Sanwo-Olu urges Badagry to preserve late monarch’s legacy

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on the people of Badagry to sustain and protect the legacy of the late Akran of Badagry, Oba De Wheno Aholu Menu Toyi I.

The governor made the appeal on Saturday during a funeral outing thanksgiving service held in honour of the monarch at Freeman Memorial Methodist Cathedral in Badagry.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, the governor described the late traditional ruler as a symbol of unity and fairness.

He said, “The Akran of Badagry was a constant, an unshakeable figure of unity, whose palace was always open to his people and whose voice was always measured, always just.”

The event drew top government officials, including Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Secretary to the State Government Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, members of the State Executive Council, political leaders, traditional rulers, and residents of Badagry.

Following the service, the governor also performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I Cultural Park.

Sanwo-Olu noted that the late monarch left behind a lasting legacy defined by peace, dignity, and cultural preservation. He urged residents not to allow grief overshadow the achievements of the revered king.

“To the good people of Badagry, I say this: your Kabiyesi lived a life worthy of celebration. He was a teacher, a journalist, a king, a statesman, a father, and a guardian of one of the most storied kingdoms in Nigeria’s history. He gave you forty-eight years of peace. He gave the world a record of your heritage. He gave God a life of service.

“Do not let grief consume what he built. The best tribute you can offer the Akran of Badagry is to continue the work, to preserve the monuments, uphold the traditions, welcome the world to witness Badagry’s history, and raise your children to know the covenant of this ancient land,” he said.

Reflecting on his interactions with the monarch, the governor added, “Throughout my time as Governor of Lagos State, I was privileged to witness firsthand the steady, principled presence of the Akran in our Council of Obas and Chiefs. He was not a man who spoke often, but when he spoke, the room listened. His was the wisdom of long years and long service, patient, generous, and incorruptible.”

He also extended condolences to the royal family and the people of Badagry.

“To the Royal Family of the Badagry Kingdom, to the sons and daughters, the chiefs, the palace council, and the extended royal household, I bring the condolences of the Lagos State Government and of the entire people of Lagos.

“We grieve with you. We know that no words can fill the space left by the departure of a father, a patriarch, and a king. But we also know that the surest way to honour a great man is to carry his values forward,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu further described the monarch as a devoted leader whose life was dedicated to service, noting his efforts in preserving Badagry’s historical heritage and promoting its cultural identity.

“We celebrate a life that spanned nearly nine decades of extraordinary witness. We celebrate a reign of forty-eight years, the longest of any traditional ruler in Lagos State’s modern history. And above all, we celebrate a man whose love for his people was the compass by which he charted every decision.

“The people of Badagry often said of him, ‘We have not lost a king; we have lost a father.’ That is the highest compliment that can be paid to any leader, that his people feel not the distance of a crown but the warmth of a parent’s care,” he said.

In his sermon, Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Sunday Ola Makinde, described the late monarch as a hospitable leader who loved his people deeply.

Makinde said the monarch’s life was a reminder of human mortality and a testament to service to God until death. He also commended the Sanwo-Olu administration for infrastructural development, particularly the Blue and Red rail lines and the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

He further urged Bola Tinubu to disregard criticism surrounding the proposed Badagry-Sokoto Expressway, describing the project as commendable and necessary.

Speaking on the theme, “How are you preparing for your eternity?” the cleric encouraged individuals to live purposeful lives, noting that one’s actions and values ultimately shape their legacy.