IMEKO: A MECCA OF A SORT, AS DCG ALAJOGUN GIVES A BEFITTING FINAL BURIAL CEREMONY TO HIS LATE FATHER
It was the gathering of the creme de la creme or who is who in the Customs and Maritime industry.
A sleepy town Imeko/ Afon local government area of Ogun state came to life yesterday, courtesy of their great son, Barrister OA Alajogun, fsi elected to celebrate his late father, Alhaji Salaudeen Akano Alajogun, himself, a distinguished customs officer who retired as a Chief Superintendent of Customs and who equally was said to have held sway as the officer in charge of the Western Region decades ago.
Alhaji Salaudeen transited to eternal glory some 25 years ago.
And so, his children decided to celebrate the man whose life and discipline influenced everything his offsprings currently do, as well as attaining the positions they currently occupy.
Papa Akano was indeed celebrated in grand style.
It was indeed a roll call of distinguished guests, maritime gurus, as they came in their numbers to pay homage to one of their illustrious sons and an officer par excellence.
Imeko remains a smuggling route which has seen incredible customs officers making spectacular seizures around that ecosystem.
It is close to Benin Republic boundaries.
The road can be described as a ‘highway to Golgotha’
It is a corridor either to be plied by indigenes due to the necessity of keeping in touch with their ancestral homes or by smugglers who eke out a living through such economic sabotage.
The assembly of guests started building up around 7am yesterday, though the advanced teams involving the Alajoguns, friends and associates as well as top ranking caterers had arrived two to three days earlier to put things in shape.
Planning was top notch; you dare not access the magnificent tent without an invitation card and admission card.
An admission card for one person. Meaning you can not use one card for even a couple.
Yours sincerely had arrived earlier, took my quality breakfast at Deputy Comptroller General Alajogun’s architectural residence and thereafter proceeded to Ansar Ud deen primary school field, Imeko, the venue of the great event.
More than three hours prayers were offered for the repose of the sweet soul of late Pa Salaudeen Akano Alajogun.
Great Muslim scholars and Imams led the prayers attended by the Chief Guest of honour who doubles as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria customs service, a close friend of DCG Alajogun and his boss.
Muslims and Christians as well as other faiths set aside their differences in religious beliefs taking part in the Muslim prayers.
The Comptroller General of the customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, arrived at about 12.19pm and headed straight to the prayer ground to join in the prayers.
Several Comptrollers of customs, serving and retired officers , delegations from the National and state assemblies as well as importers, maritime operators and other business magnates came calling.
Comptrollers on ground included, Comptroller HK Ejibunu, National Co-ordinator Whirlwind, FOU ‘A’ controller- IK Oladeji, PTML area controller-Compt Daniyan, area controller Oyo/Osun command-Dr Oramalugo.
Others are ACG Makinde, Compt Dera Nnadi, Mni, Deputy Compt Wale Adenuga, Compt Wada, Deputy Compt Shuaibu-Co-ordinator Border Drill, Deputy Compt Kudaisi (Rtd), Chief Supt Kasim ( Rtd) , the CEO of SOCOPAO and some very few senior journalists.
The sweet memories of yesterday in Imeko will continue to linger as indigenes of the town eulogized their illustrious son- DCG Alajogun for lifting the town through positive strides and prayed that he will continue to grow in his chosen profession.