A former commissioner in Oyo State, Alhaji Yunus Akintunde has commiserated with Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, over the death of his mother, Alhaja Saratu Aregbesola.
The late matriarch died in the early hours of Tuesday at the family’s Ilesa town.
According to Akintunde, the death of the late matriarch has left a vacuum too big to be filled, urging Aregbesola to take heart as “Mama lived a life worthy of emulation.”
He said: “As a Muslim, we believe that every human soul shall taste death. And that is why we pray we die at a ripe age. No matter how painful the death of Mama may be, we are consoled by the fact that she was a mother that should be emulated.
“To me, Ogbeni and other members of the family should rejoice and not mourn. One, Mama left at a ripe age, when she had offered everything a mother needed to give her children. Though she was not a politician, was an heroine of democracy. Ten years ago, when his son decided to run for the governorship seat of Osun State, she suffered humiliation. She was ready to sacrifice her life for Ogbeni. Against her wish, she had to be forced to relocate her residence of many years. Yet, she stood by her son, assuring her to forge ahead. Till death took her away, she did not relent in praying for Ogbeni and his siblings.
“I recall how, in 2014, I was on the entourage of Ogbeni to her house in Ilesa, she was full of prayers for us. No doubt, Ogbeni will miss her.
“Ogbeni should take solace in the fact that Mama lived a simple, humble life. Her lifestyle did not change even with her son as number one citizen in the state. She did her best and people close to her have good stories to tell about her. We are happy she has gone to rest with her Creator. We pray Almighty Allah rest her soul and grant her Aljannah firdaus”.
