By Adekunle Oluwafunmilayo
The Government and people of Ijebu-Ode Local Government have expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Chief (Mrs.) Lucia Onabowale Onabanjo, a revered matriarch of the Onabanjo family and an iconic figure in the history of Ijebu-Ode and Ogun State. She passed on at the glorious age of 100.
In a condolence message issued on behalf of the local government, the Executive Chairman, Hon. Dare Alebiosu, described the late Chief (Mrs.) Onabanjo as a monumental figure whose life embodied the finest values of the Ijebu people.
According to him, as the wife of the first civilian Governor of Ogun State, the late Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo, popularly known as “Ayekooto,” Mama Lucia Onabanjo was the quiet but steadfast pillar behind her husband’s enduring legacy. While her husband championed political transformation in the state, she remained the emotional anchor of the family and a source of comfort and support to the wider community, opening her home as a refuge for many.
Hon. Alebiosu noted that the late matriarch was fondly regarded as a “Mother in Israel” and a strong grassroots pillar, admired for her deep connection with market women, artisans, and ordinary citizens. He added that her strength, compassion, and unwavering support for her husband during some of Nigeria’s most challenging political periods continue to inspire generations.
While mourning her physical departure, the Chairman urged the people to celebrate a life that spanned a century of service, sacrifice, and purposeful impact. He observed that Mama Lucia lived to witness the growth and development of Ijebu-Ode, nurtured by the foundational efforts she and her husband laid many decades ago.
He prayed that Almighty God would grant the Onabanjo family the fortitude to bear the loss and grant the departed matriarch eternal rest as she reunites with her beloved husband.
The Ijebu-Ode Local Government extended its heartfelt condolences to the Onabanjo family, praying that the legacy of the late Chief (Mrs.) Lucia Onabowale Onabanjo will continue to endure in the hearts of the people.
