Posted by By Charles Ozoemena on
FOLLOWING the death of his wife Chief Mrs. Stella Obasanjo early hours of yesterday President OlusegunObasanjo yesterday cancelled all official engagements for the next two days, just as Vice President Atiku Abubakar has shelved his pilgrimage to Mecca for a lesser Hajj, Umrah, in Saudi Arabia.
ABUJA - FOLLOWING the death of his wife Chief Mrs. Stella Obasanjo early hours of yesterday President OlusegunObasanjo yesterday cancelled all official engagements for the next two days, just as Vice President Atiku Abubakar has shelved his pilgrimage to Mecca for a lesser Hajj, Umrah, in Saudi Arabia.
The vice President was scheduled to have left for the Hajj 3pm yesterday but had to put it off following the sudden death of the First lady who left for Spain Monday last week.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media,Mrs. Oluremi Oyo, revealed the President'scancellation of official engagements for the next two days. She told State House Correspondents ' following the death of the First Lady, Chief Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, the official programme of the President for the next two days, that is Monday and Tuesday, have been shelved".
In spite of his mourning President Obasanjo attended Sunday service at the Aso Villa Chapel ostensibly to pray for the repose of the death of his wife. He read the lesson for the day.
The Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, was with President Obasanjo consoling him over the tragic loss of the First lady. He waited for the President until after the church service, and together with his top aides,went to the official residence of the President where he stayed for about an hour before driving to the State House Banquet Hall to sign the condolence register.
In the condolence register Atiku regretted that"Today, our country witnessed two great national tragedies. I join the President, the Government and beloved people of Nigeria in these trying times, to mourn with our great President, his family and all those who lost beloved ones.
May their souls rest in perfect peace. Amen'.
More condolences continued to pour in as at 4pm with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ufot Ekaette, writing 'the news of your, Stella's sudden departure came to us with rude shock anddismay,he said."