A former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has described the death of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran as a great loss.
Prince Oyinlola, in a statement he issued on Thursday, commiserated with the people of Ijesaland, Osun State and Nigeria as he described the late oba as a national treasure.
The statement reads:
“The death of a revered monarch anywhere impoverishes a culture and an heritage. This is exactly how I will describe the death of Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland whose transition was announced today. He was a national treasure, and his death, a loss of immense proportion.
“On behalf of my family, I extend my deepest condolences to the royal family, the good people of Ijesaland, the government and people of Osun State and, indeed, all those affected by the passing of Oba Aromolaran. It will be an understatement to say that his transition marks the end of an era.
“My relationship with the late oba extended well beyond my years as governor of Osun State. We had a very wonderful father-son relationship that lasted over thirty years which included my time as the Military Administrator of Lagos State.
“With owa’s death, we are left to reflect on the lessons of his extraordinary life of service to his people which lasted over four decades. He gave his people love and leadership and left legacies that will serve as benchmark to measure subsequent occupants of that stool.
“The late oba was imbued with uncommon wisdom and adequate education and knowledge. He effectively used his years as the paramount ruler to build and nurture relationships with various peoples, communities and institutions in Ijesaland, in Osun State, and in Nigeria as a whole.
“He brought much respect and prestige to the throne of his fathers which he mounted in 1982. I recall the various engagements he had with me in my years in government and can testify to his loyalty to Ijesaland and its people, and his fidelity to the oath and vows he took at the inception of his reign.
“While we mourn the passage of this great royal father, educationist, author and Yoruba patriot, I send very deep condolences to all he left behind, particularly his immediate family, friends, Ijesa people home and abroad, the governor and government of Osun State and everyone the world over who had a relationship with him while he was here with us.
“May Kabiyesi’s great soul rest in perfect peace,” Oyinlola said.