The delay in the burial of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has been attributed to a clash between the late politician’s family, Islamic leaders and the state governor, Seyi Makinde.
Ajimobi’s death was announced on Thursday, June 25, 2020, and according to Islamic injunction, he was supposed to have been buried immediately or hours after his death.
Land proposed by family for Ajimobi’s burial is under litigation – Makinde
Oyo State Government has strongly denied insinuations that it is responsible for the delay in burying the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who died on Thursday.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the insinuations amounted to a wicked lie.
The statement read: “In view of the intense enquiries from news media organisations regarding the perceived delay in burying the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the Oyo State Government wishes to place on record that there is no truth in the rumour making the rounds that the burial is being delayed by the state government.
“The rumour, which is being deliberately spread to give the state government a bad name and to play undue politics with the dead, initially came by the way of social media gossip, which gained traction to attract the attention of traditional media outfits.
“Several media outfits reached out to the Media Office of the Governor of Oyo State to make enquiries on this barefaced lie on Saturday.
“Let it be stated clearly that the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has played no role at all in causing any delay whatsoever regarding the burial of his immediate predecessor, Senator Ajimobi.
“The truth of the matter is that the family, through a proxy, approached the state government and sought approval to bury the late governor on a plot of land at Agodi GRA, which is currently under litigation.
“Incidentally, it was the same former Governor Ajimobi who instituted the legal action.
“Governor Seyi Makinde had no choice than to state the facts as they are to the emissaries and turn down the request.
“Governor Makinde, however, against the established land use rule in Oyo State, gave approval that the family can bury the late governor in his Oluyole Estate residence.
“It is to be noted that the rules guiding land use in Government Reservation Areas (GRA) forbid the burial of bodies in such locations as Oluyole Estate and Agodi GRA.
“Let us also put on record that whereas the family did not follow the laid down protocols in passing information on the sickness and eventual demise of Senator Ajimobi, Governor Makinde overlooked all that and directed the full cooperation of the government with the family on this matter.
“It can only amount to a wicked lie to insinuate that the incumbent government in Oyo State attempted to obstruct the burial of the immediate past governor.”
Why Ajimobi will not be buried a mosque – Mosque officials
Oyo State Coordinator, National Council of Muslim Youth, Daud Afolabi; and the Chairman, Management Committee, Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque, Alhaji Abidemi Siyanbade, have debunked the rumours that the remains of former Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimob will be buried at the mosque.
The duo made this known in separate interviews with journalists in Ibadan.
Afolabi said, “As you can see, no place was marked within the premises of the mosque for graves. The body of the former governor will be laid to rest in one of his houses or anywhere the family decides; and not in the mosque.
“I can only tell you that we would pray for him in the mosque. He contributed a lot to the development of Islam and we want to honour him. He died while he was sick and as Muslims, we believe that he has a rest already before Allah.”
Corroborating this view, Shiyanbade said, “Ajimobi will not be buried on the premises of the mosque but a short prayer will take place there.
“His corpse will not be brought to the mosque because it is against Islamic injunction to do so. He would be buried anywhere the family decides and we would pray for him in the mosque.”
He stated that the former first lady, Florence Ajimobi, would determine where the former governor would be buried.”