Top politicians, including Sen. Anthony Adefuye and Sen. Akin Odunsi, on Wednesday joined other Nigerians to celebrate the life and times of late Third Republic politician Sen. Solomon Otegbola.
Otegbola, the Asiwaju of Aworiland and one of Nigeria’s most distinguished elder statesmen died on February 17 at 91.
Adefuye and others paid tributes to Otegbola at the Service of Songs organised in his honour in Lagos.
In his tribute, Adefuye described the late Otegbola, who represented Ogun West, as a great leader with a large heart.
“He (Otegbola) was religious and generous. He was a great leader.
“He will be sorely missed,” Adefuye, a member of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), said.
Adefuye said he, the late Oladipo Diya and Otegbola were good friends and were active participants in the June 12, 1993 struggle.
Also speaking, Odunsi, who represented Ogun West between 2011 and 2015, described the late Otegbola as a great philanthropist.
According to him, Otegbola’s contributions to the society and Awori land will be remembered for a long time to come.
The national president of the Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria (AWAN), Chief Mohammed Olagbaye, said that the association benefitted immensely from the Otegbola’s generosity.
Olagbaye said, “We cannot exhaust his contributions because they are numerous: we cannot list them all. His life counts a lot. He touched many lives and we thank God for his life.”
In his sermon, Rt. Rev. Ebenezer Ogunbiyi, the Bishop of the African Church, Lagos East, said that late Otegbola’s life was based on service to God and humanity.
Quoting from the Biblical IISamuel 3:38, the cleric said, “A prince and a great man has fallen in African Church and Nigeria.”
Noting that Otegbola’s life was worthy of emulation, Ogunbiyi said the late senator’s heart was like that of Biblical King David.
Speaking, Rt. Rev’d Adesoji Adetubo, the Bishop of the African Church, Odopotu Missionary Diocese, described Otegbola as a great soldier of Christ.
“He was a born-again and social Christian. He was a good man who loved his followers.
“Baba Otegbola cherished peace and unity and worked for it,” Adetubo, who recounted his numerous encounters with Otegbola said.
Leading a special prayer session for the deceased’s children, family, church and Nigeria, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of the Trinity House commended Otegbola’s children for taking care of their late patriarch.
Earlier in her tribute, the first daughter of the deceased, Mrs Fola Soyebo, said, “We are all dust, and we shall return to dust, but we should not just die without making our lives count.
“I believe Daddy is in heaven because he was forever talking about it.”
Also speaking, Mr Wale Otegbola, one of the deceased’s sons, described their late father as a forthright and honest man.
Mr Otegbola said, “He would always say it is easier to tell the truth than to lie. This is a good quality he passed on to us.
“He did quite a lot of good and philanthropic works. He had a compassionate heart and was very generous,” he said.
Other children, grandchildren, friends, workers and family members of the late Otegbola took turns paying tributes to their late patriarch.
The event was attended by many personalities including the wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun.
