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On His Last Days
During the 3-day Fidau prayer for late Baba Alado, one young man could not hold back tears. He is Jamiu, the first grandson of the 83-year-old Lagos Mainland land overlord who died on September 26, 2026.
Jamiu is the son of one of Baba Alado’s sons,Ismaila.
He did not just visit Baba Alado,he lived with him.
“I am the one that is closest to him amongst his grandchildren,” Jamiu told City People , his voice shaking. “I lived here with Baba in Isheri. I grew up in his hands. I was not just a grandson, I was his son.”
For many grandchildren, love is shown on birthdays and Sallah. For Jamiu, love was daily.
“Baba Alado loved me so much he always gave me money even without asking,” Jamiu revealed. I never had to beg him.
The bond was indeed beyond money. Baba Alado, who was revered as the Olori Ebi of Alagbeji Royal Family, Akinrogun of Isolo and Babaloja of Aswani Market, also made Jamiu his travel companion.
“He also took me out of the country to South Africa at one time on his tours,” Jamiu recalled with a smile. That was my first time on a plane. He bought me everything there. He introduced me to everyone as ‘my first grandson’.
Jamiu, who lived with Baba Alado almost before his final moments, gave the most intimate account of his grandfather’s last days. According to him, even at 84 and battling illness, Baba Alado refused to retire from his office downstairs in the Isheri house.
“Before he was taken to the hospital, he was always coming downstairs to his office here in this house to attend to people who wanted to see him, especially on land matters and family members.”He would sit in that office from morning. People would come from Mushin, Isolo, Ejigbo, everywhere. He would never say he was tired. He would attend to all of them.”
But gradually, the strongman began to slow down.
“After sometime, he was staying more upstairs in the room while he gradually slowed down due to his illness. He would no longer come downstairs every day.
“Later, he was taken to the hospital where he died about two weeks later,” Jamiu said quietly. We thought he would come back but Allah knows best.”
“He loved me so much, I don’t think I can get over it for sometime,” he told City People.
“Everywhere in this house reminds me of him. The office downstairs, the room upstairs, the compound ,the Dog Kennel, you know he was a lover of dogs,and he had many of them,German Shepherds,name it.
Wole Alakija
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