THE LAST MOMENTS OF SIR MICHAEL OTEDOLA

SIR Michael Agbolade Otedola, the former governor of Lagos State, died on Monday, May 5, 2015 at Reddington Hospital, Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, of heart related ailment.

He was in the hospital since April 2014.  He was brought in from his country home, Odoragunshin after (near Epe in Lagos) falling sick.  He was in the hospital for five weeks before he finally passed on at exactly 8.10 a.m on Monday, May 5, 2014.

Though he was looked after by his first child, Ms. Mosunmola Otedola,  she was at Redeemed Christian Church of God camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where she is an Assistant Pastor, for a programme when Baba bade the world goodbye.

She had left the hospital that morning after praying and anointing her father, for the church programme only to be called later by her younger brother, Femi Otedola that their father had passed on.

Papa’s wife of 60 years, Lady Doja Otedola saw him last on Saturday, May 3, 2014, when she came to the hospital to pay him a visit.  She did not know that would be the last time they would see each other. S eh was also called that Monday morning to be informed that her husband had passed on.

PAPA’S PROFILE

Sir Michael Otedola was born on July 16, 1926, into a Muslim family at Odoragunsin, Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

He studied Journalism at Regent Street Polytechnic, London and graduated in 1958,

He worked at Pancras Chronicle, London as a reporter and later as sub-editor at The Guardian and The Times of London, England.

He returned to Nigeria in 1959, and became an Information Officer in the Western Nigeria Government and later he was appointed the editor of the Western Nigeria Illustrated.

In 1961, he moved into public relations, working for Western Nigeria Television/Western Broadcasting Service (1961-1964) and Mobil Oil Group of Companies (1964-1977).  He later became a consultant to Mobil after leaving the company.

He became the governor of Lagos State in 1992, when he was elected on the platform of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC).  He left office in 1993 after the late Sani Abacha coup of November 1993.

Amongst his children are Ms. Mosunmola Otedola, an Assistant Pastor at RCCG, Mr. Michael Ayokunle Otedola and Mr. Femi Otedola, the billionaire owner of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited and Forte Oil.

BURIAL ARRANGEMENT

Sir Michael Agbolade Otedola’s burial rites will commence on Wednesday, May 28, with a Commendation Service at Lagos House of Assembly, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos.

This will be followed by a wake-keep on Thursday, May 29, 2014, at his residence in Odoragunsin.

Interment will follow on Friday, May 30, 2014, at his country home at Odoragunsin.

‘We’ve been together for 60 years’ – LADY DOJA

Accept our heartfelt condolences on the death of Papa.

Thank you.

Where were you when Papa died?

I was with him on Saturday in the hospital and he died on Monday morning.  I hugged him on Saturday.  I kissed him and I looked at him.  He smiled and I came back to Odoragunsin.

On Sunday, I couldn’t go.  Very early on Monday morning, I was told he was dead.

What will you miss about him?

Everything.  We’ve been together for almost 60 years.  I cannot say this or that that I will miss.  Everything.

We pray that God will console you, ma.

Amen.

‘I thank God he gave his life to Christ at 86’

– MS. MOSUNMOLA OTEDOLA, first child of SIR MICHAEL OTEDOLA

Our condolences on the death of your father.

Thank you.

Where were you when Papa died?

Praise the Lord.

Halleluyah!

By the grace of God, I am the first child of Baba.

What is your name, ma?

My name is Mosunmola Otedola, an Assistant Pastor with The Redeemed Christian Church of God.  I give God the glory for my father.  I give God the glory for the life he lived.  I give God the glory because during his last hours, I was there with him. He had been ill for about five weeks.  During the five weeks, I was more or less living with him in the hospital. I had my own special room where I was sleeping.

The interesting thing which I will never forget was that on the day that he died, I woke very early as usual because I had a church programme at the Redeemed Camp.

Which hospital was that?

Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He was taken from here (country home at Odoragunsin) to the hospital?

