Thursday, 19 June 2014

Billionaire Businessman Arisekola Alao dead at 69



Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land and billionaire businessman, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao, is dead. Family sources told our correspondent that the religious leader died in his London home on Wednesday where he had been since last week Thursday. He died on the day he was expected back in Nigeria. He was aged 69.
The family source said that the Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria did not show any sign of ill health, although he was said to have embarked on the journey on medical grounds.
“On the day he was going, he told us that he would be back on Wednesday so we were expecting him today (Wednesday). Unfortunately, the news of his death was all we heard,” said the source who pleaded anonymity.
One of the deceased siblings, Alhaji Abu, who confirmed his death, said he was too shocked to comment on Arisekola’s death.
A source at the family house in Oluwo Nla, Basorun Ibadan, said that Arisekola died in his sleep after breakfast on Wednesday. President-General SCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, was said to have flown to London to join family members to bring Arisekola’s corpse for burial on Thursday.
Some of the early callers at the house included the Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his wife, Florence, Head of Service in the state, Tajudeen Aremu, Chairman of First Bank, Ajibola Afonja, Chief Imam of Ibadan, Sheik Suara Haruna, others are a former deputy governor in the state, Azeem Gbolarumi, a former Congress for Progressive Change governorship candidate in the state, Bayo Shittu, Chief Lekan Alabi, Rasheed Adesokan, Alhaji Yekini Adeojo, religious leaders, sympathisers and government officials.
In his reaction, Ajimobi described Arisekola’s death, as tragic, disheartening and a big blow to the entire nation.
The first son of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Samuel Odulana, Prof. Femi,said that Arisekola’s death was a tragedy to Ibadanland.
“Arisekola was a leader in Ibadan, who stood by my father. He has left us too early. He contributed immensely to the development of the city and Nigeria. With my father, they brought peace to Oyo State.
“He knew the Bible so well that he offered to read the first reading during the centenary celebration of my father at St. Peter’s Church, Aremo on April 14. That showed that he was a balanced religious leader. It’s a big loss to all of us and I don’t know how to break the news to Olubadan, who is like a father to him,” he said.
Also, a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said his demise was a loss to Nigeria.
Atiku said in a statement by his media office in Abuja on Wednesday that he was shocked and saddened by the death of Arisekola-Alao.
He noted that “the colourful and astute businessman” was passionate about Nigeria. 
May he Rest in peace

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