The eighth day prayer (Fida’u) for late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke was held yesterday in Ede, Osun State, amid praises and commendations.
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, his deputy, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola were among dignitaries at the event.
Others include former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, House Of Representatives Deputy Speaker Lasun Yusuff, former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, former House of Representatives Speaker Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, member of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Board of Trustees (BoT), Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, former Osun State Attorney-General and Commissioner For Justice, Niyi Owolade and former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Musilu Smith.
Traditional rulers at the event included Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Olusola Lawal; Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi; Olufon of Ifon, Oba Almaroof Adekunle Magbagbeola; Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Dokun Abolarin and Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrasheed Olabomi.
Through Adeoti, the Osun State government described Adeleke as a grassroots politician whose legacy would ever remain indelible in the political history of the nation.
Oyinlola and Alao-Akala said Adeleke was a good ambassador of Ede who served Osun State and Nigeria meritoriously.
The Chief Imam Offa in Kwara State, Sheik Muideen Salman, who noted that it has been destined that the deceased would die the way died, charged the people to take his death as the will of God.
According to the cleric, nobody could kill anyone unless God allowed it to hapoen.
However, he charged the political office holders to emulate the good deeds of Adeleke and be generous to the people, especially the less privileged.
Referring to late Adeleke as an enbodiment of simplicity and generosity, he said the deceased’s positive impacts on the downtrodden would forever linger in the memory of the people.
He said: “Adeleke’s destiny is favourable to humanity. So, I implore eveybody, especially the new breed politicians to learn from his ways of life. It is not only Adeleke that has gone with the wind mercy has equally gone with him.”
Also, the security was tight at the event to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.
Combined team of security agencies including the police, men of the State Security Service, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Road Safety Service Commission and other para-military organizations were deployed to the Ede country home of the late Adeleke and other strategic positions in Ede to provide security for the guests.