Dr. Lekan Balogun has been endorsed as the next Olubadan of Ibadanland by members of the Olubadan-in-Council.
Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola disclosed this during a briefing on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Olubadan is the royal title of the king of Ibadanland in Nigeria. The last Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, died on January 2, 2021. The Monarch passed away at the Intensive Care Unit of the University College Hospital, Ibadan hospital at about 01.15 am.
According to Ajibola, the kingmakers’ decision to make Dr. Balogun the new Olubadan was in accordance with tradition. Thus, the 79-years-old will be crowned the next Olubadan of Ibadan, subject to the approval of the governor of the state, Seyi Makinde.
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Here are six things to know about the Dr. Lekan Balogun
- Balogun hails from the Ali-Iwo compound in the Ibadan North East Local Government Area.
- As a child, he attended CAC Modern School, Anlugbua, and lived with one of his brothers, late Hamzat Balogun, who was a civil servant studying for the General Certificate of Education, Ordinary Level (GCE O’L).
- Upon completing his secondary and primary education in Oyo State, he proceeded to study Public Administration; Public and Social Administration, and Economics at Columbus International University, Brunel University, and Manchester University in the United Kingdom.
- Between 1999 and 2003, Mr. Balogun served as a senator for Oyo Central senatorial district. He also served as the chairman Senate Committee on National Planning and was a member of many Senate committees such as Appropriations, Security and Intelligence, Police Affairs, and Defence (Army).
- He ran for the position of President in the 1992/1993 general elections on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
- Also, he ran for governor in Oyo State for the PDP.
- Years ago, Mr Balogun was a Mogaji before he was promoted to the position of Ajia Olubadan.
- Additionally, he served as a research fellow at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State.
- At Shell Petroleum Development Company, he was head of the Industrial Relations, Recruitment, Scholarships, and Planning and Development units.
- In addition, he was a Research Fellow at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, a Director with Triumph Newspaper, Kano; Editor of the monthly magazine-“The Nigerian Pathfinder”, as well as a Management Consultant for multinational companies like Leyland, Exiat Battery, and Nigerian Breweries. He also sits on the boards of several companies, including those that deal with oil and gas, export, distribution, travel, management consulting, mechanized farming, and tourism.
