Kazeem Ugbodaga

Tajudeen Disu: buried in Lagos

It was sorrow and tears  as the Managing Director of the Lekki Trade Free Zone, LFTZ Limited, Mr. Tajudeen Disu was buried at the Vault and Garden in Ikoyi, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

As his body was being lowered to the ground, family members, relatives and friends wept freely as they paid their last respect for the departed.

Disu, 67 years old was killed on Monday  by a gunman in one of the villages at the Free Trade Zone where he had gone to mediate in a land dispute. Seventeen suspects were promptly arrested by the police over the murder. The suspects are still being detained by the police while investigation continues.

Several dignitaries graced the burial ceremony. Some of them were  Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule; Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Tunji Bello; former deputy governors of Lagos State, Mr. Femi Pedro and Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu.

There were also former Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Babatunde Balogun; former Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Mr. Taofiq Tijani; former Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Central Business District, CBD, Mrs. Derin Disu; Chief Remi Makanjuola, former chairman of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF Board; Chairman, Lekki Free Trade Zone Development Company, Otunba Olusegun Jawando, among others.

At the burial ceremony held at the Lagos City Hall, Dr. Zikrulahi Adenugba, lecturer from Al-Hikma University, who delivered the sermon said Disu died as a martyr, while urging the Lagos State Government to keep the legacy he laboured for before his death.

He said government should support the family in whatever they intended to do and ensured that they were well catered for.

Sheik Ahmad Olore, another speaker at the burial ceremony urged the relatives of the deceased to ensure that there was not any rancour after the death of Tajudeen Disu, saying “Unity should be the watchword always.”

Former Lagos Commissioner, Balogun described Disu as a peaceful man and “very good family man and was good to a lot of people. He was generous to a lot of people and they would miss him badly. He was a very good friend of mine. we were classmates in school. He was my best man on my wedding day. We have been very close; we grew up together on Lagos Island.

“Alhaji Tajudeen is an honest, dedicated and very committed to whatever he is doing. He worked relentlessly to ensure that Lekki Free Trade Zone project got to fruition but unfortunately he could not leave to see the end of the project. I pray that God upholds his family, sustain them and give them the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Son of the deceased, Ibrahim Disu said he never knew how great his father was until his death. “I know my father was great but I don’t know how it was until his death. Five minutes after his death, everyone had taken over the responsibilities for the burial ceremony. I must thank everyone who had rallied the family since his death.”