Yes.  That morning I went to his room early so as to see him before the nurses start cleaning him up.  As luck would have it, the nurse was just cleaning his mouth when I got in. I saw my father and I prayed for him that he would be healed in Jesus name and anointed him with the special oil that my father in the Lord, Baba E. A. Adeboye gave us.  Later, I left for the church programme.  I was in the second leg of the programme, The Shiloh Hour, when my phone rang inside my bag. I discovered that it was my brother, Femi Otedola, the chairman of Zenon Oil that was calling.  But because the service was still on, I decided not to take his call until the end of the programme.  So, as soon as our General Overseer declared the meeting closed, I picked my phone with the intention of calling my brother back.  It was then I discovered that he had also sent an SMS into my box.  I decided to read the message and to my surprise, the message read thus, ‘Daddy has passed on.  You can call me.’

I called him immediately and in my state of confusion, bombarded him with many questions.  Who told you?  Has the doctor actually certified him dead?  Which doctor certified him dead?

He said, ‘Haba, big sister’ (that is the name they all call me).  ‘Am I a small child that I don’t know what I am talking about?’

I asked is the doctor sure?  I still saw him this morning.  He (Femi) asked what time did you see him?  I said I saw him at 6.10 a.m.  He replied that he died 8.10 a.m today.  It was then it dawned on me that Baba had actually passed on.

Was he talking when you saw him in the morning?

No.  For sometime, he was not talking and I asked the doctor why. He said it was because of the special medication being given to him.

But before your took him to the hospital, he was talking?

Yes, even when we took him to the hospital, he was talking though very feeble.

So, what will you say you will miss about him as your father?

I will miss many things about him.  I will miss his smile, his laughter.  I will miss his jokes and I will miss his generousity. One thing that makes me happy most is that my father knew God before he died.  He became born again a year and three months before he died. Last year February, I told the G.O (Pastor E. A. Adeboye) that my father who was 86 had not yet known God.  Despite the busy schedule of our father in the Lord, two hours after I spoke with him he called my father and spoke with him about being born again.

Are you saying your father who was a staunch Catholic was not a Christian because he was not born again?

Yes.  There is a difference between being a church goer and a born again church goer.  On three occasions our General Overseer made attempts to convince my father to be born again but it didn’t happen.  Eventually in February of last year (2013), my father became born again. It was that same day I had to go and see him in the hospital.  As soon as I got into his room, even before I reached his bed side, he said, “Mosun, Mosun, Adeboye phoned me today.  Ha, Adeboye spoke to me on the phone today. I have given my life to Christ.  I am now born again.”  I could see the joy in him.

Does that mean he had been in the hospital since last year February?

No, that time he was in the hospital for a week or two.  So, the fact that my father died as a born again child of God is a tremendous joy to me.  And I have peace of mind.  If he was not born again before he died, you wouldn’t meet me here.  I will be inside my room crying for him.

What memory of him will you cherish forever?

So many memories of him that I will always cherish, where am I going to start?  Could it be when I was in secondary school, Holy Child College, Ikoyi (Lagos) and my father drove me to school while I sat at the back and he would not complain?  Or during one of our practical Biology in my final year we were told to bring frog and my father led me to catch one in our compound in the night?  I will also never forget when I finished my course at Pittman Secretariat College, London and I sent a telegram to my father of my good performance which was the best that year.  Within 24 hours, my father was in London to celebrate with me.  I cherished that a lot.  I also cherish the fact that he took me to so many countries in the world when I was a youngster.

I also cherish the fact that he encouraged me to further my education to my desire. I cherish his moment with my children. I cherish the fact that he taught me to save for the rainy day.  You wouldn’t believe that when other people were taking loan to buy their first cars, I bought mine with my own savings

.I bought my Volkswagen Beetle with my own savings which was a little less than N3,000, that can’t buy a bag of rice these days.  That was around 1977 or 1978.

T-R-I-B-U-T-E-S

Since the official announcement of the demise of Sir Michael Agbolade Otedola by his wife, Lady Doja Otedola on Monday, May 5, 2014, their country home in the sleepy town of Odorangunsin, Epe has become a Mecca of sort.

People from all walks of life have been visiting the family to pay their last respects to an elder statesman and condole with the family.

ENCOMIUM Weekly was also at the country home of the late journalist where we interviewed his wife and first daughter.

We also culled from the Condolence Registers the tributes paid by some dignitaries.

