By Banji Ayoola
Funeral arrangements for the deceased mother of Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Lady Evangelist Grace Bosede Akeredolu (JP), will continue tomorrow Friday by 9 am with Commendation Service at St. Anne’s Anglican Church, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo State capital, her base.
Same day, by 4 pm, this will be followed Service of Songs at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Imola Street, Owo, Ondo State, her husband’s home town and Wake Keep at Jacob & Grace Garden, opposite Imade College, Oke-Ogun, Owo .
Burial Service will hold at 10 am on Saturday, November 12, at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Imola Street, Owo; to be followed immediately by Interment; while reception will hold at Mydas Hotel and Resort, Ikare Road, Owo.
Lady Evangelist Akeredolu passed on on September 15, aged 90.
On Thursday, Service of Songs for the deceased held at Jacob & Grace Chapel of the All Saints’ Church, Ido Eruwa Road, Ibadan; and St. Matthias Anglican Church, Orogun, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Governor Akeredolu led some of his siblings and other family members to the Service of Songs for their late mother at All Saints’ Church, Jacob and Grace Chapel, Ido in Ibadan.
Simultaneously, another Service of Songs held at St. Matthias Anglican Church, Orogun, Ibadan, where the First Lady, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, joined the Governor’s siblings including Prof Wole Akeredolu, Pastor Kola Akeredolu, and Mrs. Toyin Akeredolu and their spouses.
At Jacob and Grace Chapel, the first Bible lesson at the Service of Songs was read by the Governor’s younger sister, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, while mama’s last child, Mr. Femi Akeredolu, took the second lesson and Governor Akeredolu’s daughter, Dr. Teniola Akeredolu, read the last lesson.
In his brief exhortation tilted “Finishing Well”, the presiding minister, Very Rev. Dr. Kalu Ndukwe, extolled the rich legacy and remarkable footprints left behind by the departed, adding that the nonagenarian had fought a good fight and finished the race well.
The Cleric particularly lauded her for her worthy services to the Lord and humanity, saying: “We thank the Lord for the life Mama lived and the remarkable footprint she left behind. The testimony that we heard today was that she was prayerful. She was generous.
“This message is not for her. The books are closed and the message is for the living. It is for us to live well so that we can exit gracefully and end well. Wisdom demands that we should be prepared to finish well.”
In his testimony, the Governor’s first child, Rotimi Akeredolu Junior, described the deceased as a special woman.
He said: ”Granny was a special woman. She has passed but her memory will definitely linger on. One of my first memories was Orogun. Granny was hundred percent devoted to the Lord.
“One thing that was special about her was her generosity. She was very generous to everybody. It was painful that she passed away.”
In his Vote of Thanks, the Governor thanked the church for allowing the children to build the Jacob and Grace Chapel named after their late father and mother.
He said: “When we were laying the foundation stone of this chapel only few of us were there. My mum was here. We laid the foundation together. And I want to specially appreciate All Saints Church.
“Your church, my church, our church. I am proud of this church. You gave us a great honour to build this small chapel. This church was named after my mum and her late Husband. For allowing us to do that, I want to thank the Church.”
The event was attended by members of the State Executive Council led by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu; Justices from Ondo State Judiciary led by the Acting Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola; members of the Bar and the Bench; friends and associates.
Also in attendance were members of Loyola College Old Students Association, Ibadan, among several others.
A minute silence was also observed in honour of the departed nonagenarian.
There was also planting of a memorial tree in honour of the nonagenarian and her late husband, Rev Jacob Akeredolu.
The burial arrangements started on Wednesday in Owo, the country home of Governor Akeredolu, with the traditional Ajabue procession round the ancient town.
In fact, the ancient town of Owo was agog on Wednesday as the burial arrangements commenced with the traditional Ajabue procession round the town.
It was led by Governor Akeredolu’s immediate younger brother, Prof Wole Akeredolu, and the last child of the deceased, Mr. Femi Akeredolu.
Decked in uniform Ankara attires, the people of Owo in their hundreds trooped out to join the Ajabue traditional procession which started from the Jacob and Grace family residence in Oke-Ogun, Owo.
The procession, which held amidst funfair at every junction in Owo, had in attendance the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Engr. Ade Adetimehin; Chief of Staff, Chief Olugbenga Ale; Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters and Special Duties, Mr Dare Aragbaiye; Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Engr. Raimi Aminu; Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Deaconess Lola Fagbemi; Special Adviser to the Governor on Transport, Tobi Ogunleye and Chairman of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Services, Mr Tolu Adegbie.
Others were the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Strategy and Special Duties, Dr. Doyin Odebowale; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo; Special Assistant to the Governor on Natural Resources, Lawal Fatai Olushina; Deputy Chief of Protocol, Mrs Funke Aruna; Special Assistant to the Governor on Domestic,Toyosi and Chairman of Owo local Government, Mr Samuel Adegbegi.
Also in attendance were former Accountant General of the state, Mr Laolu Akindolire; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Pharmacist Folukemi Aladenola; Permanent Secretary, Teaching Service Commission, Mrs Tolu Adeyemi; Traditional chiefs from Ipele under the auspices of Olupele in Council; APC Candidate for Owo constituency 2, Mrs Morenike Witherspoon; candidate for Akoko South West/South East federal constituency, Asiwaju Gboyega Adefarati; and member of the SUBEB board, Mr. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye; among others.
Speaking after the traditional procession, Prof. Akeredolu appreciated the people of the town on behalf of the Governor and other siblings.
According to him, the large crowd that participated in the Ajabue dance has clearly shown the love the people have for their late mother and the family in general.
His words:”I want to sincerely appreciate Owo people for what they have done, for coming out en masse to relate with us, to follow us, to dance with us and to do everything with us concerning our mother.”
