Fashola spoke shortly after the burial of his father at the Vaults and Garden Cemetery, Ikoyi, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Tuesday.
“This was a painful way for us. As for my father, I think that for all of us his children, he was first and foremost our friend, he was our best friend, so that is what we will miss really; our father was a very loving friend who allowed us to be the best that we could, he allowed us to be what we want to be, guiding and nudging, but never discriminated and that’s why he had children that were Christians, Muslims, children who were Europeans, children who are married across all Nigeria. I think these have fully captured his life.
“I doubt that if there is any person who did not have enemies, it must be my father because he just got on with life, he didn’t discriminate in any position he found himself; good, comfortable, painful, he just got on, I learnt so many things from him and most of these things is who I am today and who I try to be and I hope that I can be as rounded in integrity, humble in his attitude to life and fully committed in all situations as he was,” he stated.
Fashola said if his father would have had a choice, he would not have chosen the month of Ramadan to die, but was grateful to God that he lived a fulfilled life.
“He died in the month of Ramadan, he died on the night of Majesty. We had just finished “Lallatu quadri” prayers in Mecca, and for me, God is great because if God gave him the opportunity to choose how he would go, and when, he couldn’t have chosen the day he went, it was such a great time. We thank God,” he said.
However, the remains of Pa Fashola was lowered into the grave at the Vaults and Garden at exactly 3.45pm after the Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Garuba Akinola offered prayers for the repose of the deceased.
Dignitaries at the graveside and at the Lagos Central Mosque where prayers were offered for him included Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and Dr Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Donald Duke; Deputy Governors of Ogun and Osun States, Segun Adesegun and Titi Laoye Tomori respectively; Senators Gbenga Ashafa and Babafemi Ojudu; former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
There were also Alhaji Yakub Balogun, House of Representatives member; Molade Okoya-Thomas, Rasak Okoya, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji; Chief Ayo Akande, Akin Kekere-Ekun, Tunde Folawiyo, Otunba Alabi Mcfoy, Alhaji Lateef Salako.
Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, represented President Goodluck Jonathan.
Nollywood actors were also represented. There were also Justice George Oguntade, members of the Lagos House of Assembly, among others.
More tributes have continued to pour in for Pa Fashola.
Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde described the late Fashola as “a quintessential gentleman in every sense of the word.”
In his condolence message to Governor Fashola, the cleric said Pa Fashola was a jovial, prayerful, peace-loving and amiable man, saying that “I knew Alhaji Ademola Fashola personally being an old boy of our School, Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos which he attended between 1949 and 1954 which afforded us several interactions overtime.
“I can say that his unassuming nature is one of the most striking features of this deeply religious man who despite his reputation as a disciplinarian, was loving, large-hearted, gentle, respectful and easy-going.
“Let me assure the entire Family of the Fashola’s, that in this moment of grief over the loss of their Scion, I and all Methodist people are praying for and with them. I urge them to imbibe the spirit of their father who never thought himself above others which is a testament to his sacrificial nature, a rarity in many of our parents and some of our Leaders today.”
Also, a Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Women Arise (WA) commiserated with Governor Fashola on the death of his father, saying that Pa Fashola in his 80 years on earth was a dedicated person, community leader and a godfather of a good son who has provided leadership in Lagos in the past 6 years.
“This must be a trying time for the entire Fashola family with the exit of their illustrious Patriarch. Women Arise sends condolence to the family of Alhaji Ibrahim Ademola Fashola and prays that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. He was in deed a father in a million,” said National President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin.
Source: PM News
No comments:
Post a Comment