Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, his wife, Dolapo, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday, joined other dignitaries at the funeral and thanksgiving service of the late Emmanuel Abiodun at Iperu-Remo, Ogun.
The deceased, father of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, passed away on August 2, aged 89.
The funeral service was held at St. James Anglican Church, Iperu-Remo.
Fondly called ‘Baba teacher,’ the late Abiodun was an accomplished teacher and spent a big part of his teaching career at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, where he held several positions.
Governors present at the service included Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Abudulrahmam Razaq of Kwara, alongside some deputy governors.
Also in attendance were Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker, House of Representatives, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and some members of the Federal Executive Council.
Former governors of the state Olusegun Osoba, Gbenga Daniel, Ibikunle Amosun and royal fathers also attended the service.
A former Governor of Edo, Adams Oshiomhole, President, African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwunmi Adesina, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa were at the service.
In his message, Mr Osinbajo said the gathering was to celebrate not just the passing of the father of a brother and friend but to celebrate the passing of a rare breed.
“A man who loves his family; he served the community, his nation and his God and he served them well.
“He enjoyed the grace of God and the mercies of God himself; if you look at his biography, you will find that he enjoyed the mercies of God; a man in his time, has been a graduate with a degree in English Literature, a master degree and a doctorate, all almost 50 to 60 years ago.
“But he did not take that grace for granted; he gave back to the society; he became a teacher, a teacher of teachers and was celebrated even in his lifetime as `Baba teacher;’ he taught so many and gave back to so many people.
“But he kept giving back to the community and he kept giving back on serving the church,” Mr Osinbajo said.
The vice president said that such inheritance was neither in possession nor in money, pointing out that it was the gospel of Jesus Christ that he gave to his children and to all of those that he came across.
Mr Osinbajo extended the condolences of President Muhammadu Buhari to the governor, his mother and all members of the deceased’s family.
Earlier in his sermon, the Olusina Fape, Diocesan Bishop of Remo, said that `death is a debt’ which everybody must pay.
Mr Fape urged Christians to live their lives in a manner that would earn them heaven when they die.
He said that one’s status would not earn one heaven unless one lived a worthy life.
The archbishop thanked God for the ‘impactful life’ of the deceased as a Christian father.
“He lived a humble life to the service of God and humanity,” he said.
At least 18 bishops attended the service alongside Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and his wife, Folu.
In his remarks, Mr Abiodun, who thanked the vice president and all those who attended the service, said it was a celebration of a worthy life lived by his father.
“His legacy was that of service to God and humanity through his teaching ministry,’’ he said. ##
