Harry Akande extols Olubadan’s virtues

FORMER presidential aspirant of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Harry Ayoade Akande has extolled the virtues of late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1, who died at age 101.

Akande, in a tribute yesterday described the late Olubadan as one of the foremost traditional rulers and best cultural ambassadors that Nigeria has ever had.

According to the founding member of the ANPP, who is also the Agba-Oye of Ibadan, “With the death of Oba Odulana, Nigeria has not only lost one of its foremost traditional rulers but also one of its best cultural ambassadors, an emblem of the nation’s essence and symbol of a destiny of joy that awaits us if we do all things right.”

The business mogul said the late Olubadan “was the father we all knew personally and intimately, who cared and loved unconditionally.”

To Akande, the late Oba Odulana stood for the truth and could not be felled by either cant or chicanery. The whole of Ibadan was his household and irrespective of age, creed, roots or any inclination, any soul in Ibadan was his child.

He continued: “Pa Lana, Baba Lana or Oba Odulana as he became in later life, cannot die. He was a pacesetter and, forever, the pace he set will remain eternally in our hearts to follow.”

Oba Odulana began his climb to the exalted stool in 1972 when he became the Mogaji of Ladunni Compound in Ibadan.

In 1976, he was confirmed the Jagun of Ibadanland and then climbed several other chieftaincy ladders before becoming the Olubadan.