Ex-governor Akande moved to tears as eminent persons eulogise him at 80

Former Interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, yesterday recounted how he survived early death, which took his parents at 45 and 50.

Akande struggled to fight back tears and guests during the reception of his 80th birthday anniversary but expressed gratitude to God for giving him the grace to reach 80 years.He explained that he shed tears of joy because he was afraid he might not enjoy the benefit of living long after his mother died at 45, while his father passed on at 50.

“I thought I might not be able to live beyond 50 and for this reason I started to rush things, get married, build a house and buy car,” he said.He told guests that his perception began to change after he clocked 50 when the reality dawned on him that it was better to render service to humanity instead of pursuing short-term personal agenda.

Eminent personalities commended his sterling qualities and urged politicians and community leaders to render service to the country, as doing so would make them write their names in gold. Osun State governor, Gboyega Oyetola, his deputy, Benedict Alabi, representatives of governors, immediate past governor Rauf Aregbesola, his deputy, Titi Laoye-Tomori and Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole, attended the event.

Others are, the Ooni of Ife, who was represented by the Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Adepele Ojo, senators Ayo Fasanmi, Iyiola Omisore, members of National Assembly, Osun State House of Assembly and politicians from across the divide.

Speaking, Oyetola described Akande as a dependable, reliable and principled personality, adding that he (Akande), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Aregbesola approved and supported his (Oyetola’s) governorship ambition.

Responding, Aregbesola said he never thought of becoming governor in Osun, but Akande persistently asked him to leave Lagos and join politics having discovered that “I am an Ijesa man.”

Representative of Osun Central senatorial district, Sola Adeyeye, who proposed a toast for Akande, expressed gratitude for the mentorship by Akande, stressing that apart from encouraging him to return from abroad and join politics, Akande instructed his late wife to ensure she provided food for him whenever he visited.