The family of Bamidele Aturu, an activist lawyer who died suddenly on July 9, has fixed his burial for Friday, July 25, even as a big rift has developed between his widow and his blood relatives. In interviews in Akure, some members of the late lawyer’s family accused his wife and her family of focusing on inheriting the property he left behind without caring to be in touch with his bereaved aged parents.
The late Mr. Aturu, who hailed from Ondo State but practiced law from Lagos, will be given a befitting burial in his country-home of Ogbagi Akoko, in Akoko area of Ondo State, said his parents, Felix and Felicia Aturu, at their residence in Ehin Apata, Akure, the Ondo State capital.
SaharaReporters learned that Mr. Aturu’s family rejected suggestions by some of his friends and colleagues to inter his remains in Lagos.
Even so, the family disclosed that the funeral for the late lawyer and activist, fondly called 'Dele' by his parents and childhood friends, will start in Lagos with a wake-keep and service of songs on July 23 and 24. The late Aturu’s legal colleagues, admirers, friends, well-wishers, and traditional rulers are expected at the wake in Lagos as well as his hometown.
Mr. Felix Aturu described the death of his second child, Bamidele, as devastating, shocking and painful not only to his immediate family but also to those who knew him from his youth. He stated that his son, “Dele,” was the breadwinner of the family who generously provided for his parents’ care.
He disclosed that he heard about his son’s death on the radio while listening to the news.
“I learned about the death of my son through the radio because I don't joke with news. Immediately I heard that Dele was dead through the news, I called my wife who was resting in the sitting room. I told her, ‘Your son is dead and they just announced it on the radio.’ At that point she knocked her head against the chair and started weeping profusely. I asked her if she too wanted to kill herself, but she just couldn't control her emotions.”
He proudly recalled how his late son fought against corrupt governments in Nigeria bent on creating miserable conditions for the suffering masses. “My son was tough,” he said. “He didn’t like cheating and he hated bribery. If you took a bribe, he would disassociate himself from you. He even fought the military regime.”
The late lawyer’s father recollected his son’s detention at Kirikiri maximum-security prison. “We were scared and warned him to desist from all anti-government activities, but he said he couldn’t because he believed in the cause of fighting for justice for the masses.”
A retired police inspector and former president of a customary court, the late lawyer’s father disclosed that their son used to visit them almost every month.
“He didn’t forget his family, despite the fact he stayed in Lagos. He either visited us or sent somebody to see us every month.”
The 82-year old bereaved father told SaharaReporters that the deceased activist lawyer had promised him a big birthday celebration, including the gift of a car. “He had prayed for me with promises to get me a big vehicle as birthday gift and always encouraged me to get well soon. He tried all his best to cater for me but death stole him away from us.”
Mr. Bamidele Aturu’s 72-year old mother cried through most of the interview, but managed to say a few things in Yoruba language. She expressed pride in her late son for displaying a committed spirit of activism and seeking to help the needy who passed his way.
Mrs. Aturu said the late lawyer showed his love for them by building his parents a three-bedroom residence in Akure. “He saved us from being continuous tenants when he built this house for us in 2008. He was a man with a good future, hardworking and always ready to help others.”
She added that nobody in the family had anticipated death for her son, “Dele.” “The burden he left behind will be too much for us to bear. You can see that we are very old. Baba (Dele's father) can't even walk any longer, he is in bed,” she said. In a forlorn tone, Mrs. Aturu said, “Should we start blaming God, or who should we question? It’s unfortunate that we are the ones mourning our own son.”
Speaking to our correspondent, the late lawyer’s immediate younger sister, Bunmi, said her brother’s death “was painful to the marrow.” She disclosed that she and her late brother often had a difficult relationship, blaming others for that development.
“We were born of the same father and mother but we just didn't really agree,” she said, adding, “I think it was caused by the devil.” She stated that she admired her late brother for “always taking care of our aged parents.”
She pleaded with friends of her brother and those he had helped not to forget his parents and family members.
Our correspondent also reported that the interviews pointed to a developing rift in the late lawyer’s estate as his biological family accused his wife of plotting to sit over the landed assets left behind by the late lawyer.
Mr. Aturu’s family in Akure alleged that his widow and her family had not visited them and had displayed a nonchalant attitude.
“The painful part of it is that his wife has never asked after us, even with the death of her husband. She stays in Lagos and is already taking over the property of our son,” Mr. Aturu’s family alleged. They added, “None of his wife’s family members has even bothered to call us since the death of our son. Mama Dele was the one calling [Bamidele Aturu’s wife] to ask after the children our son left behind. It is sad.”
In a bitter tone, the family spokesman added: “They now dwell in our son's house, spending his money extravagantly. If you go to Dele's house now in Lagos, you will think it’s Christmas period. They have turned the house to a party house, all full of joy.”
The late lawyer and human rights activist came to national prominence in 1988 when he refused to shake hands with the then military governor of Niger State, Colonel Lawan Gwadabe, during the passing out parade of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He explained that the military had caused great harm to the democratic aspirations of Nigerians.
Mr. Aturu was also nominated as a member of the just concluded National Conference to represent the civil society sector, but he rejected his membership, arguing that the conference was designed not to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
He was 49 when he died in Lagos after a brief illness.