By Monsuru Olowoopejo

Wife of former military governor of Lagos State, Brig.-General Mobolaji Johnson, Funmi is dead.

Vanguard gathered that the wife of the former military governor died on Saturday night.

Though family was yet to reveal the cause of her death, sources said she died after a brief illness in a hospital located in Victoria Island, Lagos State.

A source close to the family said the news of her death was announced to the former military governor at about 2a.m. yesterday.

When Vanguard visited the home of the former military governor, it was gathered that the husband of the deceased would not be able to grant any interview.

Also, few hours after the news broke, it was learned that relatives and dignitaries stormed the premises to console the family.

Among the early visitors to the home of the Johnsons in Ilupeju was the first executive governor of the state, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and former Minister of Communications, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and others.

Effort to speak to both former public office holders proved abortive as they declined speaking on the death of the former first lady of the state.

….I remember her time

as First Lady— Cousin

Mrs. Taiwo Soyannwo, cousin to the late Funmilayo, said: “We thank God for the life she spent. And I will always remember when she was the First Lady. She was simple and humble.

“You will not know that her husband was the military governor. All through that period, she was working at the Federal Training centre. Her role was a sharp difference of what we have today. She even used to go to the market.”

She described the late Funmi as one of the pillars of their family, adding “we will continue to miss her, but the lord knows best.”

ý…I’ve lost my sister—Oseni

For Mrs. Anne Oseni, a friend of the deceased of over five decades, “I have lost my younger sister. It is really sad that she left us at this time.ý The memory of her activities together are enormous.

“She was the sister that my mother could not give birth to.ý I saw all her children being born. I met her as an adult. We were teaching in the same school— Yaba College of Technology, ý and from there she went to the Federal Training Centre.

“Before she left, we used to go home together.ý And I often go to their house at weekends. And when her husband became military governor, she still maintained her character.ý She was very humble and no one knew that she had held such a high position in the state.”