On the 24th of December, Ambassador Ademola Rasaq Seriki’s, CON, 8th-day Fidau prayer was held for the repose of the pious Muslim. The event was held at the Landmark Event Center on Victoria Island, Lagos.
Seriki, a Lagos politician, was the Minister of State for Agriculture and Water Resources from 2007 to 200. He was the Supervising Minister for Mines and Steel Development from October 2008 to December 2008. He served as Minister of State for Defence from 2008 to 2009, and also served as Minister of State for Interior between 2009 to 2010. Until his passing, he was Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain. He was appointed to the post in January 2021.
According to a statement by his children, he passed away in Madrid, Spain surrounded by his family members. It was learnt that he succumbed to the effects of cancer, which he has been managing for several years.
The event started with sermons delivered by two Sheikhs, which was followed by the recognition of dignitaries present. They included the Speaker, Federal House of Representative, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Godfrey Onyema, Lago State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudasiru Obasa, Muslim Clerics and many others.
Mr. Onyema was first called up by the Master of Ceremony to give his goodwill message. He said that Seriki was his good friend and when he heard the news, it was shocking to believe that he has left this early. He said: “This is not a day that I’m happy to witness, it is not a day I’ve ever imagined that will happen within the next 30-40 years,” he said.
According to him, a great Iroko tree has unfortunately fallen, but he is even more than that,” the Minister said.
It followed with the federal HOR Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila spoke next . He said: “For many of us that knew Damola, we will admit that if nothing else is been said or done, he lived well, he lived a good life. In his 63 years surgeon here, he accomplished what will take many people decades to achieve half of it.
“So he has and we all have so much to be grateful for, even though we were all sad, we all received the news in shock but we should be grateful for his life,” he said.
What Governor Sanwo-Olu said at the 8th Day Fidau Prayer, was a message which should be taken home because they are words of wisdom. “All the things I’ve said, he that even in this gathering, there are several former things than even current happenings. So, it’s a word of wisdom for all of us to know that at some points in time, we all have a journey in this world and we will all move on.
The spiritual fathers have given us the sermon that we will all take home. This is not for death, its actually for the living, for each and every one of us to be able to learn some lessons of life, to know that at some points in time, we will answer on how well we’ve worked and the things we’ve done well in this life,” Sanwo-Olu said.
According to him, he has a personal encounter with his late brother, Demola Seriki. “I’ve known him since I was 16-years old because he used to live right across my aunt’s house. We used to ride bicycles right all around together, so he’s someone I’ve got to grow up with and watch over the last 40 years. So, behind that, he was my political leader, we are from the same local government, and he is a leader in my ward, so he and I have come a very long way, but in all of that, he was a man and indeed, has worked himself, a man whom God has blessed so well and I admonish the family, that their father, their husband was a good man, he lived a good life that we all admire. You can see that with the turnout of people who have come here this afternoon to celebrate his life and acknowledge that he indeed meant different thing to different people,” the Governor said.
The gathering rounded off as Seriki’s children, led by his first daughter gave a final goodwill and appreciation remark. Amb. Demola Seriki will always be remembered by many for the service he gave to the country and to the world at large.
-Benprince Ezeh
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