Lekan Alabi, a senior Ibadan chief and veteran journalist, died Saturday morning in Lagos [1], [2].
Alabi held a dual role as a traditional leader and a public communications expert, making him a bridge between the ancestral governance of Ibadan and the modern Nigerian state. His death marks the loss of a figure who navigated both the political corridors of Oyo State and the traditional hierarchy of the Olubadan.
Alabi served as the Abese Olubadan, a high-ranking traditional title in Ibadan [1]. Beyond his traditional duties, he was a veteran journalist and formerly served as the press secretary for Oyo State [1], [2]. He was 76 years old at the time of his death [1].
The news of his death prompted immediate reactions from high-ranking officials. President Bola Tinubu said he mourned the high chief [3]. Governor Seyi Makinde and the Olubadan also offered condolences following the announcement [4].
Alabi's career spanned several decades of Nigerian media and governance. His work as a press secretary placed him at the center of state communications during critical periods of regional administration. In his capacity as a chief, he remained an influential voice in the traditional council of Ibadan.
He died in Lagos, Nigeria [3]. While the specific cause of death was not provided in official reports, the loss has been felt across both the journalistic community and the traditional leadership of Oyo State.
“Lekan Alabi, a senior Ibadan chief and veteran journalist, died Saturday morning in Lagos”
The death of Lekan Alabi represents the passing of a rare hybrid figure in Nigerian public life. By simultaneously holding a senior traditional title and a high-level government communications role, Alabi embodied the intersection of customary authority and bureaucratic state power. His influence in Ibadan suggests a period of transition for the traditional council as it loses one of its most media-savvy members.
