Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde on Thursday related how he missed the chance of a final moment with his late mother.
The Governor while speaking in a tribute at the Service of Songs held at The Archade of the Oyo State Government House, Agodi, Ibadan as part of the funeral rites of the late mother, recounted that he had promised to see his mother the weekend after the Ondo election but was unable to pick her calls for the fear of not been able to grant her ‘suspected’ wish of stopping by to see her before the agreed time.
He added that he received the shocking news of her death the following morning noting that although the death of his mother is still a very bitter pill to swallow for him, he will forever cherish the years of relationship he had with her.
Makinde said “It is still very hard for me. The relationship that I share with my mother is like a no other one. I spoke to her on Monday immediately after the Ondo state elections and I told her that I will see her over the weekend, then, I left for Port Harcourt on Wednesday morning.
“And throughout Wednesday she was calling me and I was saying to myself that even if I pick the call, since we were out of town, it wont make any sense because I kind of guess why she was calling me, she wanted me to stop by and see her, so I didn’t pick the call.
“By Thursday morning, they came to wake me up and said, they were knocking on my mum’s door and she wouldn’t answer and then maybe about 15 to 20 minutes later, they forced the door open and they met her, she was gone.”
“It was an experience for me to have spent a little above 52years of my life with my mother. I will forever cherish that relationship.”
In his short exhortation at the event, the Vicar, St Pauls Anglican Church, Yemetu, Dr Samuel Osungbeju recounted the good deeds of the later mother of the Governor calling on others to also remember to take a cue from her.
Other speakers also spoke glowingly of the memory of the late mother at the event which was attend by former Governor Rasheed Ladoja, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, former Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, President Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Olasupo Ayokunle, Pastor Femi Emmanuel, Arch Bishop Segun Okubadejo among other notable dignitaries.
