By Richard Thomas
Tears flow freely as families and friends on Tuesday gathered at the funeral of the slain Professor of Social and Environmental Forestry at the University of Ibadan (UI), Professor Isaac Ajewole who was laid to rest in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
It will be recalled that Ajewole, a Professor of Social and Environmental Forestry, was gunned down at his Olororo, Ojo, Ibadan residence by yet-to-be-identified assailants on the evening of Monday June, 5, 2023.
In his sermon, Pastor Samson Ajetumobi of Men of Issachar Vision, Ibadan said, Ajewole’s life was cut short at his prime time.
According to him, those who killed Ajewole would also die by gun because blood of the deceased would revenge.
“Death is inevitable because it is the price human beings have to pay, but it is not good to kill because it is punishable before God and men. God determines our days, when you read through the scripture, you will see that death is inevitable, but killing is bad.”
Earlier, friends and families of the deceased, had converged on the Trenchard Hall of the University of Ibadan, where the remains of the don were laid -in-state for the last respect.
In his short message at the lying-in-state, Professor Ayo Akinwole, University of Ibadan ASUU chairman, said the union will continue to fight for justice and ensure that the police arrest the killers of Ajewole.
“The merciless people have cut short the life of our Iroko. We will stay faithful to that course that you stood for. ASUU will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to book.”
Dr. Bisi Olawuyi, Senior Staff Club President, who recalled his last conversation with the slain Professor, stated that the deceased will forever live in the forest of their hearts”.
“This iroko has not fallen. He lives forever in the forest of our hearts. The assailants may have done their worst, but he lives on. In the staff club he lived on in our hearts.”
A representative of the Forestry Association of Nigeria, Dr T Afolabi, said that late Professor Ajewole contributed immensely to the association, igniting their conferences with his unique deliveries.
“It was never my plan to be here to see this. Iroko never merited this from me or the FAN family. He was unique. The children he left behind will carry on. he was a brother and I am going to miss him.”
“I will miss his smiles. Our conferences were ignited by Iroko. It is pathetic and sorrowful. I called him the day he was killed. I have a message for those who killed him. Those who kill by the sword will die by sword.”
Dignitaries at the event include the Vice Chancellor (VC) of University of Ibadan (UI), Professor. Kayode Adebowale; Registrar, Mr. J.O. Saliu; Pro. Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, Professor. Deji Omole; Director General of Forest Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Prof. Zachariah Buba Yaduma and the Provost, Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan, Prof. Funmi Aderonmu, among others.
