The controversy, which had characterised the sudden death of the Chairman, Abeokuta Golf Resort Plc, Apagun Oluwole Olumide, continued on Monday as his burial was held up for hours over the disagreement between the deceased’s family and the police on the need for an autopsy.
While men of the Ogun State Police Command insisted that an autopsy should be carried out on the deceased as part of their investigation into the death of the Abeokuta High Chief, the family submitted that they preferred to bury the late architect as they did not suspect any foul play in his demise.
Olumide died on Friday in the Rock Beach, an artificial lake in the golf resort in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, while his body was recovered by local divers from the lake on Saturday morning before it was deposited at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.
The late architect would have been 70 in May.
Controversy has however persisted on the sudden death of the socialite and business associate of the former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, who attended the burial.
Observers had attributed Olumide’s death to suicide while others argued that murder should not be ruled out of the shocking incident.
At the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, on Monday, it was alleged that the policemen prevented the corpse from being released to the family until an autopsy was carried out.
Family members, who arrived in the hospital at about 8am, however alleged that Olumide death was being politicised.
Some of the family members reportedly engaged the police in a long drawn argument on why an autopsy was not necessary before the burial of their patriarch, arguing that they did not suspect foul play in the death.
The policemen, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr. Joel Eye, presented a letter reportedly written by the state government, ordering an autopsy on the body before the burial.
It was learnt that the development led to an exchange of words between the family members, led by the deceased’s first son, Femi Olumide, and the policemen.
The argument was said to have lasted about two hours, after which the family conceded that an autopsy be conducted.
The result of the autopsy was yet to be made public as at press time.
Olumide’s body was released for burial at about 2.15pm.
A Mercedes Benz hearse, marked Lagos TOS 5, which conveyed the corpse, arrived the Ita Eko, Abeokuta residence of the deceased at about 2.55 pm.
The Presbyter of Methodist Church Nigeria, Imo Circuit, Egba-Yewa Diocese, Rev. Oloruntoba Obaselu, in his sermon at the burial, reminded Nigerians that death was inevitable for human beings, urging the people to move closer to God.
The remains of the late Olumide were committed to mother earth at 3.45pm in the presence of his widow, Bisi, and the children.
Former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Chief Sarafa Isola, who spoke to reporters after the burial, said Egba Kingdom was “in mourning” as a result of the Olumide’s death.
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