Encomium
-Family, Tope Alabi absent at funeral
+Wife reclaims Lagos property
11 months after his death, Prophet Iretiola Elijah Ajanaku was buried at 4 :45pm amidst tears on Thursday, July 17, 2014, at his Lagos residence. The whole of Ipaja axis was temporarily shut down as pall bearers carried his corpse from his church to his house around Ikola, Command Road, Lagos.
Prior to the D-Day, his widow, Pastor (Mrs.) Joy Ajanaku, had revealed that the of his burial date was chosen because of the significant number 7 in the numerical representation of the date, 17/7/2014. She explained that the church address as well as their house address all contained the number 7.
The funeral which was scheduled to start by 9am, saw a gathering of the late cleric’s devout church members decked in light blue shirts with the inscription, God of Ajanaku is Alive and the picture of the deceased conspicuously displayed in the front.
The Brigade boys from Lotad Funeral, who wore white native attire and brown trousers, dished out some solemn tunes, as procession danced round the wet streets, not minding the rain that came in trickles.
When the procession got to the junction that led to the church, by Ajanaku Bus Stop, the pall bearers from Lotad Funeral Services, dressed in dark blue aso ofi over white native and black shoes, brought out the gleaming white casket from the sparkling white hearse van which had hitherto conveyed it.
There were cries of “Ahh…Ajanaku,” especially from the women around as the casket was brought out and lifted up by the pall bearers.
“He has been honoured; don’t cry,” an elderly woman could be heard consoling a young girl who couldn’t hold back her tears as her emotions got the better of her. Here are exclusive details from the event.
LOTAD FUNERAL HOMES HANDLED THE BURIAL
The funeral of Late Ajanaku was handled by retired General Oladipupo Diya owned Lotad Funeral Services located at Agege, Lagos. The pall bearers decked in dark blue aso ofi over white native brought the corpse into the church around 9:30 am. The coffin was white and conveyed by a white limo.
GOD OF AJANAKU IS ALIVE
Every member of the ministry was decked in a white blue shirt with the inscription, God of Ajanaku is Alive. They all formed a procession from Iyana Ipaja down to Baruwa axis of Ipaja, Lagos, where the church is located causing gridlock. Amidst the drizzling rain, they stood by their late leader to the end.
TOPE ALABI BOYCOTTED THE FUNERAL
Many of the visitors who thronged the funeral service were on the lookout for Tope Alabi if she would pay her last respects to her former godfather. Sadly, she was conspicuously absents. Some visitors were heard expressing their disappointment that no matter the rift between her and her late spiritual father courtesy demands that she paid him the last respects.
FAMILY MEMBERS ALSO REFUSED TO SHOW UP
Strangely, the family members of the deceased prophet were equally absent at the July 17, 2014 burial. We gathered that they had expressed their stand against the date for the burial and also miffed the church and his wife were in charge of the burial plans. According to our source, they had threatened to storm the burial and disrupt the proceedings. That explained the presence of heavy security personnel engaged by the wife who stood by them from beginning to the end. However, a spokesman for the wife admitted that indeed the family members boycotted the funeral but that the elderly ones were in support of the wife’s decision but as tradition demands, they can’t be present at the funeral of someone who is like a son to them.
THE WIDOW AND KIDS CAME IN TOYOTA CAMRY
Ajanaku’s widow, Joy came into the church premises around 9:30 am along with her two kids, Stella and Apoti-Eri (Ark of God). They were driven by award-winning gospel act, Ifemide (the controversial singer that was reported to have been ordained by Ajanaku as Tope Alabi’s replacement). They came in a brown Toyota Camry car. At 10am, she came down, went into her office and changed into the burial uniform worn by church members and came into the hall at exactly 10:50am. She sat at the front with her two kids and Ifemide with two female ushers guarding her.
WAS HE TRULY INVOLVED IN OCCULTISM?
Most of the visitors who thronged the funeral came with the aim of confirming if indeed his corpse was still intact or has been tampered with by traditionlists as widely rumoured. However, they came, they saw and believed that against the widespread rumour, his corpse was still intact and no part was mutilated. The officiating ministers in order to dispel the rumour opened the casket and gave everybody one on one opportunity to check the corpse. That was when most people believed and commented ‘so it was a rumour all these while’
AND THE MEMBERS SHED TEARS
Initially, the church members were jubilant that at last they had convinced everybody that their leader was not involved in occultism as speculated and even boasted the funeral was not a mourning event but when the casket was opened and they saw the lifeless body of their hero in an all white ensemble, even the strongest among them couldn’t fight back the tears.
WIDOW BROKE DOWN IN TEARS
The most intense of the cries and mourning, Ajanaku’s wife, Pastor Joy, cut a pitiable sight as she wept and clutched tambourine in her hands while trembling vigorously. At a point, she went on her knees and rolled on the floor soaked in tears as she worshipped God. Her two children, Stella and Apoti-Eri Ajanaku, looked on innocently and a bit confused; too young to fully understand what was going on. Her tears moved everybody who could best imagined what the young widow has gone through within a year amidst the controversies and family squabbles.
