Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima has described late Otunba Michael Olasubomi Balogun as an institution in the Nigerian banking sector and a model for generations of bankers.
The Vice President, who represented President Bola Tinubu, spoke today, July 8, at the funeral service for the late Otunba Balogun at Cathedral Church of Our Saviour in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
Shettima said that the late FCMB founder was a banking icon “who was everything our ailing world desired.”
The Vice President said the late Otunba Balogun was a philanthropist extraordinaire who departed from the world at age 89 with a gift that only a few have benefited from.
“He not only immortalized your industrious spirit as the founder of the flourishing First City Merchant Bank, which we all know as FCMB, but the world is going to remain grateful to him even much longer than he lived.
“We are here to celebrate life. As he peacefully departs from this earthly realm at the remarkable age of 89, we lift our voices in prayer, offering our heartfelt appreciation for the profound impact he made during his time among us.
“So, this is more of a gratitude to the Almighty God for bringing such a noble person to our world and changing the course of our history.”
The Vice President condoled with the Balogun family, government and people of Ogun State and offered prayers for the departed elderstateman.
“our dear people of Ijebuland and the Ijebu Christians must be grateful for the personality you have raised for the nation and the world, in fact.
“In this moment of farewell, we ask for your divine comfort and solace to embrace the loved ones and friends of Otunba Balogun. May they find strength in the shared memories, and may their hearts be filled with gratitude for the privilege of knowing and being touched by such an extraordinary individual.
“May Otunba find eternal rest in your heavenly abode, and may his legacy continue to inspire generations to come.”
In his remarks, the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun said that late Michael Balogun was a prodigious intellectual, an economist and lawyer who attended the Igbobi Collage, Yaba, Lagos before proceeding to London School of Economist to read law in 1956.
He said that late Balogun worked in the banking sector first, as the Principal Counsel and Company Secretary to the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB) and held many positions in the sector before he founded the First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
The Governor said that in 1989, Late Michael Balogun donated the newly built and fully equipped General Hospital to Ijebu Ode.
The funeral was attended by many dignitaries, including former military Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo Olu; former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Daniel and Senator Seriake Dickson, former Governor of Bayelsa State.
Others were Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Philantropist, Femi Otedola; President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Femi Adesina; first class traditional Rulers and Bishops of the Ijebu Anglican Diocese, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, among others.
