By Kayode Akinmade
It has become imperative to quickly expose the lies and the underlining mischief that trailed the final burial rites of the late Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, which took place on Monday, July 14, 2025, at his personal residence in Ijebu-ode, Ogun State.
As the Governor of the State and a prince by birth, Governor Dapo Abiodun, had made every necessary arrangement for the burial rites immediately the news of the death of the revered monarch was announced.
Recalled that the death of Awujale came after the death of the former President of Nigeria, Muhammad Buhari was announced earlier in the day, which put serious pressure on Governor Dapo Abiodun, who doubles as the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum.
Kayode Akinmade
The Governor had earlier been directed by President Bola Tinubu to join the presidential team at the London Clinics where Buhari breathed his last as he was coming from BRICS event in Brazil.
Obviously, Governor Dapo Abiodun was under obligation to discharge his responsibility not only as one of the high ranking Governors in Nigeria but as number one Governor in southern Nigeria.
Notwithstanding the enormity and exigency of the responsibility, the Governor put every necessary arrangement in place to ensure smooth final rites for the late Awujale and out of humility and responsiveness, he publicly apologised and explained to the gathering the reason for his lateness.
It is, therefore, distasteful and primitive that some unscrupulous political scavengers could be accusing Governor Dapo Abiodun of negligence and insensitivity for coming to the Awujale’s burial event some minutes behind the schedule.
This is the man that despite the pressure of the national assignment, he continued to mobilize and communicate with every dignitary that graced the occasion until his final arrival.
While we were not completely disappointed by this cheap propaganda of the Governor’s naysayers, we however, considered this latest shenanigans as new low in their endless journey of futility.
Hon. Kayode Akinmade is the Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on Media & Strategy.
