First son to former Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu has described the sudeden death of his father as a rude shock to his family, especially because “we just finished a medical examination, he had small cholesterol, a bit hypertensive and there is diabetes in our family, but nothing major, they are things he has been managing for the past ten, fifteen years.”
So, it was like a joke on Friday evening when the former Minister of Power, suddenly collapsed in his family home in Lagos, but before help could reach him at St. Nicholas Hospital; where he was rushed, he died.
The death of Agagu, to Feyi will linger in the heart of all members of the family, “It is sad for my siblings and I that we lost our dad, my mum is obviously sad that she lost her best friend, her husband.”
“He lived a simple live, very purposeful, fulfilled and was pretty much happy most of the time. We are proud of him, he left amazing memories and some fantastic legacies behind for us, I will miss the friendship, I will miss the advice, pretty much what every other son will miss about his dad. He was a mentor to many, a brother, a benefactor and I am sure alot of people will miss him.
“We went on our regular annual family holiday, we were together for two weeks, all of us sleeping side by side and he showed no sign, but I guess when it is time to go and when your maker comes to get you, when he brought you he didn’t tell anyone, when he comes to take you, he won’t tell anyone.”
Feyi added that the larger family will have to meet to decide when the burial will take place.
For former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the death of Agagu, he was billed to meet in Lagos yesterday was such a rude shock, that he forgot his military background and broke down in tears.
Asked about hios feeling about the death of his friend and former co-governor, Oyinlola said, “The way you see me tells you much about how I feel, because having come together politically since we met, he has remained a very nice senior colleague and when he came back the day before yesterday, (Thursday) we talked and we were supposed to be holding a meeting tonight, unfortunately that will not be, it is a tragedy.”
“I will miss everything about him, he was a perfect gentleman, always caring about everybody, he is always concerned about the welfare of others and that is what we will miss mostly about him.
“There was no sign of any ill health, I spoke with him day before yesterday, when he came back from a journey, I told him I was in Ibadan and asked will you come down and he said no he won’t be getting to Ibadan until Sunday, that we should meet today in Lagos and we were supposed to meet tonight.”
Also speaking in the same vein, former governor of Oyo State, Christopher Alao-Akala, described Agagu’s death as a rude shock, especially because he was supposed to be part of the meeting Oyinlola spoke about.
“It is a rude shock to me and my family, because of our relationship, when I heard it I couldn’t believe it, but we thank God for his life. We will miss alot of things about him, it is not only the South West that will miss him, the nation will miss him, because he has been around for a long time in the politics of the nation and alot of us will miss him, especially in the South West, we will miss him.
“We spoke on Thursday when he came back from the US and we were to have a meeting tonight, that was our last conversation. We use to make fun of him when we were together as governor, because he was the oldest among us, we will miss him,” he said.
Among the earliest callers to his Lagos home is the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, accompanied by some white cap, Chief Martins Kuye, Chief Olusola Oke, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, retired AIG of Police, Tunji Alapini among others.
In a related development, for mer vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the late Agagu, as a consummate politician who would be missed for his sagacity and skilfulness both in politics and public administration.
Atiku, in a condolence message on the demise of the immediate governor of the Sunshine state, noted that Agagu’s death came with a personal pain to him, “because he was a friend, and a brilliant strategist.”
Atiku noted that “late Governor Olusegun Agagu not only sat eminently among politicians of note in the country, his contribution to Geology, his area of specialization is also very impressive.
“Be it in politics, scholarly undertakings or public administration, the late Governor Agagu was a first class material. I will miss him as a friend, but the country will miss him as a worthy citizen and leader,” Atiku said.
The former Vice President extended his sympathies to the late governor’s family, the people and government of Ondo State and Nigerians as whole over the loss of a worthy scholar, thinker and leader.
