From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan. Balogun, Alli-Okunmade II, on Monday installed the General Manager in charge of Operations of The Sun Publishing Limited, Damola Daniel Lajumoke, as Mogaji Lajumoke Family of Alekuso Area, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
He was installed at the Ali-Iwo palace of Olubadan in the presence of members of Olubadan-in-Council, which included Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakulehin; Otun Balogun, Tajudeen Ajibola; the Osi Olubadan, Eddy Oyewole; Ashipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola; Ekerin Balogun, Dada Isioye; Ekerin Olubadan, Hamidu Ajibade; and Ekarun Olubadan, Adebayo Akande.
Mogaji, which stands for head of a large family, is the first step in the Olubadan Chieftaincy Matters. It is at the base of the two ruling lines – Otun (civil) and Balogun (military), that have been producing Olubadan on a rotational basis.
Commissioner for Information in Ogun State, Waheed Odusile, and the Maye Balogun, Sharafadeen Alli, who is the 2023 Oyo South senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC); younger brother of Olubadan, Senator Kola Balogun, representing Oyo South senatorial district in the National Assembly; were also among dignitaries that graced the occasion.
During the installation, Oba Balogun, who spoke through the Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakulehin, warned Lajumoke and the other nine Mogajis against land grabbing and other vices capable of tarnishing the image of the Ibadan traditional institution.
Mogaji Lajumoke and his wife, Fadekemi, as well as his friends, were received at the popular Bere at the heart of Ibadan, from where he danced amid traditional entertainment of talking drums and other smaller drums to Chief S.O. Lajumoke Compound, Alekuso, which is between Beere and Ayeye in Ibadan.
Fielding questions from this reporter on his installation as Mogaji, Lajumoke said: “I am very happy about it. It’s long overdue. But I believe that God’s time is the best. It is what we have been looking forward to doing. We thank God that it has come to reality; to God be all the glory.
“I know that the tasks ahead are enormous. I believe that God will help me to shoulder the responsibilities. I will discharge my duties appropriately. The progress of Ibadanland is very dear to my heart. I will join the traditional institution in Ibadan for the growth and development of Ibadan.
Wife of Mogaji Lajumoke Family of Alekuso, Mrs Fadekemi Lajumoke, promised to be a strong pillar of support to her husband in the onerous task of advancing the cause of the large family and Ibadanland.
Commissioner for Information in Ogun State, Waheed Odusile, also said: “First and foremost, I must express my happiness and joy that my friend, Damola Lajumoke, is now the Mogaji of Lajumoke Family in Alekuso, Ibadan. It is the mark of honour and recognition.
“I am not surprised because since we have been friends for three to four decades, I have known him to be a leader, trustworthy, hardworking, fair-minded and generous as well. He likes to take care of the interest of everybody with him. I am sure that those are parts of the qualities the family saw in him before nominating him as the Mogaji of the family. His nomination was ratified by the Olubadan-in-Council.
“Now that he is the head of his large family, not only his nuclear family alone, I will advise him to continue in that spirit. What they saw in him made them pick him among all the sons of the Lajumoke family to be the Mogaji, he should continue in a similar manner, and improve on it. Today, he is Mogaji and I pray that God will preserve his life and by one day, he will become the Olubadan of Ibadanland.”
The other Mogajis also installed by Olubadan same day with Lajumoke, are Ismail Olagunju of Akinsola Family, Gbenla; Adewale Salami of Mejidande Salami Family of Agodi; Ishola Adeyinka of Agbenjonku Family; Fatai Adeniyi of Lamolo; Oladiti Ojo of Ojo Fagbemigun Family, Inalende; Olalere Oladeji of Akintayo Family of Idi-Igba; Oreoluwa Akinbiyi of Akinbiyi Family of Elekuro; Saheed Abiola of Igbaro Ola of Family of Isale-Alfa; and Samuel Akanbi of Ile-Epo, Gbenla.