By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

2027 presidential hopeful and businessman, Dr. Gbenga Hashim, on Thursday paid a condolence visit to Mrs. Adebola Awolowo, widow of the late Segun Awolowo, offering prayers and words of comfort as funeral rites for the prominent statesman begin in Abuja.

Hashim described the atmosphere in the family home as heavy with grief, noting that the loss had deeply affected relatives, friends, and associates. “The grief in the air as the funeral ceremony kicks off today is thick,” he said. “May the Lord be our strength.”

Two weeks earlier, Hashim had issued a heartfelt tribute to the late Segun Awolowo, former Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and grandson of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. In the message titled “Good Night My Brother and Friend, Segun Awolowo,” he recounted receiving news of the death while in Madrid—a moment he said left him “shocked and unsettled.”

He described the late Awolowo as part of a close-knit Abuja circle of friends of more than two decades. Hashim recalled visiting him months before his passing and finding him energetic, optimistic, and fully engaged in his professional responsibilities. He noted that Awolowo had proudly introduced him to his senior management team during that visit.

In what he now regards as a final message of encouragement, Awolowo had urged him: “Gbenga, please keep standing for Nigeria. Among all of us, you’re the one I know has the capacity to stand.”

Hashim remembered his friend as “a rare gem—humble, thoughtful, and deeply patriotic,” adding that he built his reputation through character, service, and hard work.

He said their long friendship was enriched by deep conversations and shared moments of prayer. “I am grateful for the gift of friendship we shared and pained that it ended too soon,” he wrote.

Segun Awolowo’s death has continued to draw widespread reactions across political, business, and social circles, with tributes pouring in nationwide as preparations for his funeral continue.