Iyalode: Ogun govt will give a befitting burial, Abiodun says

On Saturday night, the governor of Ogun State made a condolence visit to the family of the late Iyalode of Yorubaland, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, who passed away at the age of 72 in the early hours of the morning. 

Ogunwatch learnt that at approximately 9.30 p.m., Abiodun and his deputy, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, as well as a few other senior government officials, arrived at the deceased’s residence in the Abeokuta quarry area.

Senator Shuaib Salisu, who represents the Ogun Central Senatorial District, and Hon. Afolabi Afuape, a member of the House of Representatives who represents the Abeokuta district at the national assembly, were among the other noteworthy personalities who accompanied the governor.

Speaking to the grieving family, the governor said that the Iyalode of Yorubaland passing away was a major loss for the country and assured the family that the government would do everything within its power to ensure the deceased gets a proper burial.

The governor, who expressed that he had not yet come to terms with the passing, went on to say that the deceased was a model for future generations of women and an example of perfection who embodied all that was finest about Nigerian femininity.

‘The passing of Chief (Mrs) Alaba Lawson is without doubt a shocking development, but we are consoled by her sterling record of service to humanity and unblemished contributions to the development of Ogun State.

‘’Born into the highly distinguished Jibodu-Taiwo family of Abeokuta, Chief (Mrs) Lawson was an exemplar of the popular Yoruba dictum of one born into nobility but who goes on to achieve self-rebirth, showcasing the timeless Omoluabi qualities that the Yoruba hold so dear’.

‘From her education in Nigeria to her sojourn in the United Kingdom, teaching in several schools while studying at the St. Nicholas Montessori Teachers’ Training College at Prince’s Gate, England in 1973 where she set a record by becoming the first African to obtain a First-Class Diploma in Education, Chief (Mrs) Alaba Lawson showcased uncommon commitment to excellence’.

“ When she returned home, she established a string of schools that have shaped the lives of generations of students and contributed immensely to Ogun State’s profile as Nigeria’s education capital’, Abiodun added.

‘Whether as the first female president of NACCIMA, chairman of the board of the Governing Council, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State; Otun Iyalode of the Egba Christians, or the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief (Mrs) Lawson was the quintessential definition of a pacesetter. She was thoroughly accomplished and distinguished’, he emphasised.

‘Among other imperishable legacies, the Lawson’s Group of Schools comprising Lawson’s International Private School, Lawson’s Continuing Education Centre, Alaba Lawson Royal College, Abeokuta and Alaba Lawson School of Advanced Studies will continue to bear eloquent testimony to her genius. She will be sorely missed.”

‘Your mother is a mother to many things and mother to many. Very discipline person who call spade a spade.  Very passionate and committed to developmental growth. Besides being educationists, she was at vanguard of women development. Am still trying to come to terms with her demise. We pray for the repose soul of Iyalode. It’s a sad and painful loss’, Abiodun added

‘She lived a very impactful life. The number of calls I received is countless. The media reportage was an indication of her relevance. Virtually every newspaper reported the demise. We have set up a committee to interface with the family to give her a befitting burial.

In a statement released earlier on behalf of the family, the late renowned Nigerian woman entrepreneur and educationist Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji’s media advisor had confirmed her passing.

The statement said that on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the age of 72, Lawson passed away quietly in her bedroom at about 5.47 am in her private home in the Quarry Road neighbourhood of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.

A condolence register has been opened at the deceased’s home and at her privately established schools in the Oke-Ilewo and Kuto areas of Abeokuta, respectively. 

The statement also stated that her corpse had been placed at a private mortuary and that the family would later announce burial arrangements.