When two people quarrel it is not with the mind that one of them should die). That is the Yoruba adage on the lips of many heavy weights in Ogun State in respect of the death of Egba high Chief, Apagunpote of Egbaland, and chairman of Golf Resort Hotels said to have committed suicide, weekend
Immediate past governor of the state, Chief Gbenga Daniel, has also described the death of Chief Olumide as an irreparable loss to Ogun State and Nigeria. Daniel said:“On the death of Apagun, I do believe that our state and our country have lost an icon and a major promoter of tourism, entrepreneur and economic development of our people and of Egbaland in particular”.
His predecessor, Chief Segun Osoba, was so sad about Olumide’s death that he said: “It’s too much for me to bear now. It is not something I am ready to talk about. It is too much and most unfortunate. I leave everything to God.”
TO both ex-governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel and his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, the death of Apagun Oluwole Olumide, an Egba High Chief is a terrible loss.
The two men worked closely with the late Apagun in his tourism efforts when they held sway as governors of the Gateway State.
Daniel recounts association with Oluwole
According to Daniel: “In fact, I am tempted to rate Apagun as a modern day Lisabi or Sodeke when I consider some of his silent but very effective contribution to his immediate environment.
“As Governor, Apagun as he was fondly called, encouraged us to do a lot of work in Abeokuta. Together we conceptualised the development of Olumo Rock as an International Tourist Centre that it has become today. Together, we conceptualised and developed the new Lalubu Road as our own ‘Broad Street’ and commercial nerve centre in Abeokuta.
Late Apagun Oluwole Olumide and Otunba Gbenga Daniel
“Together, we conceptualised the new Abeokuta Central Business District, which we christened the Abeokuta City Centre and he actually designed and supervised the new OPIC Plaza, the tallest building in Ogun State and second tallest in the old Western region, next only to the Cocoa House in Ibadan.
“All these pale into insignificance when we evaluate his contribution to the development of Abeokuta Golf Course, the Waterfalls, Hotel and rather ironically the Artificial Lake, where Apagun died yesterday.
“For Apagun, the Golf project was his life probably in the last two decades or more, and through this project, he became the single biggest promoter of tourism in the state by the volume of high networth individuals that visited the state while it lasted. Nationally, Apagun designed the National Ecumenical Centre, rated as the best Christian Worship Centre in Abuja.
“On occasions like this, all we can do is pray that God in his infinite mercies will give the family the grace and fortitude to bear this great loss,” Daniel said in the statement.
Meantime, Chief Olusegun Osoba, also a former governor of the state and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, chieftain, was among callers and sympathisers who thronged the golf resort where Olumide ended it all at the weekend.
Reacting, Osoba, who was ostensibly shocked, described Olumide’s death as “unfortunate”.
It’s too much for me to bear now. It is not something I am ready to talk about. It is too much and most unfortunate. I leave everything to God,” the former governor said. Family members, associates, policemen, fire fighters, officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and local divers were also seen at the place.
Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, the newly-posted Commissioner of Police in Ogun, who was also at the resort, confirmed the incident and said investigations were going on over the incident.
According to reports, the dead body of Olumide, a close associate of Daniel, was found in an artificial lake by local divers at a Golf Resort that he promoted.
Plunging into artificial lake
Olumide was said to have plunged into the artificial lake, shortly after returning to Abeokuta from the Lagos Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The deceased was also quizzed two weeks ago by EFCC operatives in connection with controversies surrounding some of his investments while the State Government had also ordered the demolition of Water Parks building in Abeokuta, belonging to Olumide.
The high chief, who was the lead consultant to the Abeokuta Business District project under the immediate past administration, was quizzed two weeks ago by operatives of the EFCC reportedly in connection with a controversy surrounding the hotel.
Before his ordeal at the EFCC, the deceased had a running battle with Governor Ibikunle Amosun who ordered the seizure of his investments and business interests.
Amosun had seized the 150-room Golf Place Hotel, Abeokuta, and revoked its Certificate of Occupancy, saying the land on which the edifice was built was illegally acquired.
The governor, who also revoked the title documents of the golf resort, took the decision following the recommendation of the Ogun State Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Land Matters headed by Justice Abiodun Akinyemi.
