Tuesday, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde described Koleosho’s death as “The end of a glorious era.”
The statement read, “I received the news of the death of Baba Michael Koleoso, the Babalaje of Saki with shock and sadness. Oyo State and Nigeria have lost a great patriot and selfless leader, one of the last men standing in the batch of leaders who gave their all to make Nigeria a better place.
“People who know me know that I had a special bond with Babalaje; I held him as a father and had the utmost regard for him, as he was a courageous and upright leader who spoke truth to power. We’ve relied on his guidance and wealth of experience in guiding our great state to greatness, and Babalaje did love this state till his dying days.
“I express my condolences to the Koleoso family of Saki, his political family spread across the state and Nigeria as well as the people of Saki and Oyo State. It is the end of a glorious era and we can only pray to God to grant repose to the soul of our Baba.”
Born into the family of Emi-Abata of Saki, on April 30, 1938, Koleoso had his primary education at Baptist Primary School, Ajegunle, Saki and later proceeded to the famous Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, where he was from 1957 to 1961.
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He later proceeded to the School of Hygiene, Eleyele, Ibadan for his Ordinary National Diploma in 1965, then went for his Advanced Certificate, today’s equivalent of HND, in 1965 and 1966.
The late politician joined the civil service of the Western Region with the position of Head of the Health Department of the old Saki District Council.
He spent years in the service before dabbling into business.
His first establishment was Esmak Nigeria Limited which exists today and focuses on commodity distribution, transportation, real estate and hospitality.
His entrepreneurial ability soon became legendary, just as did his lifestyle of order, balance, discipline and self-restraint.
Koleoso was elected unopposed as Councilor in the Ifedapo Local Government Area of the Old Oyo State in 1976.
In 1979, he was elected into the Oyo State House of Assembly as the representative of Ifedapo Constituency on the platform of the Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led Unity Party of Nigeria.