By Adesina Soyooye
The Oyo State Government has explained why it refused to approve the burial site requested by the family of the late Abiola Ajimobi, for his funeral on Sunday.
Ajimobi, a former Governor of Oyo state died on June 25th, of COVID-19.
A Muslim, Ajimobi ought to have been buried within 24 hours, especially, as he died in Nigeria. But, the funeral has inexplicably been delayed.
The blame for the delay was put on the door steps of the Oyo State Government. The Governor Seyi Makinde Government strongly denies the allegation, saying that even though the late Governor’s family breached protocol by not briefing the Government of the late Governor’s ill-health, or his eventual death, and plans for his burial, it has bent over to please the family.
Stating its side of the story in a press statement signed by Taiwo Adisa, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, it said the Ajimobi family approached it through a proxy for permission to bury him on a plot of land under legal dispute. The Court action, it said, was incidentally, instituted by the late Governor.
Having explained that to the proxy, the Government said it breached its own law, and asked the family to bury him within his GRA residence.
The statement reads in part: “In view of intense inquiries 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 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 still the same former Governor Ajimobi who instituted the legislation.
“Governor Seyi Makinde had no choice than to state the facts as they are to the emissaries, and turned 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 Oluoye Estate, and Agodi GRA.
“Let us also put on record that wheras 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”
Ajimobi will be buried on Sunday, at the Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque, Oke-Ado.
