Chief Olatunde Abudu, a revered Nigerian industrialist and educationist, has died at 96. Tributes from Obasanjo, Amosun and others celebrate his lasting legacy in Abeokuta

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he death of Chief Olatunde Abudu, a renowned Nigerian industrialist, philanthropist and educationist, has left Ogun State and the wider country in mourning.

Also read: Another fatality at Ogun’s Quantum Steel Industry as employee dies in industrial accident

The Egba High Chief, aged 96, passed away peacefully on Monday at his residence in Abeokuta.

In line with Islamic traditions, the late Chief was buried the same day within the grounds of Nobel House College, a respected educational institution he founded in the Ogun State capital.

The Chief Imam of Egbaland, Saad Bamgbola, led the Janazat (funeral) prayer, as a host of dignitaries, family members, and community figures gathered to honour a man described as the heartbeat of Abeokuta’s industrial and social progress.

Notable attendees included Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Shuaibu Salisu, ex-Governor Ibikunle Amosun, and former UK High Commissioner Sarafa Tunji Isola.

Obasanjo, visibly moved, praised the departed leader for his unmatched legacy. *“He was the greatest industrialist in Abeokuta and in Ogun State. His place will be very hard to fill,” he remarked.

Former Governor Amosun also offered heartfelt reflections, highlighting Abudu’s lasting imprint on the state’s development.

“Hardly anything would be happening positively in Abeokuta that you would not see his footprints,” he said, noting Abudu’s unwavering courage in offering honest counsel even during his tenure.

Chief Olatunde Abudu was celebrated not only for his industrial prowess but also for his enduring commitment to education, community growth, and youth development.

His legacy, many say, will live on in the institutions he built and the lives he touched.