STELLA AND APOTI ERI CRIED OVER THEIR FATHER’S CORPSE
The late prophet’s kids who were too young to fully comprehend what was going on later broke down in tears when they were taken to the coffin to behold the corpse of their father. The kids beckoned on their mother that they wanted to have a glimpse of their father during the service. Although some of the officials kicked against it but when the kids insisted, they were lifted and shown their dad’s corpse. And they broke down In tears.
IFEMIDE EULOGISED HER HERO
Amongst the special renditions at the funeral, Ifemide’s special performance moved some people to tears. She sounded and sang like Tope Alabi. She shared the story of how Late Ajanaku brought her out of zero and made her a hero, a nobody to somebody, and an unknown artiste to an award winning gospel artiste.
AREA BOYS MISSED HIS GENEROSITY
Interestingly, most street urchins around Baruwa and Ipaja in Lagos expressed their sadness that he was gone. They lamented that they missed his generosity. According to them, whenever he passed, he splashed money on them and mostly dollars.
AJANAKU’S FINAL RESTING HOME
The remains of the late prophet were interred at the park inside his compound. We scooped that the place was constructed few days back. It’s a mini hall constructed beside the security post.
WIFE RECLAIMS HER HUSBAND’S LAGOS HOME
The widow, Joy Ajanaku has regained her husband’s multi-million naira Lagos home. We confirmed it during the service that she has won the battle against the family members who locked her out. Although, she didn’t regain most of the exotic wonders-on-wheel, she has reclaimed the house and moved in. We learnt the church fought for her claiming the property belongs to the ministry and not the family.
‘I wished I could lay down my Life for you’- WIFE, JOY
“I couldn’t imagine myself going through this. It’s like a dream that a loved one narrated to me which I renounced and detested the narrator but I have no choice than to accept as my fate. I believe God has done the best for me. He doesn’t make a blunder. Even if He does, no one dare question Him because that’s why He is called Unquestionable God. I only lost the mortal part of my greatest lover on earth, but his immortal part still lives in me. I thought I will drop my mortal being before you but according to the popular saying, Man proposes but God disposes.
I wished I could lay down my life for you. I wish I was able to see that giant spirit called death at that period taking your body away and exchanged it with mine. I so much miss your correction of love. I miss how you do call me with your soft tender and sonorous voice. I now understood why He called me and rechristened me Joy. Whenever I remember the day I first met him, unspeakable joy filled my heart.
Though I was a Christian by birth, I never knew what it takes to become a bonafide child of God until I met him. God really use him to transform my life beyond human expectation.”
‘He was the best daddy in the world’- STELLA, FIRST DAUGHTER
“My daddy, Prophet Elijah Iretiola Ajanaku was a man with a pure heart and mind and he believed in God so much. He didn’t allow us to fight and always created peace between me and my brother. I love him because he was caring, truthful, wonderful, honest, unpredictable, joyful and kind. He is the best daddy in the world and I love him so much.”
‘He pays my school fees’-APOTI ERI, SON
“I thank God that he was my father. He loved God. He always dressed fine and never dresses like a bush man. He played with us whenever he was around. He paid our school fees and always bought things for us and anyone around us. He took care of us a lot and taught us how to pray. Daddy, you were the best dad in the world and I love you so much.”
‘He was my idol’ – PRINCESS IFEMIDE
“Oosa mi, what a controversial name. Several people asked me why I call you Oosa mi? I told them I called you Oosa mi because you were a separate and special being in God Almighty (Oosa Nla). Indeed you are Eni ori sada fun mi. I thank God for meeting you on that memorable day, December 31, 2012. You were worth emulating in all areas. You reconstructed, refashioned, restructured my life, taught me to live my life for God. You gave me a greater hope in God making me a rare specimen of God’s grace and also helped me to maintain the grace. You are alive…because it’s hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember. Thanks so much baami for the memorable and wonderful moment shared together.”
AJANAKU’S LAST HOUR
The whole palaver began on Sunday, August 18, 2013, when it was reported that the controversial clergy passed on, on Saturday, August 17, 2013, at Gbongan, Osun state. Few hours later, it was announced that he had resurrected. ENCOMIUM Weekly later gathered that his church members brought his corpse to Lagos and started a vigil, praying for his resurrection. However, on Thursday, August 22, 2013, he was certified clinically dead by a team of medical doctors. His corpse was deposited at the Military Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, on Friday, August 25, 2013. While the family members knew their son was dead, the church members still held on to the belief that he only went on a spiritual exercise before he was finally interred on Thursday, July 17, 2014.
FEMI OYEWALE
Pix DAPO ADESEKO
