The ancient town of Owo in Ondo State will on Friday host eminent Nigerians for the final funeral rites of former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
The body of the former Nigeria Bar (NBA) president will be interred after the funeral service at St. Andrew Anglican Church, Imola, Owo.
On Sunday, a thanksgiving service would be held in the same church.
Akeredolu passed on in December.
Funeral rites for him started from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where he lived and practised law before he joined politics.
His body moved to Akure on Wednesday before being transported to Owo, his home town.
On Thursday, Akeredolu’s kinsmen performed the traditional Ajabue dance ahead of his interment.
Many joined the procession, which started from the Ijebu-Owo home of the deceased.
The procession was led by children and relatives of the former governor.
The Ajabue dance is performed as part of the funeral rites for the dead in Owoland.
The belief of Owo, a Yoruba-speaking people, is that the dance will herald the passage of the dead to heaven.
A participant, Mr. Ola Olusegun, said the Ajabue rite is performed for the dead to enter heaven.
He explained that the male child holds the ceremonial swords called Ape and Agada while the female holds the Iya-shin (horse tail).
However, Olusegun said it is forbidden that the Ajabue should be performed on Ukoko market day, adding that it is a taboo.
At the ceremony were former Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Raimi Aminu; Members of House of Assembly, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi and Morenike Witherspoon; former Special Assistant on Natural Resources, Fatai Olushina; former Commissioner for Hygiene and Water Resources, Fatai Olotu; Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Vice President and National President, Nigeria Civil Service Union, Comrade Sunday Adeleye; and some permanent secretaries.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
