THE GUARDIAN, Friday, March 29, 2013
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OLUWOLE AWOLOWO (1942 - 2013) Akinjide, Oni, Arisekola-Alao mourn Tribune’s publisher From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Ado-Ekiti) and Terhemba Daka (Abuja) INISTER of State for FedM eral Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide and for-
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, signing the condolence register of the late Publisher of Nigerian Tribune, Oluwole Awolowo, who died on Wednesday in London, at the Ikenne residence of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo …yesterday
Jakande, Babatope, others mourn From Tunde Akinola, Ikenne Lagos State GoverFandORMER nor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande his wife, Abimbola, former Minister for Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, foremost physician, Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, former President, Association of Nigerian Authors, Prof. Odia Ofeimu and son of the late educationist, Tai Solarin, Tunde were among prominent citizens who mourned the late Oluwole Awolowo yesterday. Babatope described the deceased as his friend of 37 years and an extremely generous man. He said the late Awolowo was kind enough to part away with whatever he had at a particular point in time to help his neighbour. “Unknown to many, Wole was a shy man, but despite this he remained strong and courageous in whatever he did. Just like his father, he was an extraordinarily amazing person. Till his death we remained very close. I trusted him a lot to the extent of making him one of the executioners of my will. I will greatly miss him because he had been a significant personality in my life,” Babatope stated. Abimbola Jakande described Oluwole as a man of integrity who had the fear of the Lord. “We used to call him Unbreakable and everybody loves him. He was a good Christian in every way. We will miss him.” Ofeimu in the condolence register wrote: “Now you can rest ... You fought hard to remain unbreakable in your own way. Rest in peace.” According to Solarin, the late Awolowo was like a brother to him. “His father was my father’s friend so I got to know him through that. He was a jovial person that I always came to pass time with and also for advice on issues. “I will miss his company and down-to-earth personality. The family name will live forever from generation to generation and his contribution to the media industry will never be forgotten,” Solarin said.
mer governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, commiserated with the Awolowo family. The duo also expressed their heartfelt condolences to the Board, Management and Staff of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, over the death of Oluwole. Akinjide, who, in a statement, stated that Oluwole’s demise was a great loss to the nation, however, took solace in the fact that he left a good legacy worthy of emulation and attained a spiritual piety as a practising Christian. Oni, in a statement, said: “I just received the painful news of the passing onto glory of our big egbon, Chief Oluwole Awolowo, scion of the family of the sage. “No doubt, his death is painful and a great loss to the entire Awolowo dynasty and, to us, his aburos especially
Jonathan, Amosun, Ooni, Diya, others condole with family From Charles Coffie Gyamfi (Ikenne) and Terhemba Daka (Abuja)
• Sympathisers throng Ikenne
UNDREDS of sympathisH ers yesterday trooped to Ikenne, the Ogun State coun-
improving the Tribune newspapers, which ensured that the Nigerian Tribune and its sister publications have remained an objective voice of reason in Nigeria’s media space and continue to offer invaluable services to the nation. “It is not a mean feat to have sustained the Tribune newspapers over the years,” the President said in praise of the late scion of the Awolowo family.” Also, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, condoled with the family. He said he received the news of Oluwole’s demise with sadness and noted that a pride and shining star of the great Awolowo family has been dimmed. He particularly shared his admiration for the managerial and entrepreneurial capabilities of the late publisher and called on his successor and management of the Newspaper to keep the flag flying higher.
try home of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to condole with the family over the death of the only surviving son, Chief Oluwole Bolade Awolowo. Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has commiserated with the Awolowo family over the death of Oluwole, describing his demise as sad and painful. The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Dr. Rueben Abati, noted that the late Awolowo was not only a distinguished evangelist and humanist, but also a community leader. He described the deceased as a worthy and honoured member of the Awolowo dynasty who diligently served God and humanity to the best of his abilities. Jonathan said, “Oluwole’s steadfast, life-long commitment to upholding, maintaining and continually
Among the earlier callers at Ikenne was the Special Adviser on Policy and Strategy to President Jonathan, Mr. Oronto Douglas who represented his boss, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, former governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel, his wife, Olufunke, the Alakene of IkenneRemo, Oba Adeyinka Onakade, representatives of the Ooni of Ife, led by Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Elijah Adegoke, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Justice Owolabi Sonoiki (rtd) and Chief GOK Ajayi (SAN) and wife. Gen. Oladipo Diya (rtd), Prince Bola Ajibola, Prof. Emeritus, Timothy Ogunlesi and the Ogun State Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Alhaji Abimbola Awofeso were also at the Awolowo family house. Two sisters of the deceased, Rev (Mrs.) Omotola Oyediran and Mrs. Tokunbo AwolowoDosunmu, were on ground to receive the visitors. As at 3.00 p.m., about 150
people, including Amosun, had signed the condolence register. Amosun wrote in the condolence register: “Egbon (elder brother), I really don’t know what to say or write. Despite our grief, we thank the good Lord. He gives and takes. We cannot question or query Him. May the Lord grant you eternal rest and may we continue to give Mama and the rest of the Awolowo family good health. Adieu.” Physically disturbed, Douglas described the deceased as a leader, great son of Nigeria who served the country well. He wrote:” A great son of Nigeria is gone. Adieu our leader and brother.” Daniel described late Awolowo as an amiable, down to earth and jovial personality. Daniel, later in a statement, described the deceased as a peace builder and an unassuming leader. He lived his life in the service of the people. He was a quiet philanthropist and an exemplary leader who impacted on the lives of those who came in contact with him positively.
