Emotions ran deep on Friday evening at the service of songs for the late rights activist, Mr Ariyo Dare-Atoye.
The solemnity at the service was so tangible that a knife could cut through it.
Tears cascaded down eyes despite efforts by individuals who were friends, family members and associates of the late Ariyo Dare-Atoye in the civil society organisation to hold back.
Friends of Mr Ariyo Dare-Atoye gave testimonies of the wonderful life that he lived. The consensus about the humility and gentle nature of Ariyo was writ large.
The wife’s testimony about her husband’s life and times and how he became very conscious about how she could live alone in the last one year was quite emotional.
Even the pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Evarlasting Arm Parish, Garki 2, Abuja, who preached the sermon on the occasion, Azodo, could not hold back his tears.
The pastor however took the opportunity of the occasion to challenge the audience to reconcile with the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ if they had yet to do so.
He said that those in attendance at the service of songs did not come for Ariyo, but rather, they came for themselves.
According to him, Ariyo had already settled his matter with God, leaving behind the living to do the same.
He reminded the audience what the Bible says about the possibility of repentance on earth. He quoted the scripture to have said that “it is appointed unto man once to die and after this judgment.”
He explained that there was no repentance in the grave.
Present at the service of song were among others a former Ekiti Governor and his wife, Asiwaju and Mrs Segun Oni, a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Mr Omoyele Sowore, Chairman of the Editorial Board of THISDAY newspapers, Mr Segun Adeniyi, Media Adviser to a former Senate President, Dr Bukola Daraki, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, abd Head of Department of Mass Communication at the Baze University and associate professor of Diasporic Communications, Dr Abiodun Adeniyi.
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