Osinbajo, Makinde, Others Pay Tribute As Punch Director, Lekan Are Is Laid To Rest

Eminent personalities from all walks of life yesterday paid tributes to the late agronomist, business tycoon and director of Punch Newspaper, Dr. Lekan Are, who died last month aged 86 after a brief illness.

Leading the pack was Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; Seyi Makinde, Rashidi Ladoja and a host of other dignitaries.

In his homage at the funeral service held at the Cathedral Church of St. David, Kudeti, Ibadan, Osinbajo noted that the period was not to mourn Are, but to celebrate him, Guardian reports.

Makinde who described late Are as a multifaceted personality and practical idealist during his lifetime, emphasized that the deceased had a benchmark for generations yet to come, adding that he saw and conquered in the field of humanities, education, journalism and hospitality. Makinde used the opportunity to tell the gathering that the lingering rift between him and his predecessor, Ajimobi had been solved in the interest of peace and development of Oyo State. At the service, Are’s son was decorated as father of the Dean of the diocese.

As a mark of honour to the deceased, members of the Ibadan Foundation, Oluyole Club and the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, of which the late Are was a prominent member, stood beside his casket to sing Ibadan anthem. This was followed by the rendition of the anthem of the Government College Ibadan by the Old Boys Association, led by the Chairman, The Bi-Courtney Group of companies, Wale Babalakin.