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Saturday 21 June 2014

Ibadan Stands Still, Markets Closed As Arisekola Is Buried - Those Who’ll Miss Arisekola Alao Most [More Photos]



Arisekola-Alao
Arisekola-Alao

Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, stood still yesterday as prominent Christian and Muslim clerics, top politicians, captains of industry and beggars, among others, stormed the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan to bid Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao farewell.

Arisekola, who was the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, died in a London hospital on Wednesday. His remains were brought to Nigeria for burial yesterday morning.
The corpse was conveyed to Ibadan through the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in a Cardilac Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked EBONY 11.
His children and relations, who accompanied the corpse, rode in another black wagon Cardillac with M. I. C  on the number plate. They were received at the Ibadan end of the expressway by Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, his wife, Florence, and commissioners around 9:30 am.
The train entered the stadium at exactly 10:03 am to a rousing welcome by dignitaries and masses that had filled the place.
L-R, Widows, Mrs. Serifat Arisekola and Taibat Arisekola at the
 Final Burial Ceremony of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao held at Adamansigba Stadium, Ibadan
L-R, Widows, Mrs. Serifat Arisekola and Taibat Arisekola at the Final Burial Ceremony of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao held at Adamansigba Stadium, Ibadan
The arrival of the corpse triggered wailing, particularly among the downtrodden who benefitted immensely from his philanthropic gestures. They had arrived the stadium in large number as early as 7:00 am.

Hysteria, wailing and anguish have per­vaded the grounds of Alhaji Abdul Azeez Arisekola Alao’s palatial resi­dence at Oluwo Kekere, Basho­run in Ibadan since news of the death of the billionaire-busi­nessman, philanthropist and re­ligious leader, broke midweek.

