For Prof. Adesola Olatunde Adepoju, director-general of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, FRIN, Ibadan, it was a payback time from his friends and admirers as they converged on Ogbomoso last Saturday to honour him at the funeral of his Mum.
His mum, Esther Adepoju, had died in May 2021 at age 97 and buried a day after.
The city of Ogbomoso, a less than 2-hour journey from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, literally stood still, as guests trooped in from Abuja, Kwara, Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Ghana and other countries.
Notable Ogbomoso sons and daughters, home and abroad, were on hand to honour their own. Some of them flew into the country because of Adepoju who, many attested to, has extended milk of kindness to anybody who comes his way.
While the Soun, Oba Jimoh Ajagungbade, was represented, other monarchs like the Onjeru of Ijeru were in attendance.
Politicians from different parties shook hands and shared jokes as they move from one table to the other to greet each other.
Former governor and All Progressives Congress, APC, leader in Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala; Sen. AbdulFatai Buhari; Sports minister, Sunday Dare; Hon. Olusegun Odebunmi, Sen. Ayo Adeseun, Hon. Wumi Oladeji, Engr. Muftau Open Salawu, Kunle Oyewumi of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC and other notable members of the party were in attendance.
From the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, came Mojeed Mogbonjubola, the deputy chief of staff to Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State; Fatai Owoseni, special adviser on security; Akinwale Akinwole, chairman AA Luxury hotel, council and board chairmen from the city.
Retired Air Vice-Marshall Adigun; chairman of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Barr. Olusegun Adekunle;Justice Bolaji Belgore, Alhaji Monsuru Ejide, Alhaji Abayomi Oriekun, Col Abiola Oloyede, Barr. Shina, Engr Lukman of TETFund, Mr Bisi Atolagbe, chairman of the Oyo state office of Code of Conduct, Mr. Wale Oladiti, CEO of Ibadan’s fastest growing oil retail company, Weeldrop Petroleum as well as Alhaji Yemi Olayode, CEO of YM Motors, were also in attendance.
Staffers of FRIN, who has coordinated themselves into committees, were on hand to make the event memorable.
