The funeral service News Editor of The Guardian

 

THERE was calm sadness on the faces of the pupils who lined up the road to bid farewell to a man who once passed through their schools many years ago. But the grief in Ado-Awaye, a sleepy community in Iseyin Local Council of Oyo State was uncontrollable as the remains of the slain Assistant News Editor of The Guardian Bayo Ohu arrived there. The father, Pa Samuel Ogunleke Ohu was in deep shock and grief. But he knew he could not on his own apprehend the killers. He considered the murder of his son as a divine act and left his killers in the hands of God. Apart from family members, associates and colleagues, residents of the town, old and young, trooped out to pay their last respects to an illustrious ambassador who was cut down in his prime by yet-to-be identified assassins. At exactly 3.45p.m., the remains of Ohu were interred at his yet-to-be developed plot of land in the town amidst tears from relations and sympathisers.

 

In fact, his wife, Blessing who had maintained a cool stance throughout the funeral service could not hold back tears as the casket was lowered into the grave. More painful was the sight of Ohu's children at the graveside who fought back tears while bidding their father farewell. Even eight-month-old Modesodun cried intermittently during the interment service. As the procession marched through the town from the Ebenezer Baptist Church venue of the funeral service to Ohu's final resting place, residents and passers-by who stood in front of their houses bemoaned their fate and wondered why fate should deal with them so cruelly. At the Elemo-Ashaoye compound of the Ohus, it was a sorrowful sight as aged relations and sympathisers gathered around the deceased septuagenarian father, Pa Samuel Ogunleke Ohu, to console him.

A banner, conspicuously pasted at the entrance into the house by Ohu's extended family members aptly summarised the grief of the family thus, "Bayo Ayanlola Ohu, sun set at noon. They have murdered our star and pillar. Pa Ohu appealed to the government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of his son's wife and children, saying their education must not be allowed to suffer. He also solicited the support of all in the completion of the deceased's undeveloped plot of land to cushion the effect of his loss on the family. "His children are too young; I don't even have the energy to work again. Nigerians should not allow the children he left behind to suffer. Bayo was here a few weeks ago and he promised to come back first week in October. I never knew that I would not see him again. Bayo was the first in a family of 12 and was the only son of his mother who died 13 years ago. He was a nice son and I, even the entire Ohu extended family will no doubt miss him."

 The funeral service again provided an avenue for professional colleagues, friends and groups to pay tributes to the slain journalist. In his sermon, the officiating minister, Pastor Emmanuel Gbadegesin who quoted from the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three said since there is a time and season for everything under the earth, there is need for all and sundry to prepare for the special day. He enjoined the people to take solace in God and instead of crying for Ohu see his death as an opportunity to prepare themselves for the final journey. "We should not allow our hearts to be troubled at this point, he has finished his course and from the comments and tributes, it is evident that it is well with him." The cleric enjoined all to seek God by standing firm saying the occasion should serve as an avenue for self-examination. "Do not weep for the deceased but weep for yourselves and family; he has finished his course and fought the good fight." Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Mr. Emeke Izeze in his tribute described the late Ohu as a colleague and friend who distinguished himself in his chosen field. Izeze recalled the deceased's sojourn in Katsina as a state Correspondent where he first met President Umar Yar'Adua who was at the time a commissioner, saying "If Bayo was not a good person, the President would not have identified with him even in death." "When Bayo was in Katsina, he knew everybody, including President Yar'Adua. When this thing appended, the President personally called to express his sympathy, it showed the kind of person Bayo was."

 He prayed God to comfort the family and his colleagues who had lost a friend "we can discuss and play with." In the same vein, the Editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Mr. Debo Adesina lauded the late Ohu for his competence and diligence, saying he earned the respect of all and sundry with the way he carried himself. "We do not know who or why Bayo was killed but what we know is that he did not deserve the kind of death he died. Though his death is painful, we take solace in the kind of life he lived and the kind of end he had." Friends and old school mates of the deceased as well as the Oke Ogun Development Council, to which Ohu belonged, also took time to pay tributes to the slain journalist. In a statement made available to reporters and signed by Aborode Yinka Olusegun on behalf of the Ohu's extended family, they described the deceased as a star and rallying point whom they looked up to as a brother and even in the whole community. Olusegun disclosed that the late Ohu had financed and sponsored the education of the extended family and sizeable members of his community. He said: "For instance, I was one of the benefactors of this gesture. He financed my university education and he did not stop at that, he also sponsored my law school training at the Nigerian Law School. I must also add that he not only financed my education but always encouraged and motivated me to perform well." He expressed regrets that Ohu's killers had not only killed the family's breadwinner but had succeeded in unleashing incalculable damage to the people of Ado-Awaye. The family appealed to the police to unmask the killers and bring them to book, saying this was the only way to console them. On his part, Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala commiserated with the family over the gruesome killing and pledged his administration's readiness to support them.

The governor who was represented by his Special Adviser on Communications, Dotun Oyelade said Ohu was a worthy indigene who was committed to the development of the state. "Even outside the government, he was always calling to offer suggestions on how to move the state forward," he said. Upon arrival in the town at 1p.m., Ohu's body was first taken to the family compound where journalists and sympathisers were asked to stay outside. A few minutes later, he was brought to the Ebenezer Baptist Church accompanied by top management staff of The Guardian, members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), friends and associates.

The Guardian Newspaper