Ijesa’s prominent royal father, the Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran passed on Thursday morning, aged 86.
His death was announced by Asiwaju of Ijesaland, Chief Yinka Fasuyi, to dispel earlier anxiety over the health of the monarch who had been indisposed for some time.
Fasuyi, in a tribute wrote: “An Era Comes To An Abrupt End!
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in a tweet said Aromolaran was more than a father-in-law to him.
Atiku Abubakar stated on his verified Twitter page on Thursday: “With a heavy heart, I received the news of the passing of the Owa Obokun of Ijesha land, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran. The late Owa was more than a father-in-law to me. Each time I visited him, he accorded me the homecoming welcome of a son.
“We all loved him dearly. He was a great monarch and personified the boldness, courage, and discipline of the Ijesha progeny. On behalf of my wife, Titi, I share my condolences with the Owa-in-Council and the entire indigenes and residents of Ijesha land, especially members of the royal family.
“As Oba Aromolaran turns his face to his Maker, I pray that his soul finds a gentle repose. Amen. -AA”
Born on October 13, 1937, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II received a B.Sc in Economics from the University of Ibadan in 1964.
He enlisted in the old Western State Civil Service and and later enrolled for a management course at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He also obtained a Masters in Development Economics.
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In 1965, he obtained a Graduate Diploma in Public Administration at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. Not too long after that, he started his Ph. D programme at the University of London but later transferred to his alma mater, the University of Ibadan.
He became the first Nigerian monarch to hold a Ph.D. His work was supervised by Prof. Olajuwon Olaide, a former vice chancellor of the University.
A worthy recipient of the national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic, Oba Dr. Aromolaran II was honoured with several doctorate degrees. These include an LL. D (honoris causa) by the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, where he served as chancellor between 2002 and 2012.
A trained teacher, prolific writer, and erudite scholar, Oba Aromolaran II, resigned from the Western State Civil Service in 1971 and plunged into private business.
He established the highly successful Aromolaran Publishing Company Limited, Ibadan. He published about 100 books, most of them selected as the official titles for the West African Examination Council’s ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels examinations.
He ascended the throne in 1982, succeeding Oba Peter Adeniran Olatunji Agunlejika II.
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