The Senate, on Wednesday, resolved to name one of its Committee Rooms after the late 42nd Olubadan of Ibadan Land, Oba Mashood Olalekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II.
LEADERSHIP reports that Oba Balogun died on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Oyo State, at age 81 after a brief illness, just two years after ascending the throne on March 11, 2022.
The Senate’s resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored to that effect by Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli (APC, Oyo South) .
Senator Alli, in his motion, informed the Senate that the late 42nd Olubadan was a leader per excellence, a community developer and service-driven politician, which culminated into his election as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1999 to 2003.
Late Olubadan, Oba Balogun, Detrabalised Nigerian – Sultan
“The late Olubadan was a man of peace and custodian of culture and values of the Yoruba people,” he added.
The two other Senators from Oyo State, Yinus Akintunde (APC, Oyo Central) and Addulfatai Buhari (APC, Oyo North), also contributed to the debate on the motion by informing the Senate on how the late first-class monarch impacted positively on the lives of those who came across him while alive.
Specifically, Senator Buhari said the book written by the late monarch, titled: “Arrogance of Power”, given to him in 2003 when he (Senator Buhari) won election into the House of Representatives, has helped him alot not to get disconnected from the people who elected him into the National Assembly over the years.
The Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), also eulogised the virtues of the late Ibadan monarch in his contribution to the motion.
The Senate, accordingly after the debate on the motion, adopted all the prayers therein as resolutions, one of which was to immortalise the late monarch by naming one of the Senate Committee Rooms after Oba Balogun.
The Senators also accordingly observed a minute silence in honour of the late Olubadan.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, urged Senator Abdulfatai Buhari to make available copies of “Arrogance of Power”, authored by the late Olubadan, to all Senators in order to guide them aright at all times.