‘You have lived a fulfilled life, Baba.  Rest in Peace.’

– Mr. Dele Onabokun, former Commissioner for Housing, Lagos State

‘This is a great and golden exit of a great icon.  A leader with an uncommon trait for the benefit of the masses.  Rest in peace, Baba rere.’

– Hon. Johnbull Adebanjo, former member, Lagos House of Assembly

‘Great man who bequeathed great legacies on us’ – Forte Oil

‘The government and the people of Lagos bid farewell to a patriot and a public servant who served them valiantly and faithfully.  We value your service and will never forget it.  You were a man of great honour.  Rest in peace with your maker. The race is finished and it was well run.’

– Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN)

‘A leader of value.’

– Segun Agbaje, Chairman, Epe Local Government Council

‘A real leader has gone.  May the soul of Papa rest in perfect peace.’

– Adelaja, Chairman, Eredo LCDA

‘Papa served humanity righteously.  May his soul rest in peace.’

– Adesegun Ogunlewe, former Head of Service, Lagos State

‘A great icon has gone from Lagos State and Nigeria.  Rest in peace, Papa.’

– Dr. Leke Pitan, former Commissioner for Health, Lagos State

‘Adieu, my benefactor and the founder of primary education college in Nigeria.’

– Professor Olu Akewusola, Provost, Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED)

‘May the Almighty God find a restful place for our dear Papa in His bosom.’

– Mrs. R. Akesode, Chairman, Governing Council MOCPED

‘A great Lagosian has just departed. A man of honour who is precious has suddenly departed.  We pray the Almighty God grant his soul eternal rest and peace.  Adieu Papa.  Epe division will always remember you.  Lagos State will never forget you.  A man of peace rest in peace.’

– Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly

‘May his loving soul rest in perfect peace.  Your people are proud of your legacy in Epe in particular and Lagos in general.’

– Hon. Segun Olulade, Member, Lagos House of Assembly

‘My heartfelt condolence to our dear Mama and all the family for the loss of a great leader of our state and nation.  Rest in peace, sir.’

– Senator Oluremi Tinubu

‘We give glory to God for the life well spent of our Papa, Michael Agbolade Otedola, the former governor of Lagos State.  You lived a fulfilled life to the glory of God and humanity.  May his soul rest in perfect peace.’

– Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Deputy Governor, Lagos State

‘Daddy Otedola was a man who lived a good and dedicated life.  We all should emulate him and live for Our Creator only.  May Daddy’s soul rest in perfect peace.  May the good Lord protect the children and grand children and may His grace be sufficient for them all.’

– Dame Abimbola Fashola

‘Baba was a great man, a mentor and principled.  He united Lagos more maturely to our body polity.  He gave his best to the state. He remains a hero.’

– Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

‘A gentleman, a politician, a gentleman governor, a peace loving man, quiet and humble, unassuming, a deeply religious man has gone to his Creator.  May your soul rest in perfect peace.  May He console Mama and the entire Otedola family.’

– Senator Ibikunle Amosun

‘Your Excellency, we served faithfully together as governor in 1992-1993.  We were deeply close despite your being in NRC and I in SDP.  That relationship lasted until you answered the last call. I will miss your brotherly wisdom and love.  I wish Mama longer life, whose meal I ate as a diploma student at University of Lagos in 1965-1965.’

– Aremo Olusegun Osoba

‘A great loss to our nation.  May Papa’s soul rest in perfect peace.’

– Aliko Dangote

‘Baba was a respectable gentleman, a man of honour and peace.  He put in his best that Lagos State may excel.  Eko o ni baje, sun re o, Baba Olorire sun re o.  May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.’

– Rt. Hon. Abayomi Kinyomi, former Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly (Third Assembly)

‘Baba was one in a million, a factor that really made Lagos to excel. You were a philanthropist per excellence that put smiles and hope on people’s faces.  Adieu Papa rest in peace.’

– HRM Oloja of Epe

‘It was a privilege to know and work with a man of God with high moral principles.  A philanthropist, a man of his people.  Your legacies live after you.  May you rest in perfect peace in Jesus name.’

– Professor Abba Sagoe, former SSG, Lagos State

– Stories and interviews by TOLANI ABATTI