No fund yet for Afolabi's burial
From Seun Adeoye, Osogbo
ALTHOUGH the late former Internal Affairs Minister, Chief Sunday Afolabi was the deputy governor of old Oyo State between 1979 and 1982, indications emerged yesterday that Oyo and his home state, Osun would not release any fund for his burial activities which kick off next week.
Besides, the Federal Government which Afolabi also served as minister of Education in 1983 has not made available any money for the burial of the politician who died on May 10, 2004.
Briefing reporters in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the chairman of the funeral committee, Erelu Olusola Obada said the state government has decided not to spend a kobo of the public fund on Afolabi's burial.
Obada, who is the deputy governor said: "I must state categorically here that Osun State government is not funding the funeral ceremony and I know that Oyo State government too though actively involved in the programme will not commit public fund into the burial".
She said that although the Federal Government might want to do something at a later date, nothing had been given to the committee for the burial activities.
According to her, friends, political associates and family members were made to contribute substantial amount of money for the burial rites.
The deputy governor said: "Baba (Afolabi) was a great leader and it is better for his name to remain untarnished. We did not want people to say that the money we are spending on his burial could have been used for them. We did not want his name to be mentioned or be dragged into the mud. But we are giving him a befitting burial as our great leader".
"We actually decided not to commit a single kobo of government money into this because we live in a very abnormal time as what you do today can come up in 10 years time"."
In a programme of events for the burial, the family will kick-start the ceremony with a posthumous birthday, at Ekotedo Methodist Church in Ibadan on June 22 when he would have turned 74.
Obada disclosed that there would be service of songs which would feature a galaxy of orchestral and choirs at Afolabi Bodija residence on June 23 with commendation service at the Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan the next day.
According to her, President Olusegun Obasanjo, his deputy, Atiku Abubakar and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) teams led by Chief Audu Ogbeh are expected to grace the events which will end on Sunday June 26 at the African Church, Iree. Afolabi's country home.
