THE NOBLE LION LIVES ON

Transcription

1 THE NOBLE LION LIVES ON OLUBADAN ORATION 1 BEING THE FUNERAL ORATION DELIVERED BY H.E. SENATOR ABIOLA AJIMOBI GOVERNOR, OYO STATE AT THE LYING-IN-STATE OF OBA SAMUEL ODULANA ODUGADE I, CFR, JP, OLUBADAN OF IBADANLAND ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2016 AT THE HOUSE OF CHIEFS, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, IBADAN, OYO STATE. [PROTOCOLS] "When beggars die, there are no comets seen. The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. When beggars die there are no comets in the sky. The heavens only announce the death of princes." Julius Caesar: Act 2, Scene 2.

2 OLUBADAN ORATION 2 Oba (Dr) Samuel Odulana Odugade 1 was certainly no Shakespearean beggar but a distinguished Nigerian gentleman who became a peerless king of Ibadanland. The endless bursts of ovation and adulation that continue to trail his transition bear witness to humanity's loss of one of its most accomplished sons. His, was a reign apart. 2. I welcome you all to this lying-in-state ceremony, part of the week-long funeral programme in honour of our foremost traditional ruler who lived and reigned for the great good of mankind. We are all gathered in this hallowed chamber of history, in honour and celebration of our highly respected monarch, a king of sterling qualities, a king of great and enviable achievements.

3 OLUBADAN ORATION 3 3. Kabiyesi mounted the throne on Friday, August 17, 2007 as the 40th Olubadan and joined his ancestors on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at the ripe age of 101 years. In the full season of his age, we celebrate his sojourn on mother Earth. In thankfulness for a life of discipline and commitment, we come to celebrate the great deeds of a great monarch who now lies in state. We are here gathered to honour his eventful and peaceful reign, to celebrate the memory of his untainted and noble personality. 4. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Kabiyesi wore so many caps to the admiration of all and sundry during his lifetime. He walked through many paths and survived many challenges. Over and across time. Kabiyesi was a teacher, a soldier, an administrator, an educationist, a politician and statesman, and indeed, a titled chief who rose to become the king of Ibadanland.

4 OLUBADAN ORATION 4 5. Let us remember with pride that Kabiyesi was a quintessential patriot and nationalist, who served meritoriously, and with dignity and transparency, in all the positions that he was privileged to attain in his lifetime. 6. He joined the military in 1942, few years into the outbreak of the Second World War; he served diligently and was demobilised as Full Corporal with high commendation. Kabiyesi was decorated with the Exemplary Character Award of the Fourth Brigade. He would later work in the Inspectorate Division of the colonial Ministry of Education; he saw to the establishment of several schools and colleges in the old Western Region of Nigeria; he contributed to the provision of scholarships to indigent and brilliant students throughout the Region; and he was appointed as the Private Secretary to the then Western Regional Minister of Education, Chief S. O. Awokoya in 1950.

5 OLUBADAN ORATION 5 Indeed his signal contributions to education were many and remarkable: not only was he reputed to be instrumental to the release of the land on which the University of Ibadan was built, he was directly responsible for the establishment of several secondary schools including the Local Authority Teacher Training College, Iyana Ofa, Igbo-Elerin Grammar School and my alma mater, Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan. 7. Between 1950 and 1966, Kabiyesi was involved in the politics of nation-building; Kabiyesi won a record five different elections as an independent candidate, clearly on account of his own recognition, popularity and personal merit; as elected Representative of Ibadan District Council, under late Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade served as Chair and Coordinator of six different committees.

6 OLUBADAN ORATION 6 They included Finance, Education, Establishment, General Purposes, Tax & Market, and Lands & Estates; in his days, Kabiyesi was instrumental to the creation of the 14 local governments that now make up the Ibadan- Ibarapa division of current Oyo State. 8. In his march of honour and glory, Kabiyesi once served in the double capacity of Personal Assistant and Parliamentary Secretary to the first Prime Minister of modern Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in Kabiyesi also served his country as the Minister of State for Labour in the first Republic. It is in history that Kabiyesi was part of the delegation of the Federal Government which was led by the Prime Minister to the Commonwealth Conference in London in 1962.

7 OLUBADAN ORATION 7 9. Some people witness history; some people change history; and some people make history. Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade belonged to these three categories of people in history. Kabiyesi witnessed the history of Nigeria: he was a free-born child of History, having been born in 1914, the year of the founding of modern Nigeria, and as well, the year during which the First World War began. Kabiyesi changed the history of Ibadan with his numerous contributions; and he made history as the 40th Olubadan, the only Olubadan to have lived for over a century. 10. Emeritus Professor of History, Professor J. F. Ade- Ajayi had noted some years ago, that Oba Odulana has lived an intense but simple and transparent life. His contributions are significant, as they impact on the development of Ibadan and on the positive roles of the traditional chieftaincy system as a stabilising factor in the civil society.

8 OLUBADAN ORATION 8 It is this imperial legacy that we celebrate today. Indeed, the celebration of such noble virtues strengthen nations and empower the future generations to fully manifest their glorious destinies. 11. Let me recall with nostalgia and affection how Kabiyesi supported the Oyo State government s project of urban renewal, and how he appreciated our efforts at improving on the beautification of Ibadan in particular and of Oyo State in general. By conferring on me and my wife the titles of Aare Atunluse and Yeye Atunluse of Ibadanland, respectively, in 2013, Kabiyesi was practically challenging the government to do more and better. Such was the spirit of this great monarch who supported our agenda of Repositioning, Restoration and Transformation of Oyo State.

9 OLUBADAN ORATION On behalf of the government of Oyo State, I join the Odugade Family, the High Chiefs of Ibadanland, all paramount family heads, and the full membership of CCII - the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, in celebrating the glorious transition and celebration of our great king, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I, CFR, JP. 13. KABIYESI: We celebrate the loveliness of your longevity; we celebrate the majesty of God's heavenly grace on your own earthly majesty as leader and statesman. You were a great pathfinder; you were a shining example of good and great leadership in military service, politics, public service, and education. 14. Our people say, oruko omo ni n'ro omo - our names tell so much about our identities and significance. So it has been with you, Kabiyesi: oruko Baba ni n'ro Baba.

10 OLUBADAN ORATION 10 You have proved to be a real Odulana, the true pathfinder, an influential beacon, a strong lighthouse to your country, your city and your subjects. It is on record that you were one of the builders of the unique order in the Ibadan chieftaincy system, therefore contributing to the image of Ibadanland as a republican city-state. 15. We speak well of your legacies because you came, you saw, you served and you built on the glorious traditions of our fathers and their forebears. Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I, Kiniun Onibudo, Resident Lion of the Savannah, we bid you farewell. Live on, sail home gracefully, and continue to live on eternally in the hearts of the good people of Ibadanland. 16. May the memory of his distinguished life and reign be eternal, forever and ever.