Abdulrazaq, Olusin, Kamaldeen, Oniyangi, Logun, Aluko, Lanre Jimoh, other powerful deaths that shook Kwara in 2020

By Mumini AbdulKareem and Sulayman Jimoh
Last year, Kwara State had its fair share of calamities with many its high profile indigenes succumbing to the cold hands of death. This report chronicles some of the major death casualties in the harvest of death witnessed in the state which attracted calls for spiritual intervention by leading religious scholars in the state.
January
Kwara APC loses ward chairman in fatal crash: The death of the APC Ward chairman of Gwanara in Baruten LG of Kwara State, Alhaji Umaru Kotosi who lost his life in an auto crash Sunday 12th of January 2020 along Kosubosu-Okuta road while returning from a Kwara North senatorial empowerment programme heralded the flurry of deaths that would follow.
March
Ilorin loses Ajanasi Agba: In March, Ilorin emirate mourns the death of the Ajanasi Agba of Ilorin, Sheikh Yusuf Hassan Bature who died in Ilorin on Friday, 6th of March, at the age of 71. While the entire emirate mourned the late raconteur, many including the former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki described him as a rich reservoir of Islamic jurisprudence and rich character.
Ex-FIRS Director of information died: For Wahab Gbadamos 53, a former Director of Information of FIRS, his battle for survival could not last beyond Friday 13th March, 2020 after he reportedly suffered a violent seizure at his home from a suspected heart attack. Although Gbadamosi breathed his last in Abuja, his remains was brought and laid to rest in Ilorin at his residence in Gerewu area of Ilorin West Local Government area on Saturday the 14th. The burial and Fidau attracted many top media personalities and executives from the state and across the country.
May
Nigeria mourns foremost medical practitioner, Amuda Aluko: Dr Amuda Aluko died on Friday, 15th of May. The late Tafida of Ilorin was once the National Vice President of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) and one of the foremost medical practitioners in the state. His medical facility, the Geri-Alimi Hospital which is ironically established and conspicuously located behind the IEDPU secretariat in the state served as one of his meeting points until his demise. Aluko was appointed a member of the National Reconciliation Committee in 1998 and conferred with the national honour of OFR in 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan.
June
For Larry, one of Kwara youngest millionaires, its au revoir: A former Kwara House of Assembly candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election, Olanrewaju AbdulMajeed Oba, 29, died in Lagos on Sunday 7th of June, 2020 in his residence at Surulere area of the Lagos state following a brief illness. Although his Janazah was held in Lagos, Solatul Ghaib (absentee funeral prayer) for Muslim corpse was held for him at Alanamu area of Ilorin, from where he hails from. He was very famous in his community for his philanthropic activities and was described as an ambassador for the younger generation.
Eldest surviving son of late Mufti, Kamaldeen dies at 82: Sheikh Ahmed Olayiwola Kamaldeen died in Ilorin, on Friday, 12th of June 2020. He was the Khalifatul Adabiyah Kamaliyah society Worldwide and the eldest surviving son of late first Mufti of Ilorin, Sheikh Kamaldeen. He was buried on the same day according to Islamic rites. His fidau which held on Tuesday, 16th of June at the family compound, Okekere area of Ilorin, attracted mammoth crowd of people who throng the residence to seek forgiveness for the departed soul. According to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the late cleric was as a civil servant of high repute and a respected Islamic Scholar.
July
Dirges on the death of Kwara cultural Icon, Dan-boy: In July, Kwara mourned the death of a foremost sport enthusiast and cultural icon, Ibrahim Aremu Muhammed Nuhu popularly known as ‘Dan-boy’, who died in the early hours of Friday 24th of July, 2020. The widely travelled sports aficionado was a household name in Kwara with his announcement of matches across the metropolis.
Femi Ogunshola refused to cheat death: Dr Femi Ogunsola died in Abuja on Thursday, 23rd of July. He was once the Federal commissioner at the Federal character commission and he served in various capacities under the state’s former governor, Bukola Saraki. He is the son of the late Kwara political figure, Hubert Ogunsola from Babaloma, Ifelodun Local Government who was a former friend of late Baba Saraki before politics separated them.
Kwara loses CoS Logun to Covid-19: Former Chief of Staff to the Kwara State governor, Dr Adisa Logun, died in the month of July 2020, due to covid-19 complications. His death which came a rude shock to many at the age of 73 left the post vacant till now following high wired lobbying and politics among interested contenders that followed his demise.
Eclipse for the late AGF: The death of the father of Kwara state governor and elder statesman, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho Abdulrasaq signaled the end of a chapter coming shortly after his wife celebrated her nonagenarian status. The pioneer lawyer from Northern Nigeria died on Saturday, 25th of July, Aged 93 and was also the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria from the region. His remains was interred at his Idi-Igba family house, in Ilorin.
November
Olusin of Ijara-Isin bade the world farewell: The Olusin of Ijara-Isin land, Oba Omoniyi Bamigbe Atobatele Oyebimpe II, made an exited the world last year after a brief illness. The death of the Monarch came as a shock to the people most especially the people of Ijara-Isin and it attracted several reactions and condolences from several quarters as top indigenes mourned the first class monarch.
December
Kwara mourns the demise of “Lanre Olopa”: Ancient city of Ilorin and Kwara state in General bemoaned the passing away of their beloved son, the late Cross River state Commissioner of Police ,CP Lanre Jimoh Abdulkadir 56,who passed away on Friday 18th of December in Calabar. His death which was a great shock to the state reverberated in the government, traditional institution, business and the political circles with former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari among other prominent indigenes all mourning the late cop. He was however buried on Saturday 19th, in Ilorin at his GRA residence
Death of Oyedepo’s Aunt creates controversy: The death of Alhaja Aasiyat Oyedepo, who is the wife of Oyedepo’s uncle became a subject of public discourse over her state of death. The bone of contention was the supposed faith the late Alhaja adhered to during her last days. While the Muslims in Omu-Aran, few family members and the Popular Imam Abubakar Aliagan maintained she died a Muslim and went further to challenge the children for evidence to the contrary, the children of the deceased who are pastor, Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba AbdulKareem Adeoti among others claimed she had converted to Christianity during her last days on earth. The situation however left her remains unburied for days.