The normally vibrant air of Ilobu, a semi-urban community nestled in Osun State’s Irepodun Local Government Area, was thick with an unmistakable sadness on the day the news broke. Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, had passed away, and with him, the heart of his hometown seemed to have gone quiet.
As residents gathered in clusters across the town, their faces etched with disbelief and sorrow, the true depth of the loss began to sink in. The community, once buzzing with excitement in anticipation of its annual celebration, was now caught in the throes of mourning. At the Oyedele’a compound, the family home of the late COAS, the grief was palpable. Pa Tajudeen Lagbaja, the patriarch of the family, was seen sobbing uncontrollably, surrounded by women who struggled to comprehend that their beloved son, brother, and benefactor was gone.
In a community that had long held Lagbaja in high esteem, the loss was felt in every corner. The Ilobu-Asake Development Union (IDU), led by President Olufemi Salako, made an emotional announcement suspending the much-anticipated Ilobu Day 2024 celebrations indefinitely. The event, which had been scheduled to run from November 4 to 10, was to include a major fundraising initiative aimed at raising N200 million for development projects in the area—a project which Lagbaja was meant to lead alongside other prominent sons of Ilobu, including former Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf.
Salako, speaking at Olobu’s palace, expressed shock and deep sorrow over the general’s passing. “His death has left a vacuum in the community,” he said. “At a time when his leadership and service were needed most for the development of Ilobu, Osun State, and Nigeria, he has been taken from us. We find solace in the legacy of dedication, gallantry, and commitment to Nigeria that he leaves behind.”
As Ilobu reeled from the sudden loss, the community’s leaders made a heartfelt plea to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Army. They called for the remains of the late COAS to be returned to Ilobu, his hometown, for burial. Pa Tajudeen Lagbaja, his voice breaking with emotion, said, “It feels as though a part of me has died with him.
He was our benefactor, and we want him to rest here in Ilobu, beside his father, in the family compound where he grew up.”
The request was simple: to honour the man who had given so much to Nigeria by allowing him to be laid to rest in the land he loved. The Ilobu community, already mourning, now found itself united in grief, with all celebrations placed on hold. The immediate focus, said Salako, was on offering prayers for Lagbaja’s family, the Nigerian Army, and the entire nation.
As the town of Ilobu mourns, the legacy of the late Chief of Army Staff will live on—not just in the monumental military contributions he made but in the hearts of the people who knew him best. His devotion to his community, his country, and his role in securing Nigeria’s future will forever remain a beacon for Ilobu and beyond.