Family, deputy governor differ over access at Ajimobi’s fidau

From Bisi Oladele, Yinka Adeniran and Segun Showunmi, Ibadan

There was a mild drama on Sunday at the Oluyole, Ibadan home of the late Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi when Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan was denied access to the eighth day fidau (prayers for the dead) in the family compound.

The family had announced that the fidau would be private, urging the public to watch it through virtual channels, including Zoom, YouTube and Facebook.

Olaniyan was said to have got to the compound around 11:20 a.m in a convoy, but policemen and other security agents reportedly stopped him at the gate to the compound.

They were said to have insisted that only the deputy governor’s vehicle could be allowed into the street to join the prayer.

Olaniyan’s security detail initially rebuffed the idea, but following an argument, a senior policeman intervened and they agreed that only the deputy governor’s vehicle should go in.

But at Ajimobi’s house, the deputy governor was reportedly disallowed from going in.

He was told that the gate had been locked and that Mrs. Ajimobi was in possession of the key. Olaniyan reportedly waited for about 15 minutes and left when there was no response from the Ajimobi family.

Also, the late Ajimobi’s media aide, Mr Bolaji Tunji, has said the family did not know Olaniyan would attend yesterday’s fidau for the late governor.

The state’s delegation, comprising Olaniyan, Head of Service (HoS) Amidat Agboola and Land Commissioner Abiodun Abdul-Raheem, had arrived the venue of the prayers but could not enter the venue.

Read Also: PHOTOS: Family holds eight-day Fidau prayer for Ajimobi

Tunji said the family was not aware that Olaniyan would attend the event, neither was there a prior arrival of the deputy governor’s advance protocol team to inform the family.

In a statement on Sunday in Ibadan, Tunji said: “There is the need to clarify the believed presence of Engineer Olaniyan at the eighth day prayer for Senator Ajimobi, the immediate past governor of Oyo State.

“The deputy governor arrived after the prayer had started; the event was strictly a family affair.  “There was a need to comply with the COVID-19 protocols, as established by NCDC: social distancing, not more than 30 people in a place and seats arranged, accordingly. After that, the gate was shut. No one was aware that the deputy governor was coming as neither the advance team nor the protocol informed us.

“By the time we got to the gate to usher him into the sitting room, he had left. Everything happened within a spate of 10 minutes.

“Through a serving senator and a former Attorney General, we tried to get in touch with him that it was not to slight him and he could sit in a private sitting room provided by the family. Unfortunately, he had left. We, however, apologise to his Excellency.”

But Olaniyan insisted the Ajimobi family was aware he was at the gate of their compound to attend the fidau.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Omolere Omoetan, the deputy governor said it was another act of rebuffing hands of fellowship being extended to the family of the late former governor by Governor Seyi Makinde.

“Again, some members and aides of the former Oyo State Governor Ajimobi continue to rebuff the hand of fellowship extended to the family of the late governor by the government of Oyo State.”

The statement relived how the deputy governor got to the venue without being allowed into the prayer venue, saying:  “Having waited for a while to see if the situation would change to no avail, he proceeded to take his leave…

“Even if the deputy governor arrived when the prayers had started, it is a well-known fact in Islam that when prayers are ongoing and a male walks in, it’s an indication that the prayers have received Allah’s acceptance.

“However, Olaniyan wishes to reiterate that the visit of the government delegation to the eighth day fidau of Senator Ajimobi was a clear demonstration on the part of Makinde that the late governor is held in high regard. He stated that it was only fitting for the state government to show respect to the late governor at the fidau held in his honour.”

A popular Islamic cleric and preacher, Sheik Muyideen Ajani Bello, on Sunday described the late Ajimobi as a leader whose type comes only once in a generation.

Bello spoke at the eighth day fidau for the former governor.

He said Ajimobi died a fulfilled man after achieving what God wanted him to achieve.

“When Senator Ajimobi entered Baitul-Atik during his pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, he asked God to let him see 70 years because no one in his lineage had seen it. He asked God to make him the first governor to serve two terms in Oyo State. He also asked God to grant him mercy to build a befitting mosque for Him. God granted all his requests. He died a fulfilled man,” he said.