Chief (Mrs) Lucia Onabowale Onabanjo, wife of the first civilian Governor of Ogun State, Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo, has passed away at the age of 100.
Her daughter, Ms. Olubukunola Onabanjo, announced her death in a statement issued on Tuesday.
She said her mother died on Monday, January 11, 2026.
The statement read: “The family of Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo, former Governor of Ogun State, announces with deep sorrow, yet with gratitude to Almighty God, the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.”
It added: “Chief (Mrs) Lucia Onabowale Onabanjo (1925–2026) was called to glory on Monday, January 11.
“We thank God for her long and fulfilled life, and for the enduring legacy of love, strength and faith she leaves behind.
“May her soul rest in perfect peace.”
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, once described Lucy Onabanjo, as a woman of many parts.
During 95th brithday, Abiodun said Mrs Onabanjo’s life and legacy would transcend many generations.
Abiodun, praised the matriarch of the Onabanjo clan as a woman with a difference.
According to Abiodun, the nonagenarian played less politics but was more interested in her family and husband’s welfare.
“She was as a foremost pillar of support for Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo, the pioneer executive governor of the state, who suffered a great deal of personal deprivations while struggling to make a name in journalism and politics,” Abiodun said.
“Chief Onabanjo was a prolific writer who wrote a popular column under the sobriquet, Aiyekooto.
“I recall Mama telling a journalist that her husband wasn’t interested in riches but in service to the people. That is the kind of support that made Papa Onabanjo a reference point in the political history of progressives in the country today.
“Behind every successful man, they say, is a woman. Mama suffered a lot of personal deprivations when Pa Onabanjo was always on the move, but she kept the home front and ensured that the children and family didn’t lose track of their career paths.
“We are grateful to the Almighty God for sparing the life o
f Mama for her to continue to contribute her quota and make available her wealth of experience towards nation building. I pray she lives in good health to continue to support the socio-economic and political development of not only Ogun State, but also the entire country.”
