The remains of Popular industrialist and entrepreneur, Chief Bode Akindele, have been buried in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State.
Governor Seyi Makinde described Akindele as a legend and role model for development.
He said Akindele will live forever because of his kindheartedness and success stories as an industrialist and philanthropic gestures.
While addressing family members and church leaders at the burial service at the Methodist Cathedral, Agbeni, Ibadan, Makinde asked them to take solace in the fact he left legacies of kindheartedness and success that will never die.
According to the Governor, the late chairman of Modandola Group lived a good life and left indelible marks on the sand of time.
Makinde said: “To Baba’s family, I say this, you may not see Baba physically anymore but our loved ones never really leave us.
“They live forever with us. Each time we hear a voice that sounds like theirs, someone that shares a similar look or act as they do, we are reminded that a part of them always remains with us.
“But even more than that, we take solace in the fact that someday, very soon, we will all meet again never to part.
“The first time I met Baba physically was in this church and I said to him that I have been looking for an opportunity for us to meet face-to-face.
“My father did pray that when I grow up, I should be like Chief Bode Akindele, Parakoyi of Ibadanland. This means Baba numbered his days in wisdom.”
He recalled how Akindele wanted to volunteer his multimillion medical facility to the State Government as an isolation centre at the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Baba was looking for me on how to use his medical facility as an isolation centre for Oyo State. Not only that, it is also on record that Baba is the largest single donor to Oyo State Covid-19 Endowment Fund. So, he was a legend and will live forever.
“He achieved success as an entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist. So, he remains a model for me. After I won the election, those that are familiar with my electioneering campaign will remember I promised that once we come in, I would go to Ikere Gorge Dam and ensure that, within one year in office, Oyo State must go into freshwater stream farming.
“So, I came in and we started all the work. At that time, Baba invited me to his house at Alomaja and I was with him for about two hours that day.
“He tore all my ideas into pieces. He told me of the challenges he went through when he was into stream thing. And we have committed a lot of resources of Oyo State into that effort.
“After I left Baba, I went back home and called some of those that are close to me and told them Baba has succeeded in tearing our ideas to pieces and, as a result, we would not go ahead with it. This is because we would not commit Oyo State resources to a project that we cannot see the end from the beginning.
“So, I lost and then we went back to the drawing board. We are doing a lot more research to see if this can still be done in a way that will be beneficial to Oyo state, because I was looking for the opportunity to win the argument with Baba, but Baba answered the call of God. So, I acknowledged that I lost that argument with Baba and there is nothing I can do anymore,” Makinde added.
Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Kanu Uche, said Akindele served God and humanity to the best of his ability.
He tasked the family to build on his legacy by ensuring equity, unity and righteousness among the wives and children.
(The Nation)
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