The delay in the burial of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has been attributed to a clash between the late politician’s family and the state governor, Seyi Makinde.

Ajimobi’s death was announced on Thursday, June 25, 2020, and according to Islamic injunction, he was supposed to have been buried immediately or hours after his death.

According to ThePunch, the late former governor’s burial was delayed because his family and Oyo State government had not concluded on where to bury him. 

A source, who spoke in strict confidence to the newspaper disclosed that the state government is not pleased with Ajimobi family’s burial plans. 

The source said, “The family of the late Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress had made plans for the burial the following day after the death of their patriarch. They had got in touch with the state government for necessary burial approval; they were however rebuffed.

“The government official that the family got in touch with said they could not take action on the matter without approval from the governor, Seyi Makinde. The official also informed us that it has been difficult to pin down the governor for the approval.”

The source further said that when the family eventually informed Governor Seyi Makinde about their burial plan, the governor “completely refused to oblige the family on their preferred choice of their father’s burial ground”.

According to the source, since Ajimobi’s death was announced, the state governor has not called any member of the family either by phone or made any physical contact.

“Imagine that since this man died, a former governor of the state that served two terms, that achieved so much for the state, Governor Makinde has yet to even call the wife nor any member of the family. That is quite unfortunate. Even if you have issues with him, he is gone now; you should drop that as a mark of respect for the deceased,” he said.

Oyo State Government reacts

Reacting to the allegations against governor Makinde over the burial of his predecessor, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Taiwo Adisa described the allegation as grossly mischievous.

He said the family was trying to make flimsy excuses to score cheap points.

Adisa, who spoke to ThePunch in a phone interview said the family had earlier indicated that the ex-governor’s body would be buried at his Oluyole Estate residence but later said he would be buried at Oke-Ado.

He said the land the family chose to bury the body has a pending litigation between the state government and the former senator.

“We don’t want the issue to become controversial. We have been seeing all the allegations going around. Why would the governor be blamed for delaying the burial arrangements? Why would the governor say they should not bury their dead?

“Why would the man die and they would say it is at the place that is under controversy that they would bury him? Why is it that it is that place that they want to bury him? Is it the state government that said they should take the matter to court? Why would they bury someone at a place that has not been confirmed as his own?

“The government has already gazetted that the property is not his own. Why would they begin to make overtures to the government that it is at the place that they want to bury him?

“Governor Makinde gave them a waiver to bury him at Oluyole. It is against the law that the dead be buried in a Government Reserved Area in Oyo State but they were given a waiver based on the claim that former Governor Lam Adesina had given a waiver in the past to someone. The governor gave the permit in Oluyole and now they are changing the venue.” Adisa said.

Ajimobi will not be buried in a mosque- Imam says it’s unislamic

On Friday, June 26, 2020, Bolaji Tunji, spokesperson to the late politician had announced that Ajimobi’s body will be buried on Sunday, June 28 at the Senator Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque, Oke-Ado, Ibadan by 12 noon.

But Oyo State Coordinator, National Council of Muslim Youth, Daud Afolabi; and the Chairman, Management Committee, Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi Central Mosque, Alhaji Abidemi Siyanbade in an interview with ThePunch said the late governor will not be buried at the mosque because it’s against Islamic injunction.

Siyanbade said, “Ajimobi will not be buried on the premises of the mosque but a short prayer will take place there.

“His corpse will not be brought to the mosque because it is against Islamic injunction to do so. He would be buried anywhere the family decides and we would pray for him in the mosque.”

Corroborating Siyanbade’s statement, Afolabi said, “As you can see, no place was marked within the premises of the mosque for graves. The body of the former governor will be laid to rest in one of his houses or anywhere the family decides; and not in the mosque.

“I can only tell you that we would pray for him in the mosque. He contributed a lot to the development of Islam and we want to honour him. He died while he was sick and as Muslims, we believe that he has a rest already before Allah."