The remains of the President-General, Association of Nigerian Market Women and Men, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji, mother of the former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubua, were on Sunday, committed to mother earth at Vaults and Garden Cemetery, Ikoyi amidst tears, eulogies and tributes.
The body was lowered into the tomb at 12:42pm. Before then, the body that departed her home at Sunday Adigun Street in Alausa, Ikeja at about 10:45am and was driven in a Grey Mercedes Benz wagon 400 marked TOS 7 belonging to TOS funeral for Islamic funeral service at the Lagos Central Mosque located on Lagos Island.
By 11:25am, the white casket containing the remains were taken into the mosque for a brief prayer led by the Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji M. G. Akinola Ibrahim.
The body was later removed from the white casket, wrapped in a white cloth and interred in the vault.
Asiwaju Tinubu was flanked by the Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi and his Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle Amosun, Chief Bisi Akande, Ahaji Femi Okunnu, House of Representatives members.
Speaking to newsmen on how his mother passed on, he said she died while relaxing.
According to him, “on Saturday afternoon, she had her lunch. After that, she used her drugs and rested. While resting, death came and snatched my mother away. Well, immediately she died, I felt her void. One cannot but look at his mother being buried.”
Tinubu said though he was going to miss her motherly care, he was glad she lived a successful life.
The strong man of Lagos politics reminisced on some of the fond moments he spent with her, saying she inspired him greatly during his eight years reign as governor of Lagos State.
“I miss her lunch even when I am full. I am very happy that she is my mother. She is a very successful mother. She is a good leader. She didn’t put anyone in suffering before she departed from this world. She is so kind and God was also kind to her. She is a good thinker, passionate and compassionate. She has left a very good legacy for everyone.” He said he took solace in the fact that she impacted in all those she came across during her 96 glorious years on earth.
“She was the one who asked me to look at the face of three women who had challenge of paying their children’s West African Examination Council (WAEC) fee, which touched me. It isn’t the amount of money I pulled out of my pocket but as a governor then, I began the policy of paying WAEC fees of pupils in Lagos State public schools. Those are things that will fascinate anyone about my late mother. She taught everyone she came across contentment, love and the act of sharing, especially to the needy.”
Tinubu who affirmed that her demise had left a vacuum, which might be hard to fill, urged women to take a cue and stand for what they believed in, even in the face of adversity.
“There are many lessons women can learn from her. And one of the lessons is that they should learn to be resilient, committed and industrious in order to help banish poverty in the country. She is a committed democrat. She believes in the one man, one vote campaign. She will vote and mobilise others to do so. Women must continue to plan together and share issues, discuss together,” he added.
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