Akeredolu Buries Mum Amid Politicking

Fidelis David writes that the recent burial of Madam Grace Abosede Akeredolu, the mother of Governor OluwarotimiAkeredolu of Ondo state in Owo, was a chanced opportunity for top members of the ruling All Progressives Congress to throw political banters at each other

Owo, in Ondo State, South West Nigeria, was last Saturday shut down, as eminent Nigerians stormed the state for the funeral of the mother of  the State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Lady Evangelist Grace Bosede Akeredolu (JP), who died at a ripe age of 90.

To some people, the funeral of the nonagenarian matriarch of the Akeredolu dynasty, who died on September 15, 2022, was another reunion for rivals who briefly shoved politics aside and expressed lighthearted laughter to join the first family in the Sunshine State as they waved Mama bye into the land beyond.

Aside politics which may occasion such strange reunion among party foes from the 18 local government councils to 3009 polling units of the state, and North and South of Nigeria: some still believed it was an innocent hon­our and unri­valled show of love that her beloved children attracted for the late matriarch’s sake.

Faces at the Event

The burial featured the crème-de-la-crème of the society as the Vice President YemiOsinbajo and the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu were among several other eminent personalities who honouredAkeredolu at the event.

Other dignitaries at the funeral service held at the Cathedral Church of St Andrew’s, Imola, Owo, included Governors of Ogun, Lagos, Osun, and Oyo states: Prince DapoAbiodun, BabajideSanwo-Olu; GboyegaOyetola and EngrSeyiMakinde respectively but the latter was represented by his wife, Olufunke.

Also in attendance were former Governors of Ekiti State, DrKayodeFayemi and wife, EreluBisi; Ogun, Senator IbikunleAmosun; Ondo, DrOlusegunMimiko; Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, his Science and Technology counterpart, Dr. OlorunnimbeMamora; Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN; Chief BisiAkande; TitiLaoye-Tomori, the National Secretary of the ruling APC and erstwhile Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator IyiolaOmisore; Chief Femi Falana, SAN, representatives of traditional rulers, among several dignitaries.

Osinbajo’s apology after  missing out Tinubu from the list of protocols

The  funny and controversial way Osinbajo apologized for missing out APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola  Tinubu, from the list of protocols while greeting and acknowledging dignitaries in the course of making his speech has also become an issue of discuss.

Osinbajo had said, “Before I go on, I have made a very big error, I have left out the presidential candidate of our great party, the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Emilokan. Asiwaju Bola I’m simply sorry, you are sitting right to me, not just sitting right to me but I’m looking at him. But I honour you and welcome you to this event”.

Though Williams Shakespeare said “There was no science to know the mind’s construction from the face,” some political readers at the event concluded that it was a deliberate act to spite the APC Presidential Flagbearer, claiming the Vice President is still wallowing in the pain of his presidential loss to his former boss.

While others also recalled that the former Lagos State Governor, while exchanging pleasantries with President MuhammaduBuhari and his wife, Aisha, after his victory at the APC National Convention in June 2022, ignored Osinbajo who was sitting right next to the President before his attention was called to the obvious miss.

Tinubu and Osinbajo have a long history as political associates. The latter served as Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice when the former was the Governor of the state between 1999 and 2007; and since had been in the good record of the National Leader of the party, as an ally.

But Osinbajo was one of Tinubu’s major challengers at the party’s primary in June. The election result shows that over 2,300 delegates voted in the contest that produced Tinubu at a special convention held in Eagle Square, Abuja five months ago.

Tinubu  polled 1,271 votes followed by his closet rival and former Minister of Transportation, Hon RotimiAmaechi who scored 316 votes. Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State shared the remnants to come behind the duo with 235, 152, and 47 votes respectively.

It is worthy of note that the party’s Presidential Campaign Council constituted in September, 2022 excluded Osinbajo from its list but the spokesperson for the Council, Festus Keyamo, said the President “specifically directed” that he should be left out to concentrate on the governance of the country.

Is Akeredolu’s 42 year-old relationship with Mimiko Still Intact?

The relationship between Governor RotimiAkeredolu and his predecessor and friend, DrOlusegunMimiko is said to be over 42 years. The relationship predated their OAU days in Ile-Ife, it was learnt that both would always eat from Akeredolu  Mama’s largesse and pot in Ibadan.

However, before the October 10, 2020 Ondo State governorship election, there was obvious increasing animosity between the camps of the All Progressives Congress’ candidate, RotimiAkeredolu, and that of the former governor of the state, OlusegunMimiko.

