‘Agagu’s family to go ahead with burial’

Members of the family  of the former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu, have insisted that they will  go ahead with the arrangements for his interment despite the plane crash on Thursday. Read more

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Mr. Ebenezer Alabi, made  this  known on Thursday in Akure just as a member of the   Agagu  family, Chief Sehindemi Oguntoye,   said the community had   premonition  that   a tragedy would occur  before the burial of the former governor.

Alabi  said, “We have just consulted with the family and it has been decided that they would go ahead with the burial. This is more so that his  son,  the son-in-law   and (Chief Olusegun) Obasanjo’s son survived the crash.

“We are also aware that the casket bearing Agagu’s  body  was not affected by the crash.”

He quoted the family as saying, “while we   sympathise with the families of  those  who lost their  loved ones  in the crash, we  will go ahead with the burial.”

The interment was scheduled for Friday (today) at his home town in Iju-Odo,  Okitipupa Local Government Area.

Agagu’s kinsman,  Chief  Oguntoye, who is also the Ojomo of Osooroland,  told the News Agency of Nigeria  in Iju-Odo,  that the family held a prayer session  after it was warned of an impending  tragedy before the burial.

He said, “The community had  been informed of an impending tragedy and the community had held a vigil  to avert it. The vigil even ended today (Thursday).

“It was a big tragedy for Iju-Odo community. We had before the death of Dr. Agagu lost our traditional ruler, and now a plane crash which involves  our loved ones.’’

He, however, urged the community to be fervent in prayers  to prevent further tragedies.

The  residents of the community were in pensive mood, with many of them gathering in front of their houses discussing the incident.

St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Iju-Odo  has been and renovated for the burial service scheduled for Friday while major roads leading into  the town had  been rehabilitated.

The  grave  where Agagu will be  buried  in the church cemetery has also  been decorated to give him  a befitting farewell.

BY OLUWOLE JOSIAH, AKURE

CULLED FROM PUNCH NEWSPAPER