Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Wednesday abruptly ended the 2022 Inter-faith Prayer Service organised by the Oyo State Civil Service, following the receipt of the news of the death of a former Governor of the State, Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala.
Makinde, who called for a minute silence for the former Governor, who also served as Deputy Governor of the State between 2003 and 2007, prayed to God to grant repose to the soul of the deceased.
The Governor, who attended the annual Inter-faith Service held to mark the commencement of the New Year, did not read the speech he prepared for the event.
He condoled with the immediate family members of the former governor, his political associates and all residents of the state whose paths have crossed that of the late Alao-Akala.
“I am here with the speech prepared for this event but I have just been informed about the death of a former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo-Akala. I pray that God grants his loved ones and all his well-wishers the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
In a statement on his Facebook page, on Wednesday, the Governor condoled with the deceased’s family, while also ordering flags to fly at half-mast in order to honour the former governor.
“I have directed that flags fly at half-mast in honour of Governor Alao-Akala, our brother, friend and illustrious son of Oyo State. His Excellency will be remembered for his contributions to the development of Oyo State as Governor, especially for taking infrastructural development to other zones of the state outside Ibadan.”
Earlier, the Head of Service (HOS), Ololade Agboola, commended Governor Makinde for seeing the workers of the state as major instruments towards the realisation of his agenda and fulfilment of his campaign promises.
Agboola explained that civil/public workers of the state have been instrumental to the increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and the development of the state as a whole.
The HOS maintained that over 70,900 workers have been trained both within and outside the state despite the economic challenges faced by the country and the state in 2021.
Agboola, who enjoined all workers in the state to reciprocate the good gesture of the governor by rededicating themselves to their work and ensuring that Oyo State is taken to an enviable position, urged the workers to shun any act that is against the service rules and regulations.
In their separate sermons, the Chief Imam of the Oyo State Government House, Hamada Rufai and the Provost of St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, Aremo, Ibadan, Dr Wale Adebiyi, called on those in power to govern with the fear of God at all times and on the civil servants to carry out their duties diligently.
PIAK
