Oba Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi, the Olowo of Owo, in Ondo State is dead, SaharaReporters has just learnt.
Oba Folagbade, who died in the early hours of Wednesday, was born on June 26, 1941. He was 77 years old.
The deceased was a former Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas. He succeeded his father, Olateru, as the Olowo of Owo, in 1999.
Oba Folagbade was the eldest son of the late Olowo of Owo, Sir Titus Olateru Olagbegi II, who ruled the town between 1910 and 1998.
He was given the Staff of Office as the Olowo of Owo on December 11, 2003, by the late Olusegun Agagu, former Governor of Ondo State.
A source in the family confirmed the death of the monarch in a telephone interview with SaharaReporters, saying: “Yes, the king is dead but we cannot announce it for now. There are some traditions to follow.
“We are trying to inform the Governor but I am aware he is currently out of the state for an official duty.”
In 2014, Oba Folagbade celebrated his 15th coronation in Owo an event that was attended by all sons and daughters of the ancient town.
He received his first degree in law from London, UK and attended Nigeria Law school in 1968 before practising Law under the late Fatai Williams.
While working at the law school, he married the late Bisi Cole and they would have four children. He rose to the peak of his career as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
As of the time of his death, he was married to Ololade Olateru-Olagbegi, a barrister and law lecturer at Ondo State University, and they are blessed with children.
He was a lecturer in the Nigerian Law School, where he retired as a reader in 1999 and now a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
He was appointed as Chancellor of University of Benin (Nigeria) in 2005 and later University of Abuja.
He was the Chancellor of the University of Jos, (UNIJOS) Plateau state until his death.
