Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has expressed deep sorrow over the death of retired Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, a former Military Administrator of Bayelsa State and ex-Minister of Police Affairs.
Olubolade, who was also a former governorship aspirant in Ekiti, died on Sunday at the age of 70 in Apapa, Lagos.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, Oyebanji described the late Olubolade as ‘a great son of Ekiti’ who made indelible contributions to Nigeria’s military, political and public service spheres.
“Ekiti has lost a great son who made an indelible impact in his military career, public service and in politics,” the governor said.
He noted that Olubolade’s legacy lives on, especially in Bayelsa State, where he helped lay the foundation for development during his tenure as Military Administrator, and at the federal level, where he served in three ministerial capacities.
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“Captain Olubolade shone like a glittering star as Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Minister of Special Duties, and later as Minister of Police Affairs during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan,” Oyebanji recalled.
The governor said Olubolade’s entry into politics after his military retirement was driven by a genuine desire to serve his people.
He ran for the Ekiti governorship under the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC), and later the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Oyebanji described him as an advocate of politics without bitterness, who believed in the Ekiti project and worked tirelessly with other patriots for the progress of the state.
He prayed for comfort for the deceased’s family, the people of Ipoti-Ekiti—Olubolade’s hometown—and the wider Ekiti community.
“On behalf of the Government and good people of Ekiti State, I express condolences to the children, immediate and extended family of the late Navy Captain Olubolade. May God grant them the strength to bear this great loss and grant the departed eternal rest,” the governor added.
