Foremost Progressive, Mogaji Oyebamiji Olorode, buried in Ogbomoso amidst massive celebration

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By Sunday Adepoju

A foremost elder statesman, progressive-minded politician and leader, Mogaji Oyebamiji Alamu Sobaloju Olorode, was, on Friday, buried in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, amidst testimonies and celebration of a purposeful life well lived.

Pannigeriannews.com reports that Olorode belonged to the indelible era of nationalist era, joining foremost nationalists in the acualisation of the sovereign Nigeria.

At a well attended burial service organised by Ayegun Baptist Church area of Ogbomoso and held at Beaulah Baptist Centre, Sun-un Sun-un area, prominent politicans and traditional rulers and families in Ogbomoso, Oyo State and even beyond stormed the city to pay last respect to the late Patriarch of Oluyale Ruling House of Onpetu of Ijeru.

In the list of those at both the church service and reception segment whoch held at Ogbomoso Baptist High School open field were the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation and Aerospace Development, Sen. Dr. Abdul-Fatai Omotayo Buhari; Sen. Amzat Ayoade Adeseun; former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Iyiola Oladokun; Sen. Brig. Gen. Brimo Yemi Yusuf ; wife of former Governor Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, represented by Mrs. Hannah Ogunesan; Chairman of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority and immediate past Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee information, National Orientation, Values and Ethics, Hon. Segun Dokun Odebunmi (Bunvic); Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Youths in Parliament, Hon. Olamijuwonlo Ayodeji Alao-Akala; Hon. Michael Adesoji Adedeji (Iba Agba), brother of Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr. Zacc Adelabu Adedeji; Dr Saka Balogun; ace broadcast journalist and writer, Prince Dotun Oyelade who is the Oyo State Commisioner for Information and Civic Orientation; Chief Akin Oke; Alhaji Bashiru Akanbi; Majority Leader of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanjo Onaolapo Adedoyin; Hon. Jacob Bamgboye; Hon. Kayode Akande; Barrister Dapo Atanda; Hon. Peter Remi Odetomi.

Among countless others, Hon. Taiwo Alagbe, Hon. Adeyemo Adedeji (Obadoba), Hon. Rasaq Bello (Razor), Engr. Dayo Lawal, Hon. Deji Akande, Hon. Wale Adeleke (Arole Akala), Hon. Prince Wasiu Olukan, Hon. Ayomide Adegoke Maigida, Prince Abbass Bello.

Traditional institutions were in attendance, including but not limited to the Onpetu of Ijeru, Ona Sunday Oladapo Oyediran, repsented by Olori Subuola Esther Oyediran; Aale of Okeelerin, Oba Samuel Oyebamiji Amao.

Delivering his sermon at the church service, the Minjatetin charge of Ayegun Baptist Church, Rev’d Dr. Paul O. Olaleye, charged Nigerians to shun evil, do the will of God and live a life of service to humanity.

He encouraged the rich and wealthy to always remember the poor in the society, reminding them of the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man in the Bible.

“Sons and daughters of Gid here present, give your lives to Christ. Tomorrow may be too late. I want to beseech you all to take care of the needy. Let tour lives be channels of blessings to others.

“Live your lives in the service of God and humanity and it shall be well with you,” Olaleye said.

Prince Olorode, who, untill his death, was Mogaji of Oluyale Ruling House of Onpetu of Ijeru, was born on May 1, 1931 and breathed his last on Friday, May 23, 2025, having aged 94. Mogaji Olorode started primary education at Native Authority (NA) School, Masifa, Ogbomoso where he completed Infant 1 abd Infant 2 before priceeding to Advanced Elementary School Classes at the Ogbomoso People’s Institute (OPI), Paku where he finished with Standard 6 Certificate.

He was in the primary school generation of his cousins (Gbadegesin Adeyanju, Oyelade Olorode, Iyiola Olabisi) and some of the children of prominent Ijeru families such as Ilufoye Adedoyin, Onaolapo Oladeji, Gbadebo Alaasoko, Laogun Adeoye, among others.

Due to limitation of financial resources, he had to abandon the then equivalent of Secondary Education in Class 2 and in 1951, he enrolled in the School of Agriculture for a two-year training course in crop production and livestock management. Upon graduation, government gave him, like other graduates of the school, a piece of land, two cows, and a stock of poultry to start a farm on his own in what becane known as Ogbomoso Farm Settlement. That led to his success in agriculture, including food crops, livestock husbandry, cocoa plantation, and so on.

Mogaji Olorode was also a business: he ventured successfully into cement and beverage distributorship.

Mogaji Olorode was reputed for his community service as a leader, astute organiser and political activist. He was active in the Western Nigeria Cooperative Society in Ogbomoso. He was in the co-operators who established the then Cooperative Bank branch in Ogbomoso, the forerunner of today’s Polaris Bank.

Mogaji Olorode becane an activist in what generally became the progressive wing of Nigeria’s political movement as early as the late 1950s. He joined tge Nigerian nationalist movement and political activities with the likes of Chief Ladoke Akintola, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Adegoke Adelabu, Ahmadu Bello, Aminu Kano, among others. His contemporaries in Ogbomoso included Gbadebo Alaasoko, Laogun Adeoye, Moses Ayandele, Oladejo Adigun, Nathaniel Adibi, Victor Lajide and Samuel Akinpelu Magbagbeola. He also operated in an extended political and social circles that included Amuda Eyeba, Bello Laide Baiyewuwon, Prince Okanlawon, Baba Ezekiel Adedokun, Alhaji Kalilu, Baba Olubi Elega, Baba Owolabi Onideere, Lateef Babarinde, Amuda Aworinde, and so on.

Subsequently, Olorode worked in close relationship with people like Chief Bola Ige, Kolapo Ishoa, Lam Adesina and Abiola Ajimobi.

He was a member of the Action Group (AG) in the 1950s and 1960s, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the 1970s and 1980s, Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 1990s and subsequently Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) All Progressives Congress (APC) and Accord Party.

Olorode was described as a genuine democrat, insisting that every human has an inalienable right to hold political opinion and that such opinion nust not disturb or encumbrance personal relationships. He was a vritocal spearhead of the establishment of Ogbomoso Local Council. He was a member of Egbe Ajenifuja, a civic or social club which, established in 1972, continues ro galvanise young adults and older members for mutual assistance and community development.