Ode to the Late Oloye Olalekan Alabi, Abese Olubadan of Ibadanland, The Voice That Kept Memory Alive | Dr Funlola Dare

Ibadan has lost one of its living libraries.
Nigeria has lost a distinguished voice.
And history has lost one of its most faithful custodians. Oloye Olalekan Alabi, Abese Olubadan of Ibadanland

You walked among us with the dignity of a chief,
the discipline of a journalist,
the wisdom of an elder,
and the memory of one
who understood that a people must know their story
if they are to know themselves.

Your words carried the rhythms of Ibadan
ancient, courageous and unbowed.
Through your pen and public service,
you preserved names, places and moments
that time might otherwise have carried away.
You were more than a witness to history;
you became one of its trusted narrators.

From the newsroom to the corridors of government,
from public commentary to cultural stewardship,
you served with uncommon distinction.
You gave language to public life,
meaning to memory and dignity to service.

You reminded us that tradition is not a relic to be admired from a distance.
It is a living inheritance to be understood, protected
and passed faithfully to those yet unborn.

Perhaps this was why our bond felt so deeply familiar.
Like my own father, you loved and respected our indigenous music.
You carried within you a profound knowledge of our traditions
and an undiluted devotion to our culture.

You named our community work,
embedding us with the discipline and virtues of our culture and heritage
first, Oriade – the leadership responsibilities of the royal beaded crown;
then, Eleyinju Aanu – the philanthropist our commitment to each other;
and, finally, have left us with Àjọjẹ – our age long commitment to shared prosperity and humanity.

“Àjọjẹ ò dùn bí ẹnìkan ò bá ní; ọjọ́ a ní la ńṣe àjọjẹ.”
A feast cannot be joyful while someone among us has nothing;
It is when everyone has that we may truly call it a feast.

These were more than names. This was our special bond.
Each carried meaning, memory and purpose, giving language to a vision
rooted in compassion, community, and shared responsibility.

Through them, and through your life, you taught me the values we shared
Not only in words, but also in deed.
When everyone has, we all thrive.

Uncle Lekan, you were very kind to me.
You were my champion and a solid anchor.
And I shall miss you more deeply than words can say.

Oloye, your chair may now be empty, but your voice remains.
It lives in the stories you preserved,
the institutions you served,
the generations you mentored,
the lives you touched,
and the city whose history
you carried so proudly in your heart.

Ibadan will remember you.
Oyo State will remember you.
The journalism profession will remember you.
Nigeria will remember you.
And I will remember you.

For those who preserve the memory of a people do not disappear when they depart.
They become part of the memory they laboured so faithfully to protect.

Àjànàkú sùn bí òkè. A great elephant has fallen like a mountain.

Yet, even in our sorrow, we give thanks for a life of consequence; a life that spoke, served, recorded, and remembered.

May Almighty Allah forgive your shortcomings, receive your soul with mercy and grant you eternal rest in Al-Jannah Firdaus.

May your family,
the Olubadan-in-Council,
the people of Ibadanland
and all who cherished you
find strength in the honour of your life
and comfort in the permanence of your legacy.

Your voice is silent, but the stories remain.
And through them, so do you.
Oloye Olalekan Alabi, Abese Olubadan of Ibadanland faithful custodian of memory, distinguished servant of the people, sun re o.

Dr. Funlola Dare
President & Founder
Chestrad Global,
London, United Kingdom ,
August 2, 2026.