One year after he was crowned, and barely 48 hours after celebrating his 90th birthday, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Akinloye Olalere Owolabi Olakulehin, has joined his ancestors.
The royal father, who ascended the throne in July 2024, reportedly died in the early hours of Monday, July 7, 2025.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde gave the departed monarch his staff of office on July 12, 2024, as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Oba Olakulehin ascended the throne from the chieftancy rung of Balogun Olubadan, following the demise of Oba (Dr.) Moshood Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, who joined his ancestors at 81 on March 14, 2024.
A founding member of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Oyo State in the Third Republic, he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 1992 representing Ibadan South East Constituency in that republic and served as Chairman of the House Committee of the Nigerian Army.
He later retired from active politics to devote himself to his service in the Olubadan hierarchy.
He was born on July 1935 in Okugbaja Village near Akanran, in Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State to Pa Ishola-Okin Owolabi and Madam Adunola Aweni Opo Ajilaran Omoyoade Owolabi. However his family has its ancestral homestead at Ita-Baale Olugbode, in Ibadan city.
He had his primary education at St James Primary School, Oke Akaran, Islamic School, Odoiye, Ibadan, and St Peter Primary School, Aremo, Ibadan.
He was a primary school teacher at Wakajaiye in Akobo Area of Ibadan before he gained admission to Yaba Technical Institute for his secondary school education with vocational study in printing and artwork.
Thereafter, he worked at the Ministry of Works, Western Region Government in Ibadan from 1959 starting as a third-class clerk. From here, he gained admission to the Yaba College of Technology to study and obtained his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Building.
He thereafter transferred his service to the Nigerian Army Corp of Engineers where he was recruited in 1970 through the Direct Short Service Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant serving in Benin and Sapele under Gen Olusegun Obasanjo as his commanding officer.
He later served in various positions and locations across the country rising through the ranks to the position of Major. As an officer, he held various positions including Commanding Officer of the Army Maintenance Regiment in Jos, Kaduna and Lagos. He retired voluntarily from the Nigerian Army as a Major on 1st October 1979 following the completion of a remarkable twenty-year career in military service.
After disengaging from military service, he founded and incorporated FAKOL Nigeria Limited, a building contracting company which undertook various contracts for private individuals, corporations and the government including the Nigerian Army.
A successful businessman, he was also engaged in various enterprising endeavours which include the ownership and operation of a successful printing press (Olakulehin Press, later renamed Solid Prints) and the establishment of FAKOL Bakery which was very famous for the production, distribution and supply of Fakol Loaves, Pastries and other pioneering confectionaries within the city of Ibadan.
He became Mogaji for the Ige Olakulehin Family of Ita-Baale in Ibadan North East Local Government in 1983 and was installed as the Jaagun Balogun of Ibadan Land by Oba Oloyede Asanke in 1986. Rising through the ladder, he was elevated in 2006 to the Olubadan-In-Council under Oba Yinusa Bankole Ogundipe, the 38th Olubadan of Ibadan and served as the Head of Traditional Council in various Local Governments across Ibadan, representing the Olubadan-In-Council before he became the Balogun of Ibadan in 2016.
