At the ripe age of 101, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade, the 38th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Africa’s third largest city, breathed his last at his Monatan palace in the ancient town last Tuesday. He was a devout Christian, humanist and respected traditional ruler. Odugade’s exemplary leadership can be gleaned from his life dedicated to the service of God and humanity.
Crowned on August 11 2007, the late royal father ascended the throne after waltzing through the labyrinth of the hierarchical system and unusual succession principle in Ibadanland, which is quite different from other traditional Yoruba rulers. It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool through stages of chieftaincy promotion. Any male born title-holder of the metropolitan centre is a potential king. For him, the journey started when he joined the Royal chieftaincy line 44 years ago as the Mogaji of Ladunni Compound in Ibadan.
Imbued with wits and uncommon intelligence, Odugade introduced a number of reforms to Ibadan chieftaincy system to see younger people on the saddle. He started the building of a palace, which the town never had in his life time. Unfortunately, he will not be the first Olubadan to occupy it.
The monarch was an exemplary person. He served the country in various capacities. He was a clerk, became a teacher, soldier, politician, educationist, parliamentarian, philanthropist and a first-class traditional ruler. A seasoned civil servant and a thoroughbred politician, Oba Odugade was a veteran of the World War II, where he was in charge of the demobilisation of returning soldiers in Lagos.
After the War, he worked with United Africa Company (UAC) as a produce clerk before commencing an eventful teaching career at the Church Missionary Society (CMS) Elementary School, Jago in 1938 before veering into politics in 1959 and got elected as a Member of the House of Representatives. He was parliamentary secretary to First Republic’s Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa. As Minster of State for Labour in 1964, he led the Nigerian Parliamentary delegation to the London Constitution Conference to restructure the former British colonies of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia).
His contributions towards the establishment of both primary and secondary schools in various parts of the old Western Region of Nigeria cannot be forgotten, even as it is on record that he was a self-made man who lived a worthy and exemplary life of grass to grace. At the twilight of his mortal existence, he was unwavering in principles and spoke truth to power. He would be remembered for his peaceful reign, gentlemanly conduct and vast contributions to nation-building as a parliamentarian and an incorruptible, fearless and revered traditional ruler.
Born on April 14, 1914, at Fadina Village in Lagelu Local Government area of Ibadanland, which was called Igbo Elerin area of the city, Oba Odugade began his elementary education at Saint Andrew’s School, Bamigbola, Ibadan in January 1922 and transferred to St. Peter’s School, Aremo in 1929. He completed his middle school education at Mapo Central School in 1936. An indefatigable grassroots mobiliser, Odugade was a co-founder of several organisations, like the Ibadan Economic Foundation and the Ibadan Progressive Union. He was Conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Management Technology by the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, in December 2005. Kabiyesi was survived by wives and many children.
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