Governors, deputies, others gather in Ibadan for Ajimobi’s funeral prayer

Governors Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State joined other politicians, Islamic clerics and other Nigerians, on Sunday, to pray for the remains of late Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi.

Mr Ajimobi, 70, died at a Lagos hospital on Thursday from coronavirus complications. He was buried in his house in Ibadan on Sunday morning.

After the burial, the mourners gathered at the Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to offer prayers for the deceased.

Some members of the Ajimobi family were also at the event held at the Ajimobi mosque which was built by the governor while he was in office.

Apart from the two governors, other top politicians at the burial include the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; Mr Ajimobi’s deputy while he was governor, Moses Adeyemo and a former member of the House of Representatives, Saheed Fijabi.

Other personalities present at the event included Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan; a former governorship candidate Adebayo Adelabu, and a senator, Teslim Folarin.

Islamic clerics present at the event included Muideen Bello, Taofeek Akewugbagold, Abibullahi Buhari and the Chairman, Muslim Community in Oyo State, Isiaq Sanni.

Mr Bello offered a short sermon and led the prayers for the deceased.

He reminded those present that death is inevitable.

“It is permanent. Death is permanent. And we will offer special prayer for him. Ajimobi has come and gone. What Ajimobi has done will not make his name be forgotten. Especially, this mosque that he built,” the cleric said.

“We pray to God to be pleased with his soul. Amin. There is no sermon today, we are here to bury him,” he said.