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The remains of the former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, were buried in a new casket in his home town in Iju Odo, Ondo State, on Friday in a sombre atmosphere devoid of any form of pomp and pageantry. The reception at the Civic Centre in the village was shunned by most of the guests.
According to Punch, the entire village wore a mournful look with villagers discussing the tragic plane crash that led to the death of 13 people in Lagos on Thursday. Though there was a large turnout of the villagers and dignitaries, the church service was solemn.
The state government had earlier constituted a burial committee in conjunction with the Agagu family. But the plane crash of Thursday resulted in the cancellation of all the burial arrangements leading up to his interment.
The family issued a statement early Friday which was signed by Femi Agagu. It said: “Even in its own bereavement, the family deeply mourns the death of all those who lost their lives in the ill-fated plane crash which occurred when Dr. Agagu’s body was being taken home for burial.
“In deference to all the families who are in bereavement, and out of respect for the memory of the departed, the Agagu family has decided to scale down the details of the funeral to its barest and basic minimum.
“Accordingly, the funeral will now be a private family affair, shorn of all the pomp and pageantry of a state funeral.’’
Tears flowed freely on Friday from the eyes of relatives and sympathizers as the body of former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Agagu, was laid to its final rest.
Agagu’s body arrived the St. Paul’s Anglican Church, in Iju Odo at 1.50pm.
His wife, Mrs. Olufunke Agagu, and her daughters, Solape and Omowumi, could not hide their emotions as the casket followed the procession in the church for the funeral service.
The crowd was unprecedented and the church hall was just too small to accommodate the dignitaries, invited guests, sympathizers and mourners who thronged the occasion in their numbers.
President Goodluck Jonathan was represented by the Minister of Police Affairs, Nav. Capt. Caleb Olubolade.
Rt. Rev.Joshua Ebunoluwa, the presiding bishop of the diocese, called on the mourners and other members of the congregation to seek the Lord and turn away from sin so that they might find a place with God at their death.
He said Agagu had died and would be going away with none of the things he acquired, admonishing the people to work for the afterlife instead of labouring so hard to get the world without God.
Agagu was finally lowered to his grave at the premises of the church at about 3.30pm, with members of his family paying their last respect.
Those in attendance included former Governors Gbenga Daniel, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Segun Oni, Alao Akala and other PDP chieftains.
The Minister of Communications, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and Senator Boluaji Kunlere, (Ondo South) were also in attendance.