Baring all unforeseen circumstances, a former Senator representing Oyo Central, Senator Lekan Balogun, is set to become the next traditional ruler of Ibadanlan.
Senator Balogun, who is the next in hierarchy to the Olubadan, has had distinguished careers in academic, oil company, personnel management and of course in political activism.
An indigent student who rose by dint of personal efforts in acquiring Western education, Balogun later attended Brunel University after which he bagged his Masters’ degree and PhD giving him a rare edge among peers so early in life.
Balogun returned to Nigeria and became a researcher at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
As a conscious activist, being in the university later honed his interest further in masses oriented engagements. This led him to join the Peoples Redemption Party, a party he believed was maxist-oriented.
In 1979, Balogun became the governorship candidate of the Nigerian Peoples Party. However, his involvement in politics was halted as a result of the military take over in the country.
He was to surface on the political field again in 1999 after which he was elected a senator to represent Oyo Central district.
He had risen in rank towards the throne as he had been the next in rank to the Olubadan Oba Adetunji until his demise on Sunday.