The newly installed 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba (Dr) Olalekan Balogun, has assured the people of Ibadanland and Nigeria in general that he would not let them down.

Balogun made the pledge in his first public speech shortly after Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State presented the Staff of Office and Instrument of Office to him as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Presenting the Staff of Office to the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Governor Seyi Makinde prayed for a peaceful and prosperous reign and urged the Olubadan to be a father to all.“The new Olubadan said: “I want to assure all that I will not let the people of Ibadan down. I will not let the people of Nigeria down.”

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State presented the Staff of Office and Instrument of Office to Oba (Dr) Olalekan Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland at exactly 12.30 p.m.

The programme was officially declared open at exactly 11.14 a.m with the recitation of National Anthem, Oyo State Anthem as well as Ibadan Anthem. The opening prayers were said by Christians, Muslims and the traditional prayer by the Araba Awo of Ibadanland.However, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland was ushered into the venue at exactly 11.50 a.m, after which all the traditional chiefs, Mogajis, religious leaders, leaders of various associations in Ibadanland paid homage to Oba Balogun.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Vice President Atiku Abubarkar, were among notable personalities that graced the installation of Oba Olalekan Balogun as the 42 Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Other dignitaries in attendance were Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Deputy Governor of Osun, Benedict Alabi and Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State.

There  were also the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar; Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan; and Ambassador of Republic of China to Nigeria, Cui Jiauchun.Oba Yusuf Adeleye, the Olubaka of Okaland in Ondo State; Oluwo of Iwoland; the Ikere of Saki and Aseyin of Iseyin were also there.

Also present were a former Governor of Oyo State and the Otun Olubadan, Chief Rasidi Ladoja and a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, who represented Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.No fewer than four Yoruba musicians, including an Ibadan based Fuji musician, were on stage to entertain dignitaries and well-wishers at the occasion.

The Chairman of the South West Governor’s Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu  expressed optimism that the new Olubadan, Dr Lekan Balogun’s reign as Monarch of the old Western Region’s capital will usher in unprecedented turnaround in the city.

Akeredolu in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde in Akure described the new monarch as” a great and indeed, the most desirable ideological tool for the development of Ibadan City.

The statement read: “The ascendancy of this enigma, with whom an enviable   personal relationship had been established decades ago, exudes passion and displays an impeccable character of compassion. His shrewd comportment is legendary.”

Earlier, the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, Wednesday presented a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV to the new Olubadan.