Awujale’s Funeral Rites: Governor Abiodun’s Absence Explained Amidst “Political Jobber” Accusations
The final burial rites for the late Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, held on Monday, July 14, 2025, at his personal residence in Ijebu-Ode, have become the subject of contention, with the Ogun State Government moving to address what it calls “lies and underlying mischief” regarding Governor Dapo Abiodun’s perceived lateness to the event.
According to a statement released by Hon. Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Media & Strategy, Governor Abiodun, being the state’s chief executive and a prince himself, had made all necessary arrangements for the burial rites immediately upon the announcement of the revered monarch’s passing.
The statement highlighted the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the day of the funeral, noting that the Awujale’s death was announced shortly after the passing of former Nigerian President Muhammad Buhari earlier on the same day. This, according to Akinmade, placed significant pressure on Governor Abiodun, who also chairs the Southern Governors’ Forum.
Furthermore, Governor Abiodun had reportedly been directed by President Bola Tinubu to join the presidential team at a London clinic where former President Buhari passed away, following his return from a BRICS event in Brazil. This dual responsibility, Akinmade emphasised, placed the Governor under obligation to discharge his duties as a high-ranking governor and the leader of southern Nigeria.
Despite the “enormity and exigency” of these responsibilities, Akinmade stated that the Governor ensured all necessary arrangements were in place for a smooth final rite for the late Awujale. He added that Governor Abiodun, “out of humility and responsiveness,” publicly apologised and explained his lateness to the gathering.
The Special Adviser condemned what he described as “distasteful and primitive” accusations from “unscrupulous political scavengers” who have accused Governor Abiodun of negligence and insensitivity for arriving at the event a few minutes behind schedule.
Akinmade asserted that despite the pressure of national assignments, the Governor continued to mobilise and communicate with dignitaries attending the occasion until his eventual arrival. He concluded by stating that while the Governor’s office was “not completely disappointed by this cheap propaganda,” they considered “this latest shenanigans as a new low in their endless journey of futility.”
