Tears and sorrow filled the air, as the staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Akure, the Ondo State Capital, as late Alex Akinwale and his pregnant wife, Kehinde were committed to mother earth today at his hometown in Ondo west local government Area of Ondo State.
Alex, 34, was a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Akure before he died with four members of his family, including his wife, 33 year-old, daughter, Pauline and housemaid. Only his four year-old child, Paul survived the crash, but presently recuperating at the hospital.
Already, his daughter and maid had been buried on Wednesday.
They all perished last Saturday in an accident along Ondo-Akure road, involving a convoy of the State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi.
Alex, who was the NTA Akure NUJ Chapel Chairman on that fateful day was said to be coming from one of his brothers’ burial in Ondo town before the accident occurred.
During a short service held for the couple at Orimolade Community Comprehensive High School in Ondo, the venue was turned to a tributes ground as friends, relatives and RCCG members bid the deceased farewell.
Members of the NUJ, led by Deputy National President, Rotimi Obamuwagun, Vice-President, Zone B, Dele Atunbi and the State Chairman of NUJ, Akinfolayan Owanikin betrayed their emotions as they showed their last respect to their late colleague.
There was confusion at the grave side as his elder brother, identified as Wale slumped when corpses were about to be interred. It took the intervention of sympathizers before he was revived.
In his exhortation, Pastor Tunji Ademuluyi said the couple is gone and they could only be remembered for what they have done when on earth.
He described death as an inevitable thing that will happen to all human beings, saying late Pastor Alex had done his best.
Quoting from I Thessalonians, 4vs 18, Ademuluyi described the deceased as humble persons who by now have joined Jesus Christ in paradise.
His words, “we should weep no more because Pastor Alex and Wife have completed their missions on earth and the joyful aspect of it is that both of them have dedicated themselves in serving God. Alex who served under me as a junior Pastor was a diligent person and always happy to serve God.
“We are all going to die, but the time, how, where and when this will happen is what we do not know. I want all of us to prepare and ensure that we give our lives to Christ before this final day.
One of the deceased church members, Mrs. Adeniyi said Alex would surely be missed, adding that he was a great preacher.
The NUJ Deputy National President, Obamuwagun described the death as a rude shock to members of the pen’s family.
He advised NUJ members to key into the Insurance scheme so that those who find themselves in a similar circumstance would be taken care off.
Obamuwagun said “if by now our late Alex had registered for the Insurance scheme, the NUJ would have given the family member close to N2million and this would have been spent on the surviving son of the deceased. So, we are urging our members to embrace this programme. We pray we will not lose any member of NUJ in Nigeria again.
NUJ state Chairman, Owanikin said the deceased will surely be missed by journalists in the State.
Meanwhile, NUJ Zone – B has advocated for the dualization of Akure – Ondo-Ore highway.
In a statement signed and issued by Dele Atunbi, the union said the move was necessary to reduce the carnages being recorded in that axis of the state.
The union posited that many young promising Nigerians have lost their lives while plying the road in question.
It stated that the dualization of the road was equally important due to the population of vehicles, as it is the only link road to Ore en route Lagos State from Ondo State.
The union recalled that the accident that claimed the life of the former Deputy Governor of the State, Late Barrister Afolabi Iyantan occurred on the same road.
It also hinged its advocacy for the dualisation of the road on its economic viability to the state, in view of turning Ore to a mega city in line with the vision of the Olusegun Mimiko led administration.
Source: Daily Post
