*I’ll build on General Ogbemudia’s legacy – Obaseki
*Declares 7-day mourning in honour of ex-Governor
*General Adebayo will be given state burial – Fayose
*We’ll not make Dad’s burial political affair – Niyi Adebayo
Governors of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Saturday said he would build on the legacies of late former governor of defunct Midwestern Region, Brigadier General Samuel Ogbemudia, to transform the state.
He made the pledge when he visited the family of the late former governor to condole with the members in Benin.
Obaseki, who was represented by the Edo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Philip Shaibu, said that Ogbemudia did great work in different spheres of development in the state.
He described Ogbemudia as a great man, who left a good footprint for Edo and Delta states to emulate in terms of development.
Obaseki prayed that God should give the family the fortitude to bear the loss, adding that the state would continue to remember the former governor for good.
In his response, Mr Samuel Ogbemudia, the eldest son of the deceased, lauded the state government for its support during their late father’s sick period.
He appealed to the government to continue to stand by the family at all times.
The late Ogbemudia, who was military and civilian governor of the defunct Bendel state at different times, died on Thursday night in Lagos, at 84.
Obaseki spoke just as his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayodele Fayose, also said at his own end that his administration would uphold the legacies of the late Major General Adeyinka Adebayo, the former Military Governor of the old Western State promising to honour the deceased a state burial.
He stated this on Saturday in Ikeja GRA, Lagos home of the late leader of Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), when he paid a condolence visit to the family.
In a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said the late General was a man of many parts who wielded power with humility.
He said, “One can imagine the enormous power he wielded as the governor of the old Western State comprising Oyo,Osun, Ogun, Ekiti and Ondo states. He left many legacies and we will uphold them. Baba lived a life well spent and it is not that we are mourning him, but we are celebrating his life.
“The issue of the burial of the General is not a political matter. He was a man of so many parts and we will celebrate him and give him a state burial. I will liaise with my brother governors in the South-West on how the programme will go. He represented the Yoruba race and he did well.” he said.
Governor Fayose also called on the family to let the Ekiti State Government know the update on the burial arrangements.
A son of the deceased, who is also the first civilian governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, in his remarks, described Governor Fayose as ‘Omo Baba’ (Daddy’s son), saying Fayose and his late father had a good rapport.
“When I was welcoming you, I described you as ‘Omo Baba’ because in fairness to you, you had a great rapport with our late Dad. Anytime Baba was in Ekiti you were always there for him. He really appreciated those kind gestures.
“Like you rightly said, the burial of Baba is not going to be a political affair. Baba was apolitical and I assure you that we as a family are happy to give our Baba the due he deserved. We will put up the committees and your nominees will be there,” he said.
General Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia died Thursday mid-night in Lagos after a prolonged illness. He would have been 85 in September.
Ogbemudia who was born September 17, 1932, was first, Military Governor (1968-1975) of the Mid-West Region and later civilian governor of Bendel State from October 1983 to December 31, 1983 when the military led by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari swept them out of power.
The last public engagement of the octogenarian soldier turned politician was in November last year when he was honoured by the first set of graduates of University of Benin, an institution, he established.
In the same vein, late Major General Adeyinka Adebayo died on March 8, the eve of his 89th birthday.
General Adebayo served as the military governor of the then Western Region comprising Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and some parts of Lagos State between 1966 and 1971. Oyo and Ondo have since been further split into two each with Osun coming out of old Oyo and Ekiti, where the late former military governor came from, coming out of old Ondo State.
