I thought my son would succeed me — Grief-stricken Falae

A former Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae, has said he lost a political successor in his son, Deji, who died in the ill-fated Associated Airline on Thursday.

Deji, who was the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Ondo State, led the state government’s delegation to accompany the corpse of  former Ondo State governor, Chief Olusegun Agagu from Lagos to Akure, for the a state burial.

Falae, who was still grieving over the loss, told the visiting Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, that he had reached the peak of his political sojourn.

“I was looking forward to seeing Deji take over from me, because I have reached the peak of my being in politics. I will miss him so much,” he said.

He, however, noted that he would submit to God since he could not question God over the death of his son.

Tambuwal had visited the home of the chieftain to commiserate with him and his family over the Thursday plane crash.

Tambuwal said Deji was his friend and had sent useful text messages to him on how to move the country forward, four days before the unfortunate incident.

He prayed that God would grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Some traditional rulers in Ondo State also paid a condolence visit to the politician in his Akure home in respect of the sad incident.

Falae, while receiving them, said his son had earned his place in the present Government of Ondo State.

According to him, in spite of his political stature, he never influenced Deji’s appointment as a commissioner.

He noted that his son had been a friend of Governor Mimiko and his appointment had nothing to do with his person.

The traditional rulers, led by Olukare of Ikare-Akoko, Obama Akadari Momoh, encouraged Falae to have faith in God.

Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, told our correspondent that the late commissioner had to go to Lagos follow the corpse down to Akure following the request by Agagu’s family that a senior member of the state government should accompany the corpse.

Meanwhile, SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Segun Mimiko, officially broke the news of Deji’s death to his father on Thursday.

Mimiko, who broke down in tears upon entering Falae’s house, was consoled by sympathisers.

Until his untimely death, Deji was the  Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Mimiko’s cabinet.

Punch