Although, Mimiko did not contest the election but his entire political machinery were in full front driving the campaign of the deputy governor, AgboolaAjayi, whose controversial exit from the APC landed him in the Zenith Labour Party, a party, Mimiko later collapsed the structure to PDP.

In other words, the presence of Mimiko at the event speaks volume that Akeredolu’s friendship with Mimiko remains unaffected by the previous or current political permutations, alignments and realignments.

Mama Akeredolu: What kind of person was she? How did she relate within the community?

Osinbajo said the late Grace Akeredolu lived a good life of service to God and mankind, while congratulating Governor Akeredolu and his siblings on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria and President MuhammaduBuhari, for surviving their aged mother.

According to him, “Today is a day of great joy. We have reached where we must celebrate one the greatest legacy. It is a time to celebrate Mama because of her great deeds. The life of Grace Akeredolu is a life worthy of celebration. She lost her husband at the age of 50 and lived up to 90.

“She brought up her children. She made a great effort at raising four boys. She did very well indeed. We must thank God because not only did she bring up her children well but all of them are successful.

“What we must celebrate most is her service to God and mankind. We celebrate the life of a great woman, a woman who served God well and her community,” he said.

On his part, Tinubu, who equally rejoiced with the children of the deceased for surviving their aged mother, prayed God to continue to be with them even after the demise of their mother.

“Thank God we are alive; there might be weaknesses and inadequacies in expectation. No one wants failure. You cannot give up on us. We will do better. We will contribute to the improvement you might want.

“Mama has given us the Grace of the day that she will not be the one to bury us. She had the greatest legacy of a life full of achievements,” he explained.

The poor are getting poor

Earlier, in his sermon, the Bishop of Owo Anglican Diocese, Revd Stephen Fagbemi, lamented that “The poor are getting poor. Nigeria needs a change that will ensure safety and security in villages. We need a government that understands economics. Life is hard in this country. Let our leaders be careful to help us move things forward. The best place to start a campaign is the hospital.”

The Bishop told Tinubu that God has placed him where he is going to make a difference, urging him to “Go to hospitals and schools and see what Nigeria is like. I encourage you to go to Federal Medical Centre here in Owo to campaign and see what the future holds.”

Governor Akeredolu, while responding to the sermon, said there were crops of politicians in the South-west that the people could be very proud of.

According to him: “We have listened to your political sermon. It was wonderful listening to the sermon.

“I will not contend with you but I know as politicians we are doing our best. It might not be good for everybody. You should also say the things we have done. Continue to pray for us so that we will do our best.

“We will look at it. It is not that we are not trying. We have our shortcomings. We have crops of politicians in the South-west we can be very proud of.”

Oyetola will reclaim his mandate

Another bullet point at the event was the expression of optimism by Governor Akeredolu that his Osun State counterpart, AdegboyegaOyetola, would emerge victorious at the tribunal as the latter is challenging the outcome of the July 16, 2022 governorship election in which the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator AdemolaAdeleke, was declared  winner.

A befitting burial devoid of state cash?

Like the tidal waves, strong opposition trailed the burial ceremony given to the late First Mother of the state, Bosede, who was just committed to the mother-earth. Referring to the present economic hardship in the state, and excuses which the Governor often sing like a chorus at event to remind the people of how poor the state is, some critics described the funeral as lavish and extravagant.

However, a chieftain of the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ondo State, Babatunde Faro, said a woman that lived up to 90 years with a sitting Governor as son deserves nothing less.

Faro, who contested for Akure South/North House of Representatives seat but lost to KemisolaAdesanya, noted that “It is a good thing for children to give a befitting burial to their parents. Though moderation is to be taken into consideration always.”

According to him, “I don’t think there is anything wrong with what the governor did. And I also don’t think state funds was used in giving such great honour to his mother.

“It signified acceptance and recognition of the great work of the governor over the years. It shows solidarity and not necessarily any political impact on 2023,” Faro added.

Another stalwart of PDP in the state who doesn’t want his name mentioned, said: “In African tradition, children are expected to give their parents a befitting farewell. For a woman that lived up to 90 years with a sitting Governor as son, how much will he spend on that. Instead, he will make profits from gifts and donations from well-wishers by virtue of his position”.

Consolation

There is no denying the fact that the death of Mama Akeredolu sent shock waves to the entire Akeredolu family, obviously because hers was a life dedicated to exemplary service to humanity. A titan, with no lesser value to Mother Theresa of Calcutta; as said by all, she did not die in vain. 

She also made her mark and footprint on the sand of victory by illuminating unmistakable warmth, tolerance and pure love to everybody; deployed her righteousness, inspiring counsels and influential clout towards the formidable unity of the Akeredolu family.