The drama surrounding the Oyo State government’s attempts at paying its last respect to the departed former governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, also known as Koseleri, may not be over as the deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan, yet suffered another embarrassing moment at the residence of the former governor.
Recall Freelanews reported how the wife of the late governor, Florence Ajimobi, lambasted the government when Olaniyan paid the family a condolence visit initially.
This time around, the deputy governor suffered same fate when he was denied access to the eighth day fidau prayers holding in the compound.
The family had announced the fidau prayer as a private programme, urging the public to watch through virtual channels including Zoom, YouTube and Facebook.
Olaniyan arrived the residence at about 11:20 am in a convoy of five vehicles. On getting to the gate of the road leading to Ajimobi’s residence, the convoy was stopped by policemen and members of other security agencies manning the gate. They insisted that only the deputy governor’s vehicle could be allowed into the street to join the prayer.
The deputy governor’s security details initially rebuffed the idea but when their argument was degenerating, a senior policeman intervened and they eventually agreed that only the deputy governor’s vehicle should go in.
But on getting to Ajimobi’s house, the gate was also locked. The deputy governor’s aides introduced their principal but they were told that the gate had been locked, and that Mrs Ajimobi was in possession of the key. Olaniyan waited, believing that the issue would be sorted in no time.
After waiting for about 15 minutes, however, without any positive development, Olaniyan left the residence.
In its response, the Ajimobi family, represented by its spokesman, Bolaji Tunji, stated that the issue wasn’t as it appeared.
In a statement released on behalf of the family, Tunji said the deputy governor came in when prayer had started at an event he termed ‘a family affair’.
“There is the need to clarify the believed presence of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan at the 8th day prayer of HE Senator Abiola 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 protocol as established by NCDC- Social distancing, not more than 30 people in a place and seats arranged, accordingly. After which the gate was shut,” he said.
The media aide also insisted that no one was aware in advance the deputy governor would be gracing the occasion.
“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 10mins,” Tunji revealed.
The former Oyo first family claimed it tried to get in touch with the deputy governor after he left through a serving senator and a former Attorney General ‘that it was not to slight him and he could sit in a private sitting room provided by the family’ but unfortunately, he had left.
“We, however, apologise to his excellency,” Ajimobi family pleaded.
However, in what looked like a similar treatment, a former first lady, Mutiat Ladoja, was also denied entry as ‘the entrance key was with madam (Florence Ajimobi)’, while the former made attempt to represent herself and husband, Rashidi Ladoja at the fidau prayer. Ladoja was governor of the state between 2003 to 2007.
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