Palpable mourning pervaded every nook and cranny of Ikorodu community on Wednesday, November 16, 2016, as the cold hands of death snatched away one of the illustrious sons of the town, Chief (Dr.) Rasheed Abiodun Gbadamosi, OFR, at the age of 72.
Late Gbadamosi whose death was described by many as too sudden and shocking, was an acclaimed economist, eminent industrialist, playwright and promoter of arts and culture as well as a federal minister and chairman of the Bank of Industry (BoI) and Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).
On Thursday, November 17, 2016, the cream of the society trooped to the ancient town of Ikorodu, Lagos State, amid tears and sympathy, to pay their last respect to the foremost industrialist and business icon and also to partake in his burial ceremony.
As early as 8a.m on that day, a massive crowd of sympathisers which included captains of industries, notable politicians, traditional chiefs, religious leaders, government functionaries, foreign expatriates, traditionalists, business associates, family members, friends and other dignitaries, started arriving his Kunbi Haven residence, a palatial edifice situated on Sule Oyesola Gbadamosi Crescent, Kokoro-Abu street, Ikorodu, to bid him farewell.
Also at the burial event was the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who was ably represented by the Chief of Staff, Mr. Olukunle Ojo, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and cooperatives, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, Acting Commissioner for Arts, Tourism and Culture, Mrs. Adebimpe Akinsola, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Abdullateef Abdulhakeem and Special Adviser on Overseas Affairs and Investment (Lagos Global), Professor Ademola Abass while the duo of Oba of Lagos Oba Rilwan Akiolu and Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi were represented by bearers of staff of their respective royal insignia.
Before the burial, there was a lying in state session during which sympathisers took their turn one after the other to offer prayers and also catch a glimpse of the remains of late Gbadamosi which was neatly wrapped in a brown transparent wooden coffin with a glass cover and placed in the middle of a small room which also had the presence of his wife, Tinuade, children and key family members who were all on ground to acknowledge commiseration from the sympathisers.
At the entrance of that room was a condolence book and a big photograph of the deceased placed on a small table for people to write their condolence messages.
Both members of Oriwu Club and Methodist Boys High School Old Students’ Association respectively led other groups in offering prayers for the repose of the soul of their late member during the lying-in-state session.
There was also a brief but powerful traditional rite for late Gbadamosi by the members of the Eyo Orisa Agere group from Lagos Island during the lying in state session. The Eyo faithful who were all men and dressed in a black and purple Aso-Oke robes and held long sticks (Opa), sang several dirges and danced round his corpse to invoke his spiritual presence and seek eternal rest for him.
However, at exactly 2:00p.m, the Chief Imam of Ikorodu Central Mosque, Sheikh Seifudeen Olowooribi and the Chief Imam of Jammatul Islamiyah of Nigeria, Alhaji (Imam) Muhammed Babatunde Adeniyi led other Imams and Muslim faithful in observing the last prayer for the deceased.
After the prayer, the coffin was immediately lifted by the Ebony Pallbearers who led the congregation to the vault which had been prepared by the deceased many years ago, as his remains was lowered at exactly 2:15p.m amid tears by family members and sympathisers.
In his graveside sermon which was laden with Quranic recitations, Sheikh Olowooribi, who was full of encomiums for late Gbadamosi, praised Almighty Allah for granting the deceased’s wishes.
He admonished sympathisers to think of death always and how it would come and ensure that they are always in good stead.
Sheikh Olowooribi who noted that the vault (grave) had been prepared by the deceased long before his death, said, “While some were buried in unknown places or missing, Allah granted his wish. It is where he wished to be buried that he was buried. Allah is great.”
He said the deceased was good to all who came across him during his lifetime and prayed that Almighty Allah forgive him his sins.
Alhaji Adeniyi while briefly corroborating Olowooribi’s statement, urged people to serve Allah with all their hearts and engage in good deeds because one day, they will die and render the account of their existence on earth.
He offered a short prayer for the repose of the soul of the deceased and urged his family to take solace in the fact that everybody in this world will taste death.
After the burial, a short prayer session was held during which the duo of Sheikh Olowooribi and Alhaji Adeniyi delivered brief but thought provoking sermons and equally led the gathering in offering prayers for the deceased and his family.
Also at the session, an emotion laden farewell letter written by the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, with whom the deceased was a co-chairman in the ‘Lagos @50’ committee, was read to the entire gathering by Professor Ademola Abass, Special Adviser on Overseas Affairs and Investment (Lagos Global) and who is also a member of the
committee.