Orekoya Family Buries Dad At Isara Remo In Style & Grandeur

OLISEMEKA OBI

Penultimate Friday, royal fathers, top government officials, Church leaders and captains of industry, stormed Isara Remo in Ogun State, to witness the interment of 91-year old Late Prince Emmanuel Olayinka Orekoya, an event which literally turned into a carnival-like celebration. 

Father to a Retired School Principal, a Civil Engineer, a Chartered Accountant (FCA), another Chartered Accountant, and a Mass Communication graduate, among them being Mr Tayo Orekoya, former Director at LAMATA in Lagos and the Founder of Pearl Awards that honours excellence in the Nigerian Stock Market, the Late Prince Emmanuel Olayinka Orekoya was blessed in different areas of life. Longevity of life was an extra blessing bestowed on him by the Almighty God.  

He had set forth at dawn. A scion of the Igan Ruling House of Isara-Remo through his mother’s lineage, he worked with Nigerian Tribune Newspaper, worked as a Secretary in a Law firm I.S.M. Sotire Esq and at Public Health Department, an appointment he got from Lagos Town Council.

In 1953, he joined the Nigeria Police Force after sitting for Police selection examination, selected, trained at the Southern Police College Ikeja in 1953 and started work at the Commandants Office in Ikeja. Pa Orekoya rose to become a substantive Superintendent of Police in 1976.

In 1979, he lectured at Ikeja Police College and on the 31st of August 1988 after 35 years of meritorious services to the nation, covering North, South, East and Western Nigeria including international assignments to Cameroon, he retired in 1993, and worked as an Administrative Manager at Olakunle Ashaye Company Limited for 10 years. He retired meritoriously in 2003.

Tribute poured in freely at the Wake in Abeokuta, where he last lived and all the way to Isara Remo, Ogun State, where he was interred after a ceremony at St John’s Anglican Church.

“Daddy was a doting lover to only one wife’’, note his son, Tayo. He recalled that because of his love for his wife, after she passed away on in January 2014, daddy refused to accept food cooked by any other woman. It was a struggle as we his children daily had to encourage him to continue with life despite the lost of his loved, cherished wife”.
“He was also an incorrigible upright Police officer. Daddy was a diligent Police officer.  Story was told of how a bag of money was brought to daddy as a bribe to go and arrest Abiola, he rejected the money and rather accepted to be posted to a less lack lustre station. We his children are proud of our fathers legacy”, Tayo added. 

“He was a good man. His children were usually among the first set of students to pay their school fees. Daddy was not wealthy but education for his children was his top priority.”

Tributes continued to flow from his children, family members and friends at the wake in Abeokuta and then to Isara Remo. Other tributes were from: Adeola Adeleke; Hon. Justice A. A. Shobayo; Ogundeji Olukunle; Engr Fisan Ogigale; Chief R. A Ogunyenye; Mojibade Olurin Omowunmi Okelanfa; Arc. Toye Osindero; Mrs Bunmi Oloyede; Hon. Mrs Ashade, Akinleye Toluwani; Hon. Justice Bode Popoola; Nloku of Iraye in Remo Land; Hon. Dr. Oladipupo Adebutu; Chief Dr. Faruk Umar; Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion Diocese of Egba; Rev Abayomi Timothy Odunayo of Glory Baptist Church Iwo; Alhaji AA Alausa, Chairman, Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria, State Headquarters, Eleweran; Iyana Oloke Community Develeopment Association; Isara Indigenes Association Abeokuta; Ladies Christian Improvement Society; Christian Social Circle, St. John Anglican Church Isara Remo; Young Men Christian Fellowship St, John’s Anglican Church, Igbein Abeokuta; Morning Star Society of Ipara Remo and so many others.

And so, Baba Olopa as he was fondly called by friends, went home in great celebration and festivities. The guests were hosted at Isara Remo Secondary School Field, Isara Remo. The reception was a huge carnival as all Pa Orekoya’s children and grandchildren had a huge tent to accommodate their guests, in a COVID 19 protocol compliant arrangement, giving them the opportunity to properly cater for their friends and dignitaries.

Some of the high powered dignitaries that graced the event included Bisi Onasanya, former GMD First Bank Ltd and wife, Olufunke; Kola Olayinka, former General Manager, British Airways (West Africa) and wife, Kenny were also also in attendance. The former governor of Ogun State and now a Senator,  Ibikunle Amosun was represented by the Immediate Past Deputy Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Tola Banjo. Also in attendance among many others was the Lagos State APC Vice Chairman, Chief Funso Ologunde.

Also present were Engr. Gbenga Dairo, Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation and wife. Mr. Toye Arulogun; the immediate past Commissioner for Information, Oyo State; The Odemo of Isara, HRH Oba Albert Adebose Mayungbe was fully represented at the funeral with his Royal Staff of Office, the late Father, being a Royal Prince himself.

Timi of Ede, HRH Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa 1 and the Oba of Ogobiland, Ede were both present and added colour and circumstance to the carnival-like event. 

The President, St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo Old Boys Association, Charlean Rotimi Aluko; Vice President Foluso Oyesiku and the immediate Past President Majek Owoo all graced the occasion, amongst others.