Anyaoku, Patience, Subomi, Akande, others visit Awolowo’s in Ikenne
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has disclosed that the death of Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, the wife of Obafemi Awolowo, former Premier of old Western Region forced him out of self-imposed 12- month seclusion, saying he had planned to remain disconnected from social and political activities in the country for at least one year.
It would be recalled that former president had left political scene since he lost Presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 28, 2015 and since then remained silent on national issues, but, revealed in Ikenne on Wednesday during a condolence visit to Awolowo’s family that his inability to involve in any socioal and political engagement whatsoever in the country was personal and self-imposed.
He added that since he had handed over power to President Muhammadu Buhari in May 29, 2015, he and his wife, Patience, had planned to stay off any issues whatsoever in the country, but the national importance of Awolowo’s family, particularly the deceased, had forced him out of the seclusion to join many Nigerians to mourn HID Awolowo, whom he described as the mother of the nation.
Jonathan, who was ushered in Awolowo’s residence in Ikenne by Gbenga Daniel, ex-governor, Ogun state and Tola Oyediran, eldest daughter of HID in company of his wife, Patience; Mulikat Adeola Akande, ex-House Reps majority leader, Jimi Ogunsiji, ex-chairman, FERMA and others, mourned the death of the deceased, explaining that it was a rare privilege that HID used additional 29 years on normal Biblical three scores and ten.
He said, “Just like Gbenga Daniel and the philosophers said, death is inevitable for all and it will come when it will come. Me and my wife, we are mourning because mama has passed on. We believe it is rare privilege to add extra 29 years to Biblical three scores and ten.
” For me and my wife we are here with members of my delegation, Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande, Jide Ogunsiji, the former chairman of FERMA and others. Before this period, myself and my wife have been in hiding, we don’t even go out, we said, we would be hiding for at least twelve months, but in this case we cannot continue hiding.”
Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary-General of Commonwealth of Nations, was also in Ikenne to pay condolence visit at Awolowo’s family, saying although, he did not have one-on-one contact with HID during her life time, he was aware of her roles in nation building and her contribution to Nigeria’s independence in 1960.
Subomi Balogun, chairman, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), who was in Ikenne, declared that HID was a “carry-over from Chief bafemi Awolowo”, her husband, saying that not only people of Remo and Ijebu would miss her, but the entire Nigeria would miss her motherly advice and care.
