By Daud Olatunji

ABEOKUTA—The Ogun State Government, yesterday named the Plainfields Estate, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, and the yet-to-be completed government-owned Model School in Ikenne, after the late Chief (Mrs.) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun disclosed this at the Gateway International Stadium, Sagamu, venue of the programmes lined up for the funeral of the late HID Awolowo.

The estate and the model school named after the late matriarch are part of the projects embarked upon by the current administration in the state in the past four years.

However, contrary to the expectation that all the governors across the country would be present to pay their last respects, none of them showed up at the programme.

The programme  was attended by Head of the defunct Interim National Government, Chief Earnest Shonekan; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi; former Chairman of All Progressives Congress , Chief Bisi Akande, wife of Vice President, Dolapo Osinbajo, among others.

Amosun, in his keynote address at the programme tagged: Ogun Celebrates HID Awolowo, said that naming the two projects after the late matriarch was part of the moves to immortalise her.

The governor said: “The state Exco met today and we agreed to name some projects after Mama; the ones that will be lasting.”

He described the late Mama Awolowo as a rare gem who played a vital role in the stability of the Awolowo family and Yorubaland.

While paying  tributes to the late HID Awolowo, Shonekan said: “She was a great pillar of support to her husband, especially during his political travails.”

Also speaking, a chieftain of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said that Yorubaland and Nigeria at large would miss her greatly.

The former military administrator of Ekiti State, General Adetunji Olurin (retd) said that the free education policy initiated by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in 1955 enabled poor Nigerians to have access to basic education.

Olurin, however, noted that the support and backing given the late sage by his wife, HID Awolowo contributed greatly to the success of his programmes.

He further described her as “a strong housewife, a diligent supporter of her husband. Our Mama was a very strong-hearted woman; very dedicated to the society and her community.”

In her response, the eldest child of the late matriarch, Reverend Omotola Oyediran, commended the Ogun State Government for organizing the programme and thanked Nigerians from all walks of life for attending the programme.

Oyediran assured Nigerians that the family left behind by Mama HID Awolowo would not disappoint them.

“I don’t know what to say because really this is awesome. This is exactly what Mama wanted. You have all demonstrated to us that you appreciate what Mama and Papa meant to Nigeria. We will not disappoint Nigeria,” she said.