By Folorunso Ojo,Akure
The Olowo of Owo in Ondo state, Oba Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi CFR has joined his ancestors. Oba Olateru-Olagbegi Oba Olagbegi passed away last night at the age of 77.
He was installed as the traditional ruler of the ancient town in 1999 by the Owo kingmakers but was given the staff of office by the 2003 by the late governor Olusegun Agagu.
He was a lawyer and received his first degree in law from London, UK and attended Nigeria Law school, in 1968 before practising Law under the tutelage of late Fatai Williams and rose to the peak of his career as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
He was a lecturer in the Nigerian Law School, where he retired as a reader in 1999 and he was appointed as Chancellor of University of Benin (Nigeria) in 2005 and later University of Abuja..
He is currently chancellor of the University of Jos and former chairman of the Ondo council of Obas.
He was married to Olori Ololade Olateru Olagbegi, a barrister and law lecturer at Ondo State University, and they are blessed with children and grandchildren.
A source at the palace of the deceased monarch told newsmen that the
monarch had earlier attended a security summit held in the town on
Tuesday.
The source hinted that the late monarch later developed complications
after he had retired to the palace and eventually died.
Although the state government was yet to make any official statement
on the death of the traditional ruler, the news of his death has gone
viral within the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Segun Ajiboye said he
was yet to received formal notice of the monarch’s death and could
therefore not make any comment on his death.
Incidentally, the state Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu who hails from
Owo was on an official engagement outside the country.
However, an official of Owo Local Government Area of the state who
preferred anonymity confirmed the death of the monarch, saying that the
chairman of the Local Government will today (Thursday) formally
announce it.
He said the monarch had been on and off of the hospital for over a
year attributing his death to health challenges he suffered since
ascension to the throne.