Amosun had also on his first working day ordered and supervised the demolition of Water Parks building in Abeokuta belonging to Olumide.
Immediate past governor of the state, Chief Gbenga Daniel, has also described the death of Chief Olumide as an irreparable loss to Ogun State and Nigeria. Daniel said:“On the death of Apagun, I do believe that our state and our country have lost an icon and a major promoter of tourism, entrepreneur and economic development of our people and of Egbaland in particular”.
His predecessor, Chief Segun Osoba, was so sad about Olumide’s death that he said: “It’s too much for me to bear now. It is not something I am ready to talk about. It is too much and most unfortunate. I leave everything to God.”
TO both ex-governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel and his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, the death of Apagun Oluwole Olumide, an Egba High Chief is a terrible loss.
The two men worked closely with the late Apagun in his tourism efforts when they held sway as governors of the Gateway State.
Daniel recounts association with Oluwole
According to Daniel: “In fact, I am tempted to rate Apagun as a modern day Lisabi or Sodeke when I consider some of his silent but very effective contribution to his immediate environment.
“As Governor, Apagun as he was fondly called, encouraged us to do a lot of work in Abeokuta. Together we conceptualised the development of Olumo Rock as an International Tourist Centre that it has become today. Together, we conceptualised and developed the new Lalubu Road as our own ‘Broad Street’ and commercial nerve centre in Abeokuta.
Late Apagun Oluwole Olumide and Otunba Gbenga Daniel
“Together, we conceptualised the new Abeokuta Central Business District, which we christened the Abeokuta City Centre and he actually designed and supervised the new OPIC Plaza, the tallest building in Ogun State and second tallest in the old Western region, next only to the Cocoa House in Ibadan.
“All these pale into insignificance when we evaluate his contribution to the development of Abeokuta Golf Course, the Waterfalls, Hotel and rather ironically the Artificial Lake, where Apagun died yesterday.
“For Apagun, the Golf project was his life probably in the last two decades or more, and through this project, he became the single biggest promoter of tourism in the state by the volume of high networth individuals that visited the state while it lasted. Nationally, Apagun designed the National Ecumenical Centre, rated as the best Christian Worship Centre in Abuja.
“On occasions like this, all we can do is pray that God in his infinite mercies will give the family the grace and fortitude to bear this great loss,” Daniel said in the statement.
Meantime, Chief Olusegun Osoba, also a former governor of the state and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, chieftain, was among callers and sympathisers who thronged the golf resort where Olumide ended it all at the weekend.
Reacting, Osoba, who was ostensibly shocked, described Olumide’s death as “unfortunate”.
It’s too much for me to bear now. It is not something I am ready to talk about. It is too much and most unfortunate. I leave everything to God,” the former governor said. Family members, associates, policemen, fire fighters, officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and local divers were also seen at the place.
Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, the newly-posted Commissioner of Police in Ogun, who was also at the resort, confirmed the incident and said investigations were going on over the incident.
According to reports, the dead body of Olumide, a close associate of Daniel, was found in an artificial lake by local divers at a Golf Resort that he promoted.
Plunging into artificial lake
Olumide was said to have plunged into the artificial lake, shortly after returning to Abeokuta from the Lagos Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The deceased was also quizzed two weeks ago by EFCC operatives in connection with controversies surrounding some of his investments while the State Government had also ordered the demolition of Water Parks building in Abeokuta, belonging to Olumide.
The high chief, who was the lead consultant to the Abeokuta Business District project under the immediate past administration, was quizzed two weeks ago by operatives of the EFCC reportedly in connection with a controversy surrounding the hotel.
Before his ordeal at the EFCC, the deceased had a running battle with Governor Ibikunle Amosun who ordered the seizure of his investments and business interests.
Amosun had seized the 150-room Golf Place Hotel, Abeokuta, and revoked its Certificate of Occupancy, saying the land on which the edifice was built was illegally acquired.
The governor, who also revoked the title documents of the golf resort, took the decision following the recommendation of the Ogun State Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Land Matters headed by Justice Abiodun Akinyemi.
Amosun had also on his first working day ordered and supervised the demolition of Water Parks building in Abeokuta belonging to Olumide.
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