Tears in Ibadan as Aare Arisekola goes home

Tears flowed freely in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday, as the remains of Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, were buried at his home.

Family members, friends and associates were emotional as the corpse arrived at Adamasingba Stadium in an ebony casket at exactly 10.05 am.

After prayers led by Sheik Haruna Suara, chief Imam of Ibadan, the corpse was taken to his  residence at Oluwokekere, Ibadan, for interment.

President Goodluck Jonathan was represented at the burial by Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, minister of state for defence; Mr Jelili Adesiyan, minister of police affairs; and Mr Jide Adeniyi, chairman, FERMA.

Also present were APC’s national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu; industrialist, Chief  Kola Daisi; businessman, Oba Otudeko; former inspector general of police, Mr Musilu Smith; Prince Ladigbolu; and Governors Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun.

Former Arch-Bishop of Ibadan, Alaba Job; Primate Ola Makinde and Abimbola Fashola, wife of Lagos State governor were also in attendance.

In his sermon, Malam Abdurahaman Ahmad, national missioner, Ansar-u-deen Society of Nigeria, implored the rich to emulate the philanthropic virtues of Arisekola.

“Arisekola was generous, friendly and accommodating to all and sundry, especially the downtrodden,” he said.

Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, extolled the virtues of the late religious leader, describing him as “a philanthropist of philanthropists” who served the poor and also helped the rich during his lifetime.

“Aare was to the Nigerian masses what the late President Nelson Mandela was to the South Africans,” said the governor.

“He served the poor and helped the rich. He came to serve humanity and served them to his very last.

“He was accommodating, spiritual, religious and intelligent. He had been serving the poor from the age of 19. He was the greatest philanthropist of our time. Aare gave everything he had for the benefit of the people.”

Ajimobi said it was the good works done by the late business mogul that motivated his government to declare seven days of mourning and a public holiday for him.

He said such a feat was unprecedented in the history of the state.

The remains of Arisekola were laid to rest at 11.15 a.m. at his Oluwokekere residence in Bashorun, Ibadan.

Security operatives had a hard time controlling the thousands of people who forced their way into the premises, as many fell during the rush and sustained minor injuries.