Some traditionalists in Osun State have described the death of late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, as one that is not natural.
This is just as the spiritualists in his country home of Ilobu, in Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State declared that the spirit of the late Army chief can be invoked for vengeance on those connected with his early passing.
Speaking with Sunday Tribune on his death on Saturday, a traditionalist, Awopegba Ifagbemi, said the residents of the town are still mourning his loss while pleading with the Federal Government to release Lagbaja’s corpse to them to make their spiritual exercise workable.
Awopegba revealed that traditionalists in the town had already met on the development to discuss how the rites would be carried out.
He, however, declined to discuss the rites further.
Speaking in the same vein, a community leader in the town, who identified himself as Alhaji Dauda Taofeek, maintained that Lagbaja’s death was not natural and the killers would not go scot-free.
Alhaji Dauda insisted that Lagbaja’s death was a great blow to the community, the state and the country.
Meanwhile, investigations revealed that some business complexes built by the deceased military officer had been closed down in the state.
One of them, a shopping complex built by him and rented out to people at Aregbe area in Osogbo, the state capital had been closed down since Friday.
When Sunday Tribune visited the shopping complex, the place was deserted as occupants of the place had locked up their shops while some shop owners around the complex also stayed away the business premises in honour of the departed soldier.
The traditional ruler of the General’s hometown, who spoke with Sunday Tribune in an interview, Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan, described his death as a generational disaster to all and sundry in the locality.
He charged the Federal Government to release the body of the late soldier for them so they can bury him in his hometown.
“We are seriously bereaved. What happened was a generational disaster to us as a people.
“He left us when we were rejoicing that God had answered our prayer. Since my ascension to the throne in the last 50 years, Wednesday remains one of the worst days for this community.
“He loved this community and was passionate about the development of this town, but what has happened reflects the supremacy of God. We prayed, we fasted, but his death is the wish of God.
“It is only God that can console us. No amount of condolences can pacify us. As a community, we know what we have lost. I only pray to God to stand by his family and hold the community for me. We don’t want this any longer in Ilobu and I know that God has answered our prayer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, at the weekend paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Lagbaja, pledging state support for the family.
In his entourage, according to the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, was the Commissioner for Federal Affairs, Nike Adeleke. They were received by the widow of the deceased, Mrs Mariya Lagbaja, and senior army officers.
According to the statement, “the governor signed the condolence register, paying glowing tribute to the deceased, whom he described as ‘a great son of Nigeria and Osun State.’
“A prayer session was held with the governor pledging full state support for the burial programme and continued support for the family thereafter.”
