TWO years after the death of Chief Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, his  associate, Chief  Silas Bamidele Daniyan, revealed Saturday that he was absent at the former’s burial because the culture of Yoruba does not permit a senior to attend the burial of his junior.

The elderstatesman spoke at the occasion held at Mopa Town Hall in Mopa Amuro Local Government Area of Kogi State to mark the second memorial anniversary lecture of Awoniyi organized by the Okun Peoples Forum.

Daniyan, who noted that everything was coming on him, but God was with him, said all has not been the same with him since the death of Awoniyi, whom he described as his brother. According to him, “people will notice that since the departure of my brother, the late Chief Sunday Awoniyi, I was conspicuously absent in all the ceremonies.  This is in conformity with the Yoruba tradition that if you are older than somebody and he dies, you are not to be at the burial.

“Our two mothers were like Siamese twins. If Sunday’s mother bought something for Sunday, she would also buy for me. In the same way, if my mother bought something for me, she would also buy the same thing for Sunday. So, it is not and can never be a matter of joy for me that he has left us. But the truth there is that death is not something one can avoid, sooner or later, it will come.

In his remarks at the occasion, James Olatunji Awoniyi, who noted that there has been a disconnect between the leaders in Okun land, stressed the need for the politicians, the civil servants and the business class to connect, adding that the leaders must wake up to ensure that they have development in the area.