President Goodluck Jonathan and the Ogun
State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, were some of the dignitaries that
poured encomiums on the late former Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, whose remains were laid to rest in Lagos on
Tuesday.
Jonathan, who was represented by the
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, at the
funeral service held at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Tafawa Balewa
Square, Lagos, said that he owed the deceased a debt of gratitude for
his immense contributions to the nation. The President, while condoling with the
family, friends and associates of the deceased, urged them to take
solace in the fact that Ashiru had lived a life of service for God and
humanity.
Amosun was also among friends, relations and family members
that took turns to eulogise the deceased. The Ogun State governor described Ashiru as a seasoned diplomat with more than three decades of experience in Foreign Affairs. “The pain and loss associated with the
death of a loved one like Ambassador Ashiru transcend the immediate
family. He was a seasoned diplomat, with more than three decades of
experience in Foreign Affairs. “He was one of those people we proudly look at and say he is from Ogun State. He made us proud,” Amosun said
The late minister’s widow, Kehinde, also
used the occasion to give testimony of her husband’s 13 months battle
with brain tumour. The widow said her husband still lived
for almost an hour after he was certified dead the first time thus
corroborating an earlier report published in The PUNCH on Monday December 22, 2014, where one of the deceased’s sons, Femi, had said that his father died twice. The late ex-minister’s wife said, “I was
crying repeatedly, shaking him continuously. But the cardiac monitor
kept ringing, his spontaneous respiration stopped and the straight line
persisted.
There was no heartbeat, there was no pulse, and it was over.
Is this really happening? Am I having a nightmare? I was hysterical and
in utter disbelief. “After two minutes, his heartbeat
started again and his pulse and blood pressure re-appeared. What is
happening? This was a miracle, he had come back to life and he had come
back to me and the children. Thank God was all I could say, thank God
for bringing him back. The ICU nurses were amazed. This had never
happened before.
They wondered how he could come back to life when the
time of death had been written and no medication had been given to
resuscitate him. They were baffled, but I wasn’t because I knew my God
brought him back for a purpose. “I had another chance to pray for him,
to thank him for his love, to thank him for being a wonderful, loving
husband and father and to appreciate him for being a generous provider
to us.
I had another chance to thank God for his life, for his
achievements and to pray for a smooth passage to eternal glory. “After almost an hour of prayer and
songs of praise, life started ebbing again. The straight line appeared
and the alarm came on, but this time it was final.” Also, Gbenga junior, one of the sons of
the late Ashiru, had said during the Christian wake held earlier on
Monday at the Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos that his dad was so
generous that he would not allow his children to spend money on him.
Gbenga also said that his father would always refund them whenever they bought him gifts. “Dad was very generous. He was the best
dad and he never wanted anything in return. You would buy him a gift and
he gives you back the money you have spent on the gift. He never wanted
us to spend money on him, instead he would say to us, ‘Save your
money.’
The Senate President, David Mark, in his
tribute sent to the family, described Ashiru as an exemplary patriot
and a diplomat per excellence who put Nigeria’s interest in the
frontburner of foreign policy across the globe
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who
also sent in his tribute, described Ashiru as a loyal and committed
public servant. He added that Ashiru contributed immensely to laying a
solid foundation for the present cordial relationship between Nigeria
and all the countries he served as Nigeria’s representative.
The old boys association of his Alma
Mata, Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, were also on ground to commiserate with
the family. After the church service, the remains of the departed
diplomat were interred at Ikoyi Volte and Gardens in Lagos.
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