High brow Vault and Gardens Cemetery, Ikoyi, Lagos was a beehive of activities today as frontline politicians and key public figures tried to outdo themselves in paying tribute to the late father of the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, Pa Ibrahim Ademola Fashola.
It was indeed a shower of tributes as Pa Fashola was committed to mother earth according to Islamic rites at the cemetery.
The corpse of the 80 year old Fashola arrived the Lagos Central Mosque in black Mercedes Benz SUV, in a wooden casket at about 2:50 pm where the Chief Imam of Lagos, Garuba Akionla led the prayer that lasted five minutes.
The procession was thereafter moved to the cemetery where the Mudir Morcas, Sheik Abeebullah Adam El-Ilory led the prayers that lasted for 25 minutes. Earlier, his corpse had arrived his Ladipo Labinjo Street, Surulere residence at about 11:55am and was later laid in state at Surulere Senior Secondary School.
Senator Gbenga Ashafa, led other dignitaries that witnessed the brief ceremony at his residence. It was also attended by key members of Fashola’s cabinet and others including Banking icon, Subomi Balogun, Rasak Okoya, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, Alhaji Lateef Okunnu, among others,
Speaking after the interment, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, described the late Fashola as a man of honour, adding that the deceased lived a worthy life and a life worth celebrating. Ikuforiji said that “it was a great opportunity for the deceased to have died in the holy month of Ramadan.” Senator Ashafa, who represents Lagos East in the Senate, said the late Fashola “was a peaceful man who had demonstrated humility throughout his life time.”
While commiserating with Governor Fashola, who he described as his brother, Ashafa said Pa Fashola left a vacuum that would be very difficult to fill, especially for the governor “who was very close to his father.”
Members of Eko Club who were present at the lying in state, described him as a good fellow and prayed that almighty Allah grant him aljannat firdaus.
