OLUBADAN ORATION 1 THE NOBLE LION LIVES ON
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 IbadanIbarapa 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 1959.
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.
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. AdeAjayi 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.
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.
OLUBADAN ORATION 9 12. 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”.
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.