Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday attended the wake keep of the late father of Ekiti correspondent of THISDAY newspaper Prince Gbenga Sodeinde, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The deceased, Oba Olufemi Sodeinde, the Olu of Iju-Gbalefa, passed away at the age of 100 and has been widely remembered for a lifetime of peace, leadership and dedication to community development.
The final burial rites will hold on Friday, May 8, beginning with a lying-in-state and funeral service at St. Peter’s African Church, after which a reception will take place at Supreme Distilleries.
Delivering a sermon at the wake keep on Thursday, The African Church Cathedral, Abeokuta, Pastor Isaiah Ogungbenle of Ebenezer African Church Cathedral urged mourners to reflect on the certainty of life and death.
He said the late monarch lived a fulfilled life worthy of emulation.He noted, “Our health is in God’s hands, and when it is time, He can call us anytime. God has prepared a place in heaven for us. Kabiyesi has done his best in this life. People are now testifying to what he did while he was alive. Let us all live our lives according to the will of God.”
Speaking on behalf of the family, the deceased son Prince Gbenga Sodeinde described his father as a compassionate and peace-loving man.
He said, “My father was a peace-loving and kind person. We believe we will follow in his footsteps. He lived a peaceful and exemplary life that we, his children, will continue to uphold.”
Also paying tribute, one of the daughters of the late monarch, Dr. Mojisola Sodehinde, described him as a strong pillar and a guiding influence.
She said, “For many people he was a great man, but to me he was a very good father — brave, reliable, gentle and calm. When he believed in something, he pursued it wholeheartedly. The lessons I learnt from him have made me the person I am today, and I remain deeply grateful.”
Dignitaries, family members, friends and well-wishers gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of the revered monarch, whose century-long journey left an enduring mark on his community and beyond.
