OFFICIAL: The Great Obaro of Kabba, Oba Micheal Olobayo is Dead
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The King of Kabba, a popular town named Oweland in Kogi State, Oba Micheal Olobayo (Obaro Ero II) and Chairman of Okun Traditional Council, has passed on.
In a statement, Oba Mike Oladele Yusuf, the Obadofin of Oweland, traditionally second in command announced: “With deep sense of lost but with total submission to the wish of our forefathers, I announce the the transition into spirit hood of our father and king, HRM OBA Dr MICHAEL FOLORUNSHO OLOBAYO OON(JP).
“As the tradition demands,it was announced traditionally at about 3pm yesterday (May 21) at KABBA, KATU and ODOLU which formed my official announcement to owe people this morning thereby declaring a three weeks mourning period.
“I will be meetings with all the traditionalist on a daily bases to see that our king is given a befitting transition while waiting the children for the burial rite programmes.
“We will communicate both the chairman and the state governor over the development in the coming days. As we go about our daily activities, remember to always pray for the family he left behind and also pray for oweland as our unity will be tested in the days ahead.
“Let us all watch what we say and do,owe unity and peace was what he lived for,we can’t afford to fail him,” he concluded.
The monarch, Oba Micheal traditionally known as ‘Obaro’, joined his ancestors on May 19 but an official announcement was made on Saturday,May 22.
He was 71 years old and ruled the Owe people for 30 years and seven months since his ascension to the throne on October 17th, 1985. The Obaro was said to have died after a protracted illness.
The late monarch last year marked his seventieth birthday and thirtieth year on the throne, a ceremony which drew the creme de la creme to the ancient town.
Olobayo was a graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he studied history. He was one time district officer and rose to the pinnacle of civil service before being crowned as the Obaro of Kabba.
Meanwhile, no official statement from the Kogi state government yet confirming the demise of the monarch.
