The burial ceremony of the wife of the late former Western Premier, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Yeye Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID) Awolowo is to begin on November 15. President Muhammadu Buhari and 36 governors are expected to grace the occasion. Pastors Adejare Adeboye and Tunde Bakare of the Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG) and Latter Rain Bible Church respectively, will be leading 60 bishops and 300 other clerics to to participate in the two-week burial programme.
The ceremonies which will begin on Sunday, November 15 will climax on Wednesday, November 25, the day the deceased would have clocked 100 years on earth, with her burial at the Awolowo’s country home in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State.
At a joint press briefing by the Secretary to the Ogun State Government (SSG), Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, and the Chairman, Central Planning Committee of the burial programme, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, former Ambassador to Netherlands and one of the daughters of the deceased, she said the burial activities will last for 11 days.
According to Adeoluwa, the state government has chosen Monday, November 23 to celebrate the late Awolowo. The grand event, he said, would be held at the Sagamu International Stadium, and that the government has invited all the 35 state governors and secretaries to state government to join in the special fanfare. “The day is an afternoon to celebrate Mama by all the people of Ogun State and also to pay our last tributes to her,” he said. The SSG said the state executive council will deliberate on a proposal by Governor Ibikunle Amosun to immortalize the matriarch and probably approve same on Monday next week.
She read out the programme as follows: “On November 15, at 12 pm, there will be lying-in-state at Park Lane, Apapa, Lagos, followed by Christian interdenominational service. On Monday, November 16, her body would depart to Ibadan for lying-in-state at Oke Bola, Ibadan. November 17-24 will be for lying-in-state at Ikenne, home town of the Awolowos. Interment and reception will hold on November 25, also at Ikenne home of the family .”Awolowo-Dosunmu said large television screens will be provided within the periphery of the church and Awolowo Square which has 5000 seats for people outside the church to watch the burial service and other activities.
“Just before Mama died, she told us: ‘My death is not for you (children) alone, but for the entire world,’” she recalled.
The organizing committee said there won’t be vehicular movement in and out of Ikenne on the burial day. It disclosed that many musicians, including King Sunny Ade, Chief Ebenezer Obey and Adewale Ayuba will entertain the guests at the ceremony.
Managing Director of Nigerian Tribune, Edward Dickson, said accreditation of journalists will commence on Wednesday next week.
