Obasanjo, Soyinka, Babalakin, Others Eulogise Olunloyo as Burial Rites Begin

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan 

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday, in Ibadan, led other prominent Nigerians including Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; a legal luminary, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) and Prof. Toyin Falola, to pay tributes to former governor of old Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo.

Olunloyo died on April 6 at the age of 89 years.

Others at the event include the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, represented by the Ashipa of Ibadanland, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi; the President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indegiens (CCII), Mr. Niyi Ajewole; Senator Kola Balogun; former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Femi Bamiro, and former Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde, Chief Bisi Ilaka, among others.

Obasanjo, while speaking as the Chairman at a symposium organised by the Initiative for Information, Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria (IACD), to kick-start the final burial rites of Olunloyo, described the former governor as a scholar, genius and a man of books while alive, stating that his exceptional intelligence was beyond the ordinary.

He said: “With Omololu, anything he touched, he did with ease almost too easily. He studied engineering and ended up excelling as a mathematician. It all came naturally to him like play.

“You cannot talk about Omololu without mentioning a part of his life that some referred to as political rascality or seeming unseriousness. I used to enjoy that part of him. Because every time we met and we met many times, he always appeared unserious at first. But what would eventually come out of him was deep, profound, and very serious. Every time we were together, I learned something new about him.

“Of course, our paths crossed more deeply in 1965 when I came here, and we served in the same government of the old Western Region under my senior, General Adebayo. Our cabinet was evenly split — 12 members with six from Awolowo’s side and six from Akintola.

“The head of government was neutral, and I believe I was neutral too. But there was one man in that group whose allegiance you could not pin down to either Awolowo or Akintola. That man was Omololu Olunloyo. I think, in truth, he was on both sides.

“Whether he was discussing policy, joking or just in casual conversation, Omololu was different. He was a very, very serious man wrapped in layers of brilliance, wit and intellect that only few could truly understand.”

In his remarks through zoom, Prof. Wole Soyinka described Olunloyo as a mathematical genius while alive, whose legacy will never be forgotten, noting that his impacts in academics and politics cannot be overemphasized.

On his part, the Global President, Government College, Ibadan (GCI) Old Boys Association where Olunloyo was an alumnus, Dr. Wale Babalakin, said the former governor was a genius among geniuses, adding that the school is proud of him as one of its alumni.

“There is no other schools in Nigeria that has produced geniuses such as Olunloyo like the GCI which makes it the best secondary school in the country,” he said.

A professor at the University of Texas, United States of America, Toyin Falola, while speaking on ‘Ibadan; Mythologies and History,’ said the ancient city is known for its witty slogans among the indigenes, adding that the former governor was a master of such especially in the area of politics.

Other speakers at the event included the Editor, Saturday Tribune, Dr. Lasisi Olagunju; Prof. Biyi Afonja; Prof. Olusoji Ofi; Dr. Tolu Owoaje and Mr. Dapo Ogunwusi.