Obey, KSA, Ayuba, K1, Funmi Aragbaye, others to send HID Awolowo home

 

Evangelist Ebenezer Obey and juju maestros King Sunny Ade will lead other music stars in the secular and gospel genres to perform at the funeral of the matriarch of the Awolowo family, Hannah Idowu Dideolu. The lined-up musicians will perform at different funeral points in Ikenne, Ogun State.

Others are Chief Adewale Ayuba and Wasiu Ayinde popularly known as K1.

Those in the gospel genre that will storm the funeral are Bola Are, Funmi Aragbaye and Tope Alabi.

Also, those in the theatre world are also poised to give Mama HID Awolowo a befitting departure.

The Ogunde Theatre Group as led by one of his sons, Ayo Ogunde, is billed to perform a drama sketch on the late matriach.

There will also be performances by members of the Association of Theatre Arts Practitioners and other selected theatre groups.

Announcing the 11-day programmes for the final burial of the late matriarch which would run between Sunday November 15 and Wednesday November 25 to the media on Thursday at Ikenne, one of her daughters who doubles as the chairman of the Central Burial Planning Committee, Dr. Awolowo-Dosunmu, said the funeral of their mother would be full of celebration.

She said, “A number of artistes have been lined up to perform during the funeral of Mama.

“They include artistes both in the secular and gospel circles. They include Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Adewale Ayuba, Mama Bola Are, Funmi Aragbaye and Evangelist Tope Alabi.

“Also the Ogunde Theatre Group as led by Ayo Ogunde will also perform a drama sketch. Associations such as the Association of Nigeria Theatre Practitioners and other selected theatre groups will also perform.”

The Secretary to the Ogun State government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, announced at the press briefing that the state government had chosen November 23 to honour the late HID Awolowo.

He said the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, had written invitation letters to his other 35 ‘brother governors’ across the country to come and honour “a woman who belonged to all Nigerians “ at Sagamu International Stadium.

He said apart from having contracted a fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde (K1 de Ultimate) to perform at the event, there would be cultural performances from the state’s cultural troupe, and other groups from the four zones of the state -Egba, Ijebu, Remo and Yewa.

He said, “We are bringing King Wasiu Ayinde to perform at the Sagamu stadium.

“The state cultural troupe will be there. There will also be distinctive performances from the cultural troupes from the four zones across the state -Egba, Ijebu, Remo and Yewa.”

Meanwhile, the final resting place of the matriarch was being prepared by grave diggers on Thursday.

The grave was inside the mausoleum where the remains of the late sage and her husband, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, were interred. Mama would be buried beside her husband.