President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the passing of the founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Chief Michael Olasubomi Balogun.
OsunDailyNG earlier reported that the bank mogul died in London on Friday at age 89.
In a terse statement on Friday by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, President Buhari commiserated with family members, friends, the business community, and associates of the revered businessman.
The President said the deceased’s legacy of kindness and charity stretched into many homes, institutions, and communities, touching lives through education, health, and multiple empowerment opportunities.
He affirmed that Balogun, through foresight, wisdom, and hard work, lived ahead of his time by starting the First City Merchant Bank in 1983, which has grown over the years, with branches across the country, and working assiduously for the take-off and success of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
The President noted the outpouring of testimonies on the life and times of the legendary banker, especially his towering influence in grooming many talented leaders in the sector, who had since set up their investment platforms within and outside the country.
President Buhari, however, prayed that the Almighty God would receive the departed’s soul and comfort all his loved ones.
Atiku Mourns Subomi Balogun
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has described Otunba Balogun as a great man in almost all human endeavours, adding that he was reputable and iconic.
In a statement via his Twitter handle on Friday, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the death of the FCMB founder as a national loss.
He wrote: “Otunba Subomi Balogun was a great man in almost all human endeavours. As a businessman, he was reputable and iconic. As a community man, his people enjoyed unfettered access to his presence and a measure of his impact. As a family man, his marks of excellence are evident for everyone to see in the quality of the children that survived him.
“For sure, his death is a national loss. That he lived to a ripe age with so much accomplishment is an attestation of the mercies of the Almighty upon him.
“On behalf of my family, I join his family in mourning the loss of a worthy patriarch. I also sympathise with the good people and government of Ogun State over the loss of a dynamic and illustrious son.“
