2027: Ex Akeredolu’s Aide, Fatai Olushina Questions APC Assembly Candidate, Funke Aruna Visits To Father’s Grave

Hon Fatai Olushina, a former Senior Special Assistant to the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Forestry has raised alarm over the visit of the All Progressive Congress (APC) House of Assembly Candidate for Owo State Constituency 2 to fathers grave.

Hon Fatai Olushina is a candidate of the Accord Party for Owo State Constituency 2 in the next year election. In a Press Statement released by the Accord Party Candidate, he asked his opponent in the race to explain to the world the rational behind the visit to the burial ground of his father.

All attempt to clarified the allegation against Hon Funke Aruna failed as at of filing this report.

The Press Statement Read:

PRESS STATEMENT

Visit to My Father’s Burial Ground by APC House of Assembly Candidate Raises Concern

I wish to express my deep concern over an incident that occurred this evening at my late father’s residence at No. 11 Clerk Quarters, Ijebu-Owo.

At about 5:15pm today, I received a telephone call informing me that Mrs Funke Aruna, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Owo State Constituency in the forthcoming House of Assembly election, was sighted at the premises of my late father’s house, where his remains were laid to rest.

According to the account given to me by one of the tenants who witnessed the incident, Mrs Aruna arrived at the residence accompanied by two other women, who were believed to be members of her political group.

I was particularly concerned by the development because Mrs Aruna and I have never had any family relationship, and I remain surprised as to how she came to know the location of my father’s residence and burial ground.

Following the information I received, I contacted one of the tenants who was present when Mrs Aruna arrived. She explained that immediately after alighting from her vehicle, Mrs Aruna proceeded to the spot where my late father was buried in front of the house.

According to the tenant, Mrs Aruna stayed briefly at the burial site, made what appeared to be a silent prayer and subsequently approached an elderly woman who is also a tenant in the compound.

The elderly woman told me that Mrs Aruna gave her N5,000 and asked her to pray for her because she was contesting an election. The woman initially accepted the money, apparently without knowing who Mrs Aruna was.

However, upon realising that the visitor was my political opponent, she became uncomfortable with the development, asked Mrs Aruna to leave the premises and later burnt the money.

I find this incident deeply troubling and deserving of an explanation.

Let me make it clear that I do not have any objection to anyone praying or seeking divine intervention in an election. Every individual has the right to seek God’s guidance and pray for success. However, the decision to come specifically to my late father’s burial ground, without any prior relationship with my family, naturally raises questions that Mrs Aruna should be willing to answer.

If she was simply on a house-to-house campaign, as political candidates routinely do, there would be nothing unusual about her visit. But according to the account of the people who were present, she did not engage in any conventional political campaign at the residence. Instead, she went directly to my father’s burial spot before approaching an elderly tenant to ask for prayers.

If, she was acting on the instruction of a spiritual adviser or Babalawo to visit a burial ground and pray, the question then becomes: why my father’s burial ground?

Owo has a recognised cemetery at Uselu where people can visit the graves of loved ones. Mrs Aruna’s own late father, who was an Anglican, was also buried at the cemetery in Owo. Why, therefore, was my late father’s burial ground at No. 11 Clerk Quarters chosen for such a visit?

I am not making an accusation against Mrs Aruna regarding what happened at my father’s burial ground. I am, however, entitled to ask questions when an incident of this nature occurs at a place that is sacred to my family.

My late father deserves to be allowed to rest in peace. His burial place should not become a destination for political activities, whatever the intention may have been.

Politics should never become a do-or-die affair. Political contests are temporary, but relationships, families and communities remain long after elections are over.

We can disagree politically without crossing boundaries that should ordinarily be respected. We can contest elections vigorously without dragging the families and departed loved ones of our opponents into political contests.

I therefore urge Mrs Funke Aruna to explain, in the interest of transparency and mutual respect, the circumstances surrounding her visit to my late father’s burial ground today.

I also appeal to all political actors, supporters and candidates in Owo State Constituency to conduct the forthcoming election with decency, restraint and respect for one another.

An election is a contest for the people’s mandate, not a battle in which opponents must be treated as enemies.

My father’s grave is not a political arena, and I believe every candidate, irrespective of political affiliation, should respect the sanctity of the dead and the privacy of their families.

I have chosen to speak publicly about this incident not to inflame political tension, but to draw attention to a development that I consider unusual and deeply concerning.

We should be able to compete for political office without losing our sense of humanity, decency and respect for the dead.

Signed:
Hon. Olushina Fatai-Lawal
Accord Party Candidate, Owo State Constituency II
September 18, 2026