The Ogun State chapter of People's Democratic Party, PDP loyal to the Late Senator Buruji Kashamu, on Sunday, disclosed that the Party is still in mourning, one year after his death.
Kashamu, who was the Peoples Democratic (PDP) governorship candidate in 2019 election, died on August 8, 2020, in Lagos, as a result of COVID-19 complications.
He was buried at his residence in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area on August 9.
Addressing newsmen in Abeokuta on Sunday, the State Chairman of PDP, Samson Bamgbose, flanked by other loyalists of the late senator, paid glowing tributes to the late Kashamu.
He described him as a philanthropist, grassroots mobiliser and lover of the masses.
Bamgbose said the PDP in the state and the late politician’s loyalists are poised to sustain his legacy.
“Prince Buruji Kashamu did not die. If he had gone just like that, no one will be here today. The entire executive members are representing Buruji in Ogun State and we will never let him down.
“Buruji worked tirelessly before he let the guard down. By the special grace of God, the legacy will continue forever”. Bamgbose stated.
When asked on the crisis rocking the party in the state, he admitted that the group had made peace with Ladi Adebutu’s faction in April this year, but quickly added that the group reneged on the peace agreement.
The full text
*A TRIBUTE TO A CONSUMMATE BUSINESSMAN, AN ICONIC POLITICIAN, AND AN UNUSUAL PHILANTHROPIST: LATE DISTINGUISHED SENATOR BURUJI KASHAMU*
How time flies!!! So, it's been a year since you, Prince Senator Buruji Kashamu, left this wicked world! The People's Democratic Party Ogun State, South West, Nigeria and humanity miss you and will continue to miss you till the end of time because on a daily basis we see the footprints you left on the sand of time. Unborn generations will come to read of your deed, your munificence, your political sagacity, your business astuteness, your many legal wars, your legal victories, your unmatched heart of giving and above all, your street wisdom that you often deployed to navigate your way through every dark alley. You are simply an engima, difficult to explain and describe. In fact, it will not be too much to suggest that you become a course of study for the academia as you were one man who almost stood taller than the world given all the battles you won against even world super power nations.
If it were possible to deify a human being and worship same for your milk of human kindness, your unusual heart of benevolence, your uncommon sense of charity and generosity, then undoubtedly, Distinguished Senator Buruji is deserving of such apotheosis. When your ship of uncommon humanity berthed in Ogun state around 2009, it was like a maelstrom that took everybody by shock. The Omo-Ilu Foundation, the name of your Non-governmental Organization, became a household name throughout Nigeria and the West African sub region. It became an Ocean where everyone drank from. You gave till it hurt. Today, there is virtually no household that did not benefit from your assistance: financial, legal, employment opportunities, link, connection or simply change of status from nobody to somebody in society. You were one man who was available for the vast majority of the poor and the have-nots. Your munificence knew no religion, colour, age, gender, or even political affiliation. You had friends and believers more among the talakawas than with or from the bourgeois or upper class or the elite. You touched lives in an extraordinary way. Today, many have changed status because you made them rich. I am therefore not exaggerating to say that your sense of giving, charity, building human capital and capacity is strange to our clime. In fact, if charity was a ticket to making heaven, I am in no doubt that you would be among the saints in heaven right now.
You, Senator Buruji Kashamu became synonymous with political iconism because you believed in grassroots politics and politicking. No wonder why your political jet landed in Ogun state with Ijebu-Igbo, your hometown as its hangar, when you entered into Ogun Politics. Your roles in the affairs of the People's Democratic Party within Ogun State, Southwest, and Nigeria might have brought you too many enemies and detractors but you have your own disciples till tomorrow of which we, the PDP Ogun State Executive committee are proudly part of.
You were a tactician, a master of the game and one who knew what he wanted and would climb the highest mountain or swim the widest waters or simply navigate the wildest jungle to get it. Your strategem should be studied by new comers in the game of politics or rather a compendium is made of your political ideologies and thoughts for the good of society.
As a resourceful and a consummate businessman, you cut a niche for yourself in the business world. Your organization, the Omo-Ilu Foundation, apart from being a home of charity, was and still is reputed to be an enviable platform that built/builds human capacity and empowered/empowers hundreds of thousands of people cutting across all spectrum and strata of society. It is simply undeniable to say that you have re-written the narrative where human capacity building is concerned.
One unique mark that stands you out among