What started few years ago with the exit of Alhaji-Odubeko, a very prominent and wealthy businessman in Ikorodu climaxed last July 29, 2017 with a final burial of one of his wives which is worthy of a place in the social book of records.
Great Alhaji Odubeko was a very religious, humble and easy going man in his life time. He married many wives some of whom were wealthy while their children and even grand children have made marks all over the country and abroad.
Last year Alhaja Ramotalai Agbeke Oladunjoye Odubeko wife of the late Alhaji Odubeko who was like the matriarch of the family died in faraway London. This wealthy and influential woman who was a sister to Alhaja Mutiat Ogbara (Yeye Oba of Ikorodu) had travelled to England to attend the graduation of one of her granddaughters when death struck.
Within days of her demise, one of his wealthy sons, a lawyer by profession (Mr. Adebayo Omobolanle Odubeko) arranged the return of her corpse to Nigeria before the 8 day Fidau (prayers) was due.
The late matriarch whose root span from the Ogbara, Seriki and Animasaun families in ikorodu was given a befitting Fidau at her political home along Ebutte Road in Ikorodu last August 2016.
On that day, both the Ipakodo and Ikorodu residents knew that a prominent personality had passed on. Almost all the family members were present from home and abroad.
One would have thought that this was enough for this great woman, or that her soul would have been appeased sufficiently by the show of love and rites. But not so. The wealthy children gathered the entire family again on Saturday July 29, 2017 for the mother of all burials to celebrate the final entering for this wonderful woman.
At Ikorodu Musical Village, the two expansive halls of the complex (The Pacific and Atlantic Halls were collapsed to one for this matriarch of Odubeko family.
King Sunny Ade, the music icon was the man on stage that day. It was indeed one day the owner of the Musical Village, Engr Olatunde Olokunola will not forget in a hurry because of the massive crowd that assembled in that complex. Every inch of ground was suffocating with people, the hall itself was bursting at its sims as people struggled to be part of the final farewell ceremony for an extraordinary mother.
About 95% of the people at that venue wore the Ankara (‘Aso-ebi’) for that event which meant that the supplier of the material must have been smiling to the bank.
Another sure-bet was the excess provision of food and drinks to everyone’s satisfaction for the 2000 or more guests at the party.
The dance session was something else. One by one, King Sunny Ade called out the children of the late woman. Each of them came to the stage to dance and to pay homage to the musical King himself with all kinds of crisp naira notes.
As the children danced and sprayed money, the music mega star poured encomiums on them, praising their sacrifices for their mother. The sons, daughters, wives, grandchildren all had a share of the stage action. The hall was exploding with ovations and with fun fare.
For hours, the hall was turbo charged with excitement to the delight of the Odubeko family members and their guests.
One of the souvenirs given out to the guests was a booklet on this woman of prestige. Some of the children and grandchildren who spoke with Oriwu Sun had this to say: