The remains of renowned industrialist and politician, Gamaliel Onosode, were on Friday interred in his home town in Akiugbo-Ughelli in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
A lying-in-state at Government College, Ughelli, which was well attended by members of his family, members of the Old Boys Association and students of the school, preceded the interment at his residence on Onosode Drive, Akiugbo-Ughelli.
His body was conveyed in a convoy to First Baptist Church, Ughelli, for the funeral service.
Present at the event were several dignitaries, including Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who paid glowing tributes to the late elder statesman.
Others, who attended the ceremony, included academics, captain of industries and representatives of professional bodies in the management and financial sectors of the economy.
Family members of the late management expert, who spoke during the funeral, said the late Onosode would be greatly missed.
One of his siblings, Deacon Andrew Onosode, who tearfully sang one of deceased’s favourite hymns, ‘I am Satisfied’, said his departed brother lived “with eternity in view.”
He noted that the urge to live a good Christian live led the late religious leader to pioneer the growth of the Baptist Church both in his hometown and other places where he had lived.
Also, the deceased’s first son, Ese, described his late father as a man who was very articulate in all his thoughts and was a huge loss to both his biological children and other children whom he had mentored in his lifetime.
In his tribute, Okowa described him as a role model, who marched through the business world “like a colossus,” and a quintessential board master.
He noted that the late elder statesman was an example of a good servant-leader, a legacy he said would be hard to match.
The governor added, “The best tribute we can give to him today is to carry on the good virtues that he has left behind.”
On his part, Anyaoku, who noted that the former presidential adviser to former President Shehu Shagari on Budget Affairs was a true patriot of Nigerian and African values and a true symbol of integrity.
He said he was honoured to have had Onosode as his best man during his wedding.
“An iroko of the corporate world has fallen. My entire family joins me in mourning Gamaliel. We join his children in mourning this virtuous man,” he added.
The former presidential aspirant under the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) died at about 8.15am in a Lagos hospital on Tuesday, September 29, 2015.
He was aged 82.
