Due to the burial of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, all markets were forced to close on Friday morning.
Two days after turning 90, on July 7, 2025, Oba Olakulehin, the 43rd Olubadan, passed away.
Today, August 8, he will be laid to rest at the St. Peter’s Cathedral in Aremo, Ibadan.
In a statement released on Thursday, Oyo State Babaloja General Alhaji Yekeen Abass ordered that all markets be closed on Friday from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. in remembrance of the deceased king.
Abass stated that the purpose of the closure was to honor the esteemed traditional leader who “diligently served the country, the state, and, most importantly, Ibadanland.”
“Traders and artisans in Ibadan will continue to remember the late monarch for keeping the peace and fostering an environment that is conducive to commerce in the ancient city,” he said.
Therefore, allow me to counsel Ibadanland’s market leaders to make sure that the direction is strictly followed in each of their markets.
In addition, Abass prayed for the deceased king’s soul and requested God to give the royal family the strength to deal with the loss.
In the meantime, a lying-in-state at the historic Mapo Hall in the Ibadan South East Local Government Area marked the start of the last funeral service on Thursday.
Members of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Mogajis (heads of families), Christian and Muslim religious leaders, traditional worshippers, and other dignitaries attended the solemn occasion.
Femi Ibikunle, Governor Seyi Makinde’s Special Adviser on Interfaith Affairs, called the late Olubadan “an astute and articulate traditional ruler.”
“The interests of the people were always the top priority for the late Oba Olakulehin,” he stated. He was industrious and accommodative, and his acceptance of all faith communities contributed to the stability of his rule.
Chief Asimiyu Ariori, the president of the Ibadan Mogajis, also spoke, stating that the late monarch had a distinguished life and had left a lasting impression on Ibadanland.
Sunmbo Owolabi, the late king’s first son, thanked CCII, Mogajis, and other Ibadan natives for their support on behalf of the family.
The city would “continue to wax stronger,” he prayed.
As part of the ongoing rites of passage, a Christian wake was hosted later in the evening at the Olubadan Palace in Oke-Aremo, which is located inside the Ibadan North Local Government Area.
