Dad’s demise personal loss-Fagbemi
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has described the passage of his father, the late Onijagbo of Ijagbo, Oba Salaudeen Olagunju Adeyeye Fagbemi, Obembe II, as an irreplaceable personal loss to him and the community.
The late traditional ruler of Ijagbo, in Kwara State, joined his ancestors on Sunday night after 43 years of reign, described by the governor of the state, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq as remarkable in transformational leadership and developmental strides.
The governor remarked this while addressing the crowd of mourners at the burial of the late monarch in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of the state, on Monday.
The remains of the royal father, aged 112 years, were interred inside the palace after the Janaz prayers and Islamic rites.Oba Fagbemi was a devout Muslim.
Prince Fagbemi said though the demise of the king did not come as a shock as he was quite advanced in age and had been ill for a while, it was nevertheless painful and had left a lurch in his heart.
He described the old man as a great advisor, caring father, humane and selfless leader, whose virtues and example in words and deeds has guided and shaped his life.
His eldest brother, Prince Ayo Fagbemi, a former Permanent Secretary in the Kwara State Civil Service, said their late dad died well-loved and a fulfilled man.
“Baba loved education, all the children are educated and successful and Ijagbo has witnessed tremendous development during his reign.So, in recent times, he has been feeling like, “what’s left for him to still be waiting here,” especially since the baby of the house, our last born, Lukman Fagbemi, was conferred with SAN a few weeks ago,” he said.
Addressing the people of the town and sympathizers from other parts of the state,including the Onijagbo’s colleagues in the Oyun Council of Traditional Rulers, and representatives of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, at the funeral ceremony, Governor Abdulrasaq expressed shock at Oba Fagbemi’s demise.
He lauded the late king’s efforts and contributions to the peace, unity and growth his domain has witnessed, especially in the past four decades.
Meanwhile, all the markets in the community have been ordered shut for five days as a mark of honour and to mourn the late traditional ruler.