myself who continue to cherish his love and affection, and I pray for the repose of his soul. “Egbon’s love for people, his concern for truth, and justice and his ‘unbreakable’ steadfastness with Christ through prayers, which he never failed to offer whenever we come to visit, will remain evergreen with us. He was a great man, patriot, politician, peacemaker and a man of prayers.” To the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao, “Though painful and devastating, death is inevitable for mortals, it’s more than tragedy to loose Egbon Wole.” According to him, “Oluwole’s public relations is second to none, very nice a man, a rallying point. Myself and Egbon Wole have been together for almost 50 years. I recalled when he joined politics, he won in Apapa Local Government, when he founded the club called Doma Club, very nice and honest man. “It is not in any Book of God that a child will buried his parents nor parents will buried his child, it is Will of God. We take consolation in the fact that our amiable unbreakable left good legacies, May Allah be kind with him.”
‘He was a victim of bad governance’ EMBERS of a “proposed M UPN” mourned the late Oluwole Awolowo whom they described as the “son of our mentor, Papa Obafemi Awolowo.” The group led by Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, in its condolence message contained in a statement, said “Wole thus became a victim of bad governance in Nigeria with its bad roads and inadequate response to emergency situation. That Wole lived up to yesterday before giving up the ghost was an act of God and his peculiar resilience, which earned him the appellation ‘Unbreakable’ from Papa Awo. “Wole was an achiever and goal getter. As a UPN member of Lagos State House of Assembly, he was a leader among equals. He was kind and generous. Wole was a man of God with PhD degree in theology. He was a pastor with passion to take care of the underprivileged. “As a publisher, he was an inspiration to his staff so much that he increased the quality of the Nigerian Tribune to make the paper acceptable and admired by the generality of the Nigerian people. Wole made his mark in Nigerian journalism by promoting the dignity of Nigerian journalist.”
Fayemi, Oshiomhole, Uduaghan, Okorocha extol his virtues From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Ado-Ekiti), Alemma Ozioruwa Aliu (Benin) and Charles Ogugbuaja (Owerri) OVERNORS Kayode Fayemi G (Ekiti), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo) have commiserated with the family of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, over the death of his son, Oluwole. Fayemi, in a statement, expressed regret that death has robbed the Awolowo clan of a shining star who had been
a motivator of the family since the demise of the patriarch, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The governor stressed that the loss became more painful by the fact that the family was yet to fully recover from the death of Oluwole’s sister, Mrs. Ayodele Soyode, who passed on less than two years ago. He credited Oluwole with the nurturing of the Nigerian Tribune, a big media empire, which has endured for over 60 years. Fayemi said the deceased distinguished himself by his tenacity of purpose, resilience
and the diligence with which he pursued the goals he believed in. In his condolence message, Oshiomhole said: “We share in the grief and pain of the Awolowo family at this very difficult period, knowing how closely knit the family is. “Oluwole upheld the Awolowo name till the end and kept the dream of the sage alive through his prudent management of the Tribune newspapers. He will always be remembered for his forthrightness.” Uduaghan described the late
Oluwole Awolowo as a humble, easy going and focussed personality who spent almost his entire life for the good of humanity. “Not once, throughout my continued encounter with him did he betray emotions of being born with a silver spoon. Unless you are told, you won’t know he was the first son of the late sage. He was simple, humble and very focused. He was not one to be associated with triviality”, he added The governor said the junior
Awolowo helped to cement his relationship with Mama H.I.D such that today he can boast to be among the very few recognised by the matriarch as one of her children. Okorocha described Oluwole’s death as “a big blow and loss to the media industry”. In a statement, he noted that the deceased was outstanding in view of his contributions to Yoruba land and Nigeria at large, praying God to comfort the family to bear the irreparable loss with gratitude.