Agony of a Widow: You are unfair to my husband, Florence Ajimobi tells Governor Makinde, says ‘everybody is going to die’

In an emotion laden situation, after the remains of her husband were committed to mother earth in Ibadan on Sunday, Florence Ajimobi, widow of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi, poured her mind out as she asked her husband’s successor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, what kind of politics he plays that he ignored her husband for the 30 days he took ill and didn’t even contact the family upon hearing the news of his death.

She was sad that the Oyo State Government was playing politics with the death of her husband, after he had served the state for good right years.

She made this outburst while receiving a delegation of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by its chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Sunday in Oluyole Estate, Ibadan residence of the late politician.

Governor Makinde was represented by his deputy at the condolence also attended by the Ajimobi’s in-law and Governor of Kano State, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.

The delegation was in the state on a condolence visit to the Ajimobi family.

Florence Ajimobi said that neither Governor Seyi Makinde nor his deputy called her while her husband was hospitalised until he died.

“The governor of Oyo state never called me. He never sent a condolence message. Never called even when my husband was on sick bed for one month. What politics are you playing, please?

“Life is short. I am a Christian and my husband was a Muslim. We should allow fear of God to guide us in whatever we do. Ajimobi is gone today, whatever he does doesn’t matter to me.

“It does not matter to me as his wife or widow. I am going to mourn and respect his wishes. That is what I am doing today. Laid him to rest peacefully. I do not want any controversy,” she said.

The deceased’s wife said that her husband never had problem with the state government in spite of their different political affiliations to warrant efforts aimed at tarnishing his image.

“My husband took ill precisely on May 27 and he was hospitalised and I read on the papers that he claimed that he called me but he didn’t.

“He did not call me. Even if he had called me, I never had his number. He should have sent text messages for record purposes.

“Then today again, I read in the papers that Ajimobi’s family are lying. Mr Deputy governor, my husband never had anything against the governor.

“We were in different political parties and he was an elder statesman. He slept on that ground,” she said.

Florence Ajimobi wondered why her husband who served the state for eight years and contributed to its development would be unfairly treated, saying that death was an inevitable end for all mortals.

According to her, “everything I read in the papers, i just swallowed it and I let it go. Please, the press are here, we never had any rift with the governor or the state government. I never dialogued with them.

“I never confronted them and I never sent them a word because I did not know it was necessary for me to send official message. I did not send a message to governor Fayemi, Ganduje and Lagos State Government.

“I did not send to anybody. It was all over the social media. They knew my husband was ill. The least anybody can do is to send me a word of encouragement at that time.”

The DEFENDER reports that Ajimobi’s performance in terms of size and quality of works tops all records so far since creation of the state.