Lamentation and dirge evoked the atmosphere in Efon Alaaye town of Ekiti State as widows gathered to honour the late Otunba Femi Ogunleye, an art enthusiast and humanist who transited in his prime of life to the great beyond.
The late Ogunleye, a.k.a Otunba Worldwide, who was the patron of World Environment Day Eco Fashion Week, alongside the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, was instrumental to the staging of Aso-Oke fashion weekend at United Nations events in Nigeria, Kenya, France and USA.
The objective was to promote the Yoruba aso-oke hand woven textile globally.
Ogunleye, who also empowered aso-oke clothes weavers in Ekiti, Ondo and Osun states so as to provide employment opportunity for women, especially widows, died in Port Harcourt on Saturday, July 17, just a week before turning 57.
His funeral will hold on Friday, September 3, in his home town of Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State.
He was also a great philanthropist who created solid foundation to assist his community, people especially the youths and widows.
So it was in appreciation of his kind gesture to the widows, that made them gather at his country home in Efon-Alaaye to honour him with a day of dirge song and elegy poetry.
The widows showcased their emotions for the sudden loss of their benefactor by wailing, sobbing and weeping while singing the lamentation songs.
One of the poetic recitations they used to express their deep sorrow highlighted how the deceased assisted them and their children.
The poetry was full of rhetorical questions of the cause of his death and stated that the deceased imparted positively in community people’s lives and he will be remembered for long after his death.
In her tribute, leader of the widows’ group, Mrs Bejide, a.k.a. Iya Eji, lamented the death of the late Otunba Ogunleye, who had been giving financial assistance to community widows over the years.
She mentioned that the deceased trained all her children in school and gave her monthly wages for her children’s upkeep.
The popular Jim Reeves track lyrics, “Across the Bridge”, was used by the Managing Director of Myroot Television Broadcasting Ltd, Ms Bolajoko Taiwo, to console the mourners, stating that: “Otunba Ogunleye has gone across the bridge where there is no more sorrow. Across the bridge where there is no more pains.”
Founder of World Environment Day Eco Fashion Week in United Kingdom, Mrs Olayemi Olapeju-Akerele, who was also a widow, mentioned how the deceased contributed to the staging of aso-oke fashion weekend across the globe.
She also mentioned how he was empowering aso-oke weavers and other artists such as cane basket weavers, sculptors and potters in Nigeria.
She concluded that “there is a great reward in helping humanity as the contributing we make to alleviate the suffering of our people will remain indelible in the people’s memories forever.”
One of those who benefitted from the gesture of the deceased, Mrs Funmilola Afolabi, revealed that the financial assistance he rendered for her enabled her to pay for her child’s MRI medical examination which helped to save the child’s life.
The Pency Care Health Organisation based in USA, owned by Ms Bimbo Leye, was also present at the event to give free medical care and also provided Covid-19 safety measures.
While thanking the widows and all the organisers of the event, wife of the deceased, Mrs Funmilayo Ogunleye, lamented her husband’s death, just as she stated that he was a kind-hearted person with a large heart which is worth of emulation.
and then