Iju-Odo, Osooro community in Okitipupa council area of Ondo state, yesterday welcomed dignitaries from all walks of life to who were in the quiet town to pay their last respects to a son of the soil who had journeyed to the great beyond, Dr Olusegun Agagu. The former governor of Ondo State died on died on September 13 at the age of 65.
Opinions in some quarters had suggested that the burial date be postponed following the tragic death of 13 out of the 20 people who were onboard a chattered flight conveying the corpse of late Agagu to Akure, the Ondo State capital for burial. The burial however went on after the wife of the deceased was said to have agreed with the family members for the burial to go as planned, after confirming her son survived the crash.
A Commissioner in the State Deji Falae, a protocol officer Daji Bernard and two other liaison officers in the Ondo State government’s Lagos Laison office were among the 13 persons that died in the crash.
The death although did not stop the burial from holding, it led to the scaling down of funeral activities “to its barest and basic minimum,” as it was made a “private family affairs devoid of pomp and pageantry.”
The Agagu family has also condoled the families of the 13 persons who died in the plane crash.
In a condolence letter to the family of the victims of the crash, Agagu’s family condoled with them, saying the funeral was scaled down in respect of their departed souls.
“The family of the late Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, even in its own bereavement, deeply mourns the death of all those who lost their lives in the ill-fated plane crash which occured when Dr. Agagu’s body was being taken home for burial.
“In deference to all the families who are in bereavement, and out of respect for the memory of the departed, the Agagu family has decided to scale down the details of the funeral to its barest and basic minimum. Accordingly, the funeral will now be a private family affair, shorn of all the pomp and pageantry of a State funeral.
“It is also instructive to note that the traditional Christian wake was entirely cancelled yesterday.
“The Agagu family deeply commiserates with all the bereaved families and prays fervently for the repose of the souls of all the departed, even as the family continues to remain in close contact with all the families affected by this tragedy,” the statement read.
Agagu’s body was transferred into a new casket before being buried as the old one with which it was involved in a plane crash had cracks contrary to the belief that it was intact.
Dignitaries at the funeral service included the Minister Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade who led the Federal Government delegation; Communication Technology Minister, Omobola Johnson; former Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Akin Aduwo, rtd; former governors of Oyo and Ekiti States, Adebayo Akala and Segun Oni; former Osun governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
Also present were business Mogul Jimoh Ibrahim; former Deputy governor of the late governor Omolade Oluwateru; as well as the former Managing Director of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Joseph Makoju.
There were also rights activist Tunji Abayomi; Senator Boluwaji Kunlere; wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola; former Speaker, State House of Assembly, Victor Olabimtan; Senator Gbenga Ogunniya; Sola Oke; Eddy Olafeso; Otunba Solomon Oladunni; Princess Oladunni Odu; Dr Tayo Dairo and Taofiq Olawale Abdusalam among others.
At exactly 1;45pm a motorcade and BELL hearse bearing the corpse of the former governor drove into St Paul’s Anglican Church for the service earlier fixed for 11am.
The remains of the late politician were finally lowered into the grave at exactly 3:35pm, in a tomb constructed with marble.
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