Ilaro, the headquarters of Yelwa South local government area of Ogun State, town of 60,000 people with the paramount ruler, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle has been in high level mourning weeping profusely since Sunday night when the body of their late son, Alhaji Taiwo Hassan Ogogo was brought to them after 10pm on Sunday night in a Sienna car.
Patmos Media Line observed that the mourning was so deep that their animals including dogs and goats were not found roaming on the streets but mostly weeping women who lined up the streets Monday morning till about 2pm of Monday saying the pedigree (Yoruba praises) of their late Otun Maiyegun, Alhaji Taiwo Hassan Ogogo who was installed in March 2022.
In Yorubaland, traditional rulers do not appear at the burial of any personality, they send their staff of office received at their coronation there as a symbol of their presence. Oba Olugbenle sent his words: “Ogogo is a man who carried Yelwa land in his heart”.
The Oba who is currently the Chairman of Ogun State Council of Obas further said, “For Ilaro and indeed Yewa land, his death has created a vacuum that can never be filled. There are people whose presence becomes part of the identity of a community, and Ogogo is one of them”.
Ilaro began to have throngs of visitors who came to pay their last respect to a man of many parts, a boxer, mechanical Engineer (trained by Yaba Tech) who worked with the Lagos State Water Corporation for 13 years before becoming a celebrated Actor, Film Producer and Script Writer.
His numerous theatre colleagues streamed into Ilaro like troubled Owena River.
His Cavaliers, brothers born with days difference in 1959; Yinka Quadri in September, Ogogo in October, Dele Odule in November and even Fausat Balogun (Madam Saje) born in June were there where Yinka Quadri the most close to him wept uncontrollably like a baby throughout.
Oga Bello Salami wore straight looks, same as Saidi Balogun but Lawyer Actor Femi Bello who drove in a Hilux van wept at a show in Lagos on Sunday and kept wiping his face at Ilaro.
The Yoruba Actors and film makers were really a family that took over Illaro on Monday but without their revered leader, baba Yemi Farounbi the man with the long white beard called baba Onirungbon Yeuke ti ngbe ibi gelegele ilu Ibadan.
He traditionally shouldn’t be at the ceremony as Yorubas do not attend burial of their children. We cannot confirm whether the aged baba Farounbi was informed of the loss of his drama son.
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Lots of well wishers who came to Ilaro begged for special attention on Yinka Quadri who they claim was terribly scattered at the burial. They asked for special life insurance for Theatre Practioners. Talented Muscian, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal Kwam 1 wept loudly at a scheduled party on Sunday and we learnt he lost strength to be in Ilaro on Monday as promised.
The Chief Imam of Ilaro who received Ogogo’s dead body on Sunday night at the Ilaro Central Mosque prayed over his body before burial on Monday. He prayer profusely for the Hassan family, Ogogo’s twin brother, Kehinde called Big Daddy in the family, wives, children, friends, associates and the Nollywood families. He prayed that the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Olugbenle be able to bear the fortitude of the loss.
Some Obas sent their staff of authority that were planted beside the body of Ogogo at the prayer session.
Alhaji Taiwo Hassan Ogogo born 31st October 1959 died of Stage 4 Prostate Cancer in a private hospital in Lagos late on Saturday night.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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