Home News Makinde, Ajimobi, Ladoja, Olunloyo, Rotimi, Others Eulogise Late Lekan Are

Makinde, Ajimobi, Ladoja, Olunloyo, Rotimi, Others Eulogise Late Lekan Are

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A former Military Governor of old Western State, Brig Gen Oluwole Rotimi, led other former governors to pay tributes to Dr Lalekan Are on Thursday night.

He spoke at the Government College, Ibadan, at the ‘evening of tributes and celebration in honour of Are.

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The former military governor said, “I still don’t know why and how Lekan Are escaped serving in my cabinet. He was a great sportsman, he played football for the University of Ibadan.”

A former Oyo State Governor, Omololu Olunloyo, who was present, said in a documentary shown at the event that “Lekan Are would do anything to defend me. He was a great footballer and sports lover. As a footballer, he scored 20 goals in 17 matches.”

Former governor Rashidi Ladoja said Are never fought for himself.

He said, “Brother Lekan came one day and said, will you give us our school back? I said school? He said Government College and I told him that Government College belonged to the government.

“Brother Lekan had time for everybody. There was a time he just asked me to come and others and we spent six hours with him that day.

“I would not have forgiven myself if I missed that opportunity.”

Former governor Abiola Ajimobi said the death of Are was a loss of a colossus.

“I choose to celebrate this icon. I choose to celebrate Mr Honesty, Mr Truthfulness.

“As I interacted with him, I saw a very blunt and honest person. I thought I was blunt but I saw in him a superior blunt person.

“There was a time I said I wanted to report Senator Rashidi Ladoja to him, I was the governor and he gave me an appointment. I went there late by 15 minutes and when I got there, he said I should wait somewhere for coming late.

“He later called me in and I reported Senator Rashidi Ladoja to him and I said I would abuse him. But he said I should not do that because those of us from Oja’ba were known for abusing prowess.

“So, if I didn’t abuse you, it was Dr Lekan Are that prevailed on me not to abuse you.”

Governor Seyi Makinde, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Bisi Ilaka, described Are as a unique leader.

He said, “I salute a wonderful man who I was privileged to know.”

He said he was pained because the present administration could not benefit much from the wealth of knowledge of the deceased.

A former Minister of Industry, Mrs Onikepo Akande, also paid a glowing tribute to Are who was her uncle.

She said, “My uncle was a great man and we are here to celebrate him. My uncle had completed his task and he has gone to rest.

“He had little tolerance for lateness. Anytime I arrived late at a programme, he would ask, ‘is this when you should be coming?’ That was my uncle for you.  Even though we used to run away from him when we were young, we were very close. He was a great family man; a devout husband.

“He was a man of integrity, a rare gem, gentle, generous, determined. He was an exceptionall global leader. He would be greatly missed by everybody.”

Are’s schoolmate at the Michigan State University in the United States, Prof. Johnson Ekpere, said the GCI and the University of Ibadan laid the foundation for the deceased’s academic achievements which he said the university built on.

He said Are had perfect grades in all his courses at Master’s and PhD levels at the university.

A former Managing Director of the Kakanfo Inn, Mr A.J. Bawa,  who came from India to bid his former principal farewell, described him as an iconic figure.

He said Are, though dead, was living in the minds of many people, including him.

He said, “His contribution to his local community was huge. He was always ready to help people. He gave people food, he paid their medical expenses and did many good things.

“Losing Dr Lekan Are is an irrecoverable loss; not only to his family, but to me and others.

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