Hundreds of men and women who trooped to the castle hop­ing against hope that the missive proved untrue threw themselves on the ground and wept bitterly on confirming that the kind-hearted “friend of the downtrodden” was indeed no more.
L-R, Widow, Alhaja Rashidat Doyin Arisekola Alao and Alhaja Rashidat Ajoke Mohammed at the Final Burial Ceremony of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao held at Adamansigba Stadium, Ibadan
L-R, Widow, Alhaja Rashidat Doyin Arisekola Alao and Alhaja Rashidat Ajoke Mohammed at the Final Burial Ceremony of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao held at Adamansigba Stadium, Ibadan
Some of the mourners fainted and had to be revived by having water poured on them, while oth­ers who were too distraught by the tragic news immediately fell sick.
Dignitaries including Gover­nors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun State), General Officer Command­ing 2 Division of the Nigerian Army; former Anglican Church Primate, Rt-Rev Ola Makinde; Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, who waxed a musical record in honour of the deceased in the ‘70s; Chief Bayo Oyero, President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes; Bishop Olapade Agoro; Chief Gbolarumi Hazeem, former Dep­uty Governor of Oyo State; Chief Sarafadeen Ali, former Secretary to the Oyo State Government; wife of the Oyo state Governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi; Arewa leaders and Muslim leaders all wore long faces, with the host governor, Aji­mobi, openly shedding tears dur­ing his first condolence visit to the Alaos on Wednesday.
Shows the remains of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland,
Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao being carried away after prayer at the Final Burial Ceremony of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji
 Azeez Arisekola Alao held at Adamansigba Stadium, Ibadan
Shows the remains of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao being carried away after prayer at the Final Burial Ceremony of Late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao held at Adamansigba Stadium, Ibadan
The outpouring of grief under­scored the pang of the huge loss and vacuum which the reputed businessman and power broker, known for his benevolence and legendary philanthropy, especially towards the poor during his life­time had created in the society he left behind.
As noted by observers, many people also died politically and economically with Alao’s de­mise, while hopes in thousands of homes and lives he had touched or was supporting while alive have now been dashed, with the ben­efactor gone.
The late Alao was known to have assisted many indigent peo­ple to set up businesses where they now earn a living, while his home was the haunt of alms beggars and the poor who set up camp daily at the entrance to receive money and foodstuffs, particularly during the Ramadan Fasting period. Aside this, Alao sponsored hundreds of Muslims on Hajj pilgrimage every year.
Although, he was not known to be in active partisan politics, he wielded a lot of influence on who got what in the power circuit in his native state, Oyo, including decid­ing who ruled as governor. For in­stance, he was instrumental to the emergence of the late Chief Bola Ige as first Executive Governor of the state, over the more elderly Pa Emmanuel Alayande in the sec­ond Republic, as well as Ige’s suc­cessor, and fellow Ibadan man, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, after he fell out with the Cicero of Esa Oke.
His imprimatur was also vis­ible in the ascension of Lam Ades­ina as governor in 1999; Rashidi Ladoja in 2003; Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala 2007 and the incum­bent Ajimobi in 2011.
An ally of the late strong man of Ibadan politics, Chief Lamidi Adedibu and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, Alao was believed to be the financier of the various plots that supplanted some of these past regimes, whenever they were reckoned to have be­come unpopular or fallen out of tune with the masses.
His exit, which may be greeted with subtle glee in the camps of those who had fallen on the wrong side of his stance, is, however, a tragedy of monumental propor­tion for scores of political aspir­ants who had banked on his deep pockets to fight the campaign for the 2015 elections.
Also, observers note that Ibadan, the Oyo state capital may soon return to its past volatile pe­riod when it was very vulnerable and susceptible to social and po­litical violence with Alao’s exit from the stage. This is because, he had played the role of peace-broker, often pacifying would be trouble-makers and miscreants in the city against fomenting crisis after handing them hefty sums of money.
Saturday Sun spoke with a cross section of the mourners in­cluding one of Alao’s sons, Mr. Idris Alao, on what the business mogul’s death meant to them
“There can’t be anybody like him” – Chief Gbolarumi Hazeem, former Deputy gov­ernor, Oyo State
“There can’t be anybody like him. We were very close since about 30 years I had known him. He’s a benefactor, a mentor and leader. It’s a very serious matter, my brother. The loss is unquantifi­able. I can’t begin to explain it. Al­though he was never a politician, he’s no doubt a power broker as you said. It’s true. When he loves you, he supports you and he will make sure he did all that is human­ly possible to assist you”|.
“His death ’ll change polit­ical calculations in the state” -Ademola Solalu, ex-aide to Alao and now Special Assis­tant to Governor Ajimobi on Information and Orientation
“I’m still in shock because no­body expected this, because even when we were all apprehensive about his state of health in 2011 when the disease was first diag­nosed, he didn’t die. He had got much better now and I just can’t believe he’s gone. Definitely a lot of things will change in politi­cal calculations and permutations with his death, because Aare was a bridge-builder. As a leader, a lot of people looked up to him for direc­tion. When he was alive, people came to him and asked: “where are we going?” and wherever he pointed to was the direction they would go. He was not active in the first Republic, but from the Sec­ond Republic up till now, he be­came either directly or indirectly involved, even though he was not known publicly to be partisan. As a leader, he had his own way of identifying potentials in aspiring politicians and he would support such.
Talking about his involvement in the politics of the state, there was an occasion I was with him in his room and he was talking on phone with someone, who I later learnt was former President Oluse­gun Obasanjo. He was pleading and he said he wanted to come to Ota to see him (Obasanjo) over the matter, which he later confided in me was the impending impeach­ment of Senator Rashidi Ladoja as governor of the state. Aare was asking Baba to let Ladoja be, but Obasanjo told him, it was too late, that he had already given orders for his removal. It was then he turned to me and said Ladoja was going to be removed as governor and that Alhaji Gbolarumi Ha­zeem was going to be the deputy governor. I then told him there and then that I would like to work with Gbolarumi as his media man. And he told me when the time comes. The rest, of course, you know. But, the thing is that this was not known to Ladoja”.
“We’ll continue with his legacy of philanthropy” -Idris Alao (Son)
“First, our father was known to cater for Nigerians in general. The point is, he has inculcated the habit of giving alms in us and I can’t see any of us departing from that path. What he taught us will continue in this premises”.
On the kind of father Alao was, Idris says: “If he smiled, you knew what he said, if he frowned, you knew exactly what he meant, but one thing is sure, he gave us the children good education and therefore a platform to achieve. He has many children, who are re­sponsible and successful citizens of this country in various spheres of life”.
On his controversial friendship with military dictator, Gen. Sanni Abacha: “Well, every man in life has a step to follow. We chose our friends, who could be this local government chairman, or minister or Head of State. We can’t blame or crucify him for picking his own friends, who in the perception of others may not be agreeable to other people. But the past is in the past”
“Everything about him is Islam” -Alhaji Taofeek Akeugbagold, Chairman, Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim wing)
“As one of the Prophet Mo­hammed’s wives, Aishat told a questioner, who inquired about the habit of the Holy Prophet, Aare was an epitome of Islamic humility, and knowledge… Eve­rything about him is Islam. I’ve lost a friend, a dad and a mentor. I’d travelled with him several times to Saudi Arabia and I can tell you that in recognition of his contribution to the propagation of Islam, the Saudi authorities al­ways have a car provided to pick him from the door of the aircraft. I’m one who normally preaches to people to take heart, but I wept like a baby on hearing the news of his death. Because of his uncom­mon philanthropic deeds, thou­sands of people are already dead as a result of his death. Yesterday many people wanted to commit suicide and had to be restrained. He sponsored people on pilgrim­age every year. This year alone, he had already given me more than 100 names, which would have cost him N100million”
“He set me up in busi­ness” -Hafeez Adeaga (a paralytic)
“As you can see, I am a disabled person. But I’m one of the numer­ous beneficiaries of Aare’s milk of human kindness. I’ve known him for over 10 years now, one on one. He’s very good and kind to us, I mean me and other disabled, who were with no helper after Baba (Lamidi) Adedibu died. We were struggling after Baba died and we came to him and told him we needed help. He assisted me with N120,000 with which I set up my musical and movie CD and VCD sales business in 2008. And with this I’ve been supporting my wife and two children”.
The 35-year old added: “I can never forget him. God just threw him into our midst to help the poor”
“He rescued me from hunger” -Madam Iyabo Yisa (Unemployed mother of five children)
“I’m unemployed. I normal­ly came here like others to see Aare. He was a kind father, who wouldn’t allow anyone to die of hunger. He normally gave us garri, rice and pocket money, both Yor­uba and Hausa. I have no one to assist me with funds to start a busi­ness. I was a petty trader before things went bad for me. I’ve been crying as you can see my eyes have become red, since I heard the news on the radio. There is no­body that can be like Arisekola. If you come into this compound with tears, you would definitely leave with smiles”.
“He’s a detribalized Nige­rian” -Alhaji Sanusi Musta­pha, Ojolowo, Aare Musulu­mi of Ibarapaland
“I’d known him for over 30 years now as a devout Muslim. I’m one of his four deputies as President of Muslims in Oyo state. He cared for everybody irrespec­tive of tribe or religion. In and out of festive seasons, he always gave of his means.
During Ramadan, he’d person­ally go round distributing cows, bags of rice, garri and so on, to the needy, orphans and widows. Also, if there was to be religious disturbance among Oyo Muslim community, he intervened and set­tled it.
“In recognition of his role in promoting Islam, the Saudi government assigned him the right and duty to wash Mosjee­dah Kaabah in Mecca, a privilege granted to only a few non-Arabs, which qualifies him a place in Al­janaah (Paradise)”.

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