Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti
Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, urged Nigerians, particularly the ruling class to desist from unchecked acquisition of material wealth. According to him, such attitude is vanity.
He, therefore, admonished Nigerians to live for divine purposes, “so, we could be remembered for long after death.”
VP Osinbajo spoke in Iyin Ekiti, yesterday, during the burial ceremony of Pa Stephen Ogunjuyigbe Bamidele, father of an All Progressives Congress (APC), senatorial candidate in Ekiti State, Opeyemi Bamidele, who died on April 19 at the age of 86.
The ceremony was held at Babamuboni Anglican Church, Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State.
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Osinbajo urged Nigerians to live their lives for Christ and in the service of mankind, rather than placing high premium on wealth acquisition that could make them lose their integrity and eternal rest after death.
Those at the event include: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Chief Demola Seriki; Governors Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo); Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); former Osun State governor; Chief Bisi Akande; former Ondo State governor, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua and APC National Deputy Chairman, Chief Niyi Adebayo.
Others are: spokesman of the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Festus Keyamo; Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Hon Bamidele Faparusi, Hon Femi Bamisile, among others.
The Vice President said that great thinkers know that nothing profits a man who lived his life acquiring wealth but ends up losing his reputation and the kingdom of God. “It is high time that Nigerians began to live like great thinkers and know that life is a vanity; the only way one can live a rewarding life is to live for Christ Jesus and have eternal rest after.
If you buy cars, houses and property, they shall become old and useless, one day, but if you live for Christ, you shall remain evergreen in the hearts of the people. The only thing I cherish in the life of Pa Bamidele is that, he made his children to know Christ and it is only those who live for Christ that will inherit eternity”, he said.
Governors Fayemi and Akeredolu praised the role played by Bamidele in the July 14 governorship election, saying his impact was felt during the poll despite the gunshot incident that earlier happened on June 1. It will be recalled that Bamidele was shot in the stomach during APC rally for Fayemi at the party’s secretariat in Ado Ekiti and this landed him in a London hospital, where he spent 47 days. Fayemi said the incident could have destabilised Ekiti if Bamidele had died. But he did not because of God’s intervention, at that time, in Ekiti affairs, he added.
In his sermon, the Diocesan Bishop of Ekiti, Most Rev. Christopher Omotunde, called on the federal government to help Ekiti in overcoming several challenges confronting the state.