Oba Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi, CFR, The Olowo of Owo has joined his ancestors. Oba Folagbade who died in the early hours of Wednesday was born on June 26, 1941.
He was the eldest son of the late Olowo of Owo in Ondo State, Sir Olateru Olagbegi who ruled the ancient town between 1941 and 1998. From 1941, he ruled for 25 years before he was deposed. In 1993, he was re-appointed to his former title of Olowo after the death of the reigning king, Oba Adekola Ogunoye who reigned between February 1968 to November 1992.
Oba Folagbade was given the staff of office as the Olowo of Owo in December 11, 2003 by the late Olusegun Agagu, former governor of Ondo State after succeeding his father in 1999.
An insider said: “Yes, the Monarch 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, but it is true Oba Olateru is dead,” he said.
He is the eldest son of the late Olowo of Owo, Sir Titus Olateru Olagbegi II. He received his first degree in law from London, UK and attended Nigeria Law school in 1968. He practice Law under the late Fatai Williams.
He was a lecturer at the Nigerian Law School, where he retired as a reader in 1999 and now a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN.
He is married to Ololade Olateru-Olagbegi, a Barrister and law lecturer at the Ondo State University, and they are blessed with children and grandchildren.
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.