The late Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources in Oyo State, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola started his last journey as early as 6a.m on Thursday morning when the state government’s top shots and family members stormed the Anatomy Department of the University of Ibadan to prepare his remains for burial.
Some minutes after 7a.m, the deceased’s wife, Professor Olukemi Ayoola and her two sons came in a grey ML Mercedes Benz Jeep. The children came down to watch as their late breadwinner was being prepared.
Members of the state’s House of Assembly and others took turns to speak glowingly about the deceased who was a one-time Speaker of the same House of Assembly.
The present Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon Adebo Ogundoyin was almost in tears as he extolled the virtues of Ayoola.
Despite the early morning downpour, many friends, colleagues and family members of Kehinde Ayoola still thronged the House of Assembly to pay their last respect to the fallen hero.
The body was then moved to the New Covenant Church, Odo-Ona, Ibadan for the commendation service where only twenty people including the governor of Oyo State were supposed to be present.
At the church, the Conference Pastor presiding, Reverend Kunle Balogun said that human beings need to make God their dwelling place in order to successfully soldier through life’s challenges.
The clergy, who was speaking at the burial service for the late Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola, said that human beings must always reverence God Almighty because He alone is the determinant of how far anyone goes in life.
Revd. Balogun read Psalm 90 and asked the congregation to learn from the experiences of Moses and the Israelites while in the wilderness.
Speaking on the topic “give us a heart of prayer,” Revd. Balogun said that every human being must note three things; life is brief, life is uncertain and death is certain.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the service, which was held in conformity with the social distancing rule, had Governor Makinde and the deceased’s family members in attendance.
The cleric said: “Life is brief, even if you have the opportunity to live a thousand years, by the eternity of God it is not up to one day. If man knows that his life is brief, he will live purposefully.
“Life is uncertain and there is no guarantee for tomorrow. Life is like a vapour which appears for a little while and vanishes so there is no certainty. It is God who makes tomorrow certain.”
He stated that for man to live purposeful life, he must make God his dwelling place, adding that the Israelites were able to live 40 years in the wilderness without being harmed by dangerous animals because they made God their dwelling place.
“Men must make God their dwelling place because that is why Israelites were able to live 40 years in the desert and were not destroyed,” he said.
The children of the deceased Commissioner, Beeloluwawi and Folarin read the first and second lessons of the day, while Folarin later gave the vote of thanks.
The remains of Kehinde Ayoola was then moved to the Church’s cemetery located in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali and Olawale Awe
