Tinubu, Aregbesola, Adebule, Sanwo-Olu, others bid Hamzat farewell

The Lagos home and Ewekoro Palace of the late Olu of Afowowa Sogaade, Oba Muftau Olatunji Hamzat, were thronging  with dignitaries who paid their last respect to the monarch yesterday.

The late Oba Hamzat, the father of the Lagos State Deputy Governor-elect, Dr Obafemi, was buried yesterday in line with Islamic injunctions.

Several Imams of various central mosques, including Mushin, the late Hamzat’s political base, took turns to lead the Janazah (prayer for the deceased) in Lagos and Ewekoro

The Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sheikh Hadi Orunsolu, led the last prayer before the monarch’s remains were interred in the palace in the presence of family members and well-wishers.

Thereafter, Muslim clerics, children of the deceased and sympathisers moved to the Community Primary School field directly opposite the palace for Fidau (prayer for the deceased).

All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule and her husband, Alhaji Saheed, led the dignitaries.

Also there were Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa, Lagos State Governor-elect Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and wife, Ibijoke; Ogun State Deputy-Governor-elect Mrs Noimat Salako-Oyedele, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Duties, Mr Benjamin Olabinjo; son of the late June 12, 1993 Presidential election winner, Kola Abiola; Afenifere Renewal Group Chairman Olawale Oshun; Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and his son, Babajide; APC Lagos State chapter chairman Alhaji Tunde Balogun; AMCON Chairman Dr Muiz Banire; Bashorun of Lagos Alhaji Sikiru Alabi Macfoy; Ogun State House of Assembly  Speaker Suraj Adekunbi; APC chieftains Cardinal James Odumbaku, Senator Anthony Adefuye; Senator Ganiyu Solomon; Prince Rabiu Oluwa; Chief David Adenekan and Chief Henry Ajomale; Commissioner for Home Affairs Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef; Lagos State House of Assembly members Sobur Olawale and Saka Fafunmi, House of Representatives members-elect Ganiyu Johnson and Ademorin Kuye; Director General, Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat Campaign Organisation, Mr Tayo Ayinde, Fuji Music star King Wasiu Anifowoshe; Chairman of Conference 57 Mrs Omolola Essien; Ahmed Apatira; Rasaq Ajala and  Princess Rasheedat Abiodun Adu.

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, was represented by white cap chiefs. Members of Oloja of Epe and Olu Epe traditional councils were also there.

Asiwaju Tinubu said the late Oba Hamzat wouldn’t have died at a better time than the month of Ramadan.

The Jagaban Borgu described the late monarch “as a great father and a great mentor to many of us.”

He said: “At the time I started my political ambition, I left the corporate world, he was one of those pillars who invited me to politics. He stood by me firmly and he was a great mentor. I believe that I have turned out to be a good mentee.

“Ever since, you found him very honest, straightforward, highly principled man, who is progressive to the root. He was equally committed to the fundamental principles of democracy. During the struggle for an end to military regime, he was in the forefront to actualise June 12. He was victimised, he was harassed and he never allowed any sentiment but honesty and integrity to overrule to the extent that at that particular time, there was nothing but his democratic credential that took him through. They were first executive with Lateef Jakande and that progressive Obafemi Awolowo doctrine remained with him ever since, till his death. He had so many of us that he nurtured. What you hear from him will never change. Whenever he promised, he fulfilled. He was a great man.

“You cannot just complete his history and his contributions and limit it to 1999. It is not complete. When you look at the time he was the Commissioner for Transport in Lagos state during Jakande era, they remained committed to progressive ideology and that is what he held on until his call to glory.”

In his brief lecture, the National Missioner of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdulRahaman Ahmad advised the audience to always prepare for death.

Ahmad said death is the ultimate thing in human life but regretted that we devote our time to worldly demands.

He said: “If you think life is the beginning and the end, you will know the truth when death comes. Nobody can escape death. We should prepare for death, fear God and do good to our fellow human beings for our Creator to make the next world easy for us.”

Another Islamic scholar, Sheikh AbdulMojeed Ayinla said the deceased was an epitome of wisdom and urged the audience to emulate him.

Ayinla, who is the Deputy National Missioner of Nawair-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, said the good children left behind by the late monarch bore testimony to his integrity and wisdom.

Other Islamic clerics present include Chief Imam of Ewekoro Local government, Sheikh Muhideen Aranse -Oluwa and representatives of Chief Imams of Lagos, Epe, Badagry and Ikorodu.