BREAKING NEWS, Passage
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Nigerians turn the residence of the late Obafemi Awolowo in Ikenne, Ogun State, to a mecca as sympathisers throng the place to commiserate with family on death of the late Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, the matriarch of the family
NIGERIANS from different walks of life have continued to mourn the late Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, affectionately called HID, and widow of the late Obafemi Awolowo, first premier of the defunct Western region, who died on Saturday, September 19. She was 99 years old.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who sent a delegation to a government delegation to the family, said on Sunday, September 20, that he regretted that the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, did not live to witness the transformation and positive change the country would be experiencing soon.
Buhari said this through Babachir David Lawal, secretary to the government of the federation, SGF, who led the government’s delegation to the Ikenne residence of the Awolowo, to commiserate with the family over HID.
The president said he regretted that mama did not “feel” the change where her son-in-law, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Dolapo, his wife, who is her granddaughter, were key players. The president said: “Our regret in government is that Mama did not live long enough to feel the transformation this country will undergo with the active participation of her son-in-law, with the active participation of her granddaughter. This is something that saddens us. Had she waited well for one or two more years, I’m sure she would have left this world a very happy woman indeed, because the fulfilment of what her husband stood for would have finally come to fruition.”
Other members of the delegation were Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president, General Abayomi Olonisakin, chief of Defence Staff, and Baba Gana Kingibe, former SGF.
He promised the readiness of the FG to participate fully in her burial arrangements if the family is gracious enough to give him the opportunity to so do.
Uche Secondus, acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on behalf of the National Executive Committee, NEC, and members of the party similarly commiserated with the Awolowo family. In a statement signed by Olisah Metuh, national publicity secretary of the PDP, Secondus said the demise of the matriarch of the Awolowo family was a big loss to the nation.
“Mrs. Awolowo was a rare “jewel of inestimable value”, who stood like a pillar behind one of Nigeria’s greatest leaders, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The value of Mrs. Awolowo was even made more glaring in the way and manner she provided leadership to the personal and political families of the Awolowos in the last 28 years of the demise of the great sage,” the PDP statement said.
In his condolence message, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, said the death was a demoralising one for the family who had been planning to celebrate her 100th birthday on November 25. Nevertheless, Umahi said glory must be given to God “because HE gave her the ability to live a worthy life.” The governor’s statement, which was contained in a press release signed by Emma Anya, his chief press secretary, said in part: “Her husband and the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo,once described Mama HID as his “Jewel of inestimable value” but I state here that Nigeria has lost that same jewel that Chief Awolowo left for us.”
Since her passing was announced, the Awolowo family home has become a mecca for sympathisers from different walks of life. Prominent among them are Vice-president Osinbajo, his wife, Lateef Jakande, former governor of Lagos State; Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State and chieftain of the APC, Bola Ajibola, a former judge of the International Court of Justice at the Hague; Ayo Adebanjo,a chieftain of Afenifere and Bisi Akande, former governor of Osun State among others.
In his statement, Osinbajo who happens to be grandson in-law to the HID, said: “She lived for this nation, everyday of her life. She wanted to see a great nation and I know that she had begun to see that great nation, the evolution of this nation in the past years has shown that we are on the right path and we would get there. I believe that her memory will be best served by the kind of nation we would want to see- a united nation; a nation where we don’t identify ourselves by our tribes and where we all know that we are all Nigerians, that is the kind of nation that she lived for.”
HID died on Saturday at 3.15pm, in her Ikenne home in Ogun State. Also known Yeye Oodua, who would have been 100 years on November 25, she was said to have attended a meeting of her forthcoming centenary birthday, before retiring into her room, where she breathed her last.
— Sep 21, 2015 @ 13:40 GMT
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