Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has described the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba (Dr.) Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi, Ajagungbade III, who died on Sunday as his good friend.
He said the late monarch was “a patriot and custodian of our cultural and traditional values, who gave his best while on the throne of his forefathers.”
Obasanjo added that the contributions of late Soun to the political, social, and economic life of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, would remain indelible in the hearts and minds of those who had interacted with him in politics and in social-economic life.
In his tribute to the monarch, the former President further went down memory lane to eulogies Oba Oyewumi.
He made his feelings known in the tribute titled: “I LOST A GOOD FRIEND – HRM OBA (DR.) OLADUNNI OYEWUMI, THE SOUN OF OGBOMOSOLAND”.
Obasanjo said:
“Oba Oyewumi was an extraordinary person blessed with qualities and characteristics which made him one of the most unforgettable men of our generation. He was a successful businessman. He was one of those, early in the history of Nigeria, that really made living outside one’s place of birth a home and great success. I can still vividly remember his contribution to social life in Jos in the 1960s and 70s. He made his business in Jos where he was well at home and respected. I met him in Jos in 1961 and since then we had become friends.
“He lived a life of not only of service but also of peace among his fellow Obas and within his own community without allowing himself to be swayed from what is right and correct for a traditional ruler by politicians. He represented the absolute pinnacle of the Nigerian spirit. A truly noble human being, he was a king among men who earned the respect and admiration of all. Yet he never lost the humane touch. Hardworking, gentle, kind, humble, giving, generous and true, he embodied all the best of what it is to be human. Indeed, Ogbomosoland has lost a great monarch, and Oyo State, a towering personality whose benign influence will be difficult to replace.
“It is my prayer that his rare qualities will live forever in the minds and hearts of all who knew him and I encourage them to preserve his legacy by imitating him.
“May God grant his family, the good people of Ogbomosoland and the entire Oyo State the grace to bear the heavy loss of his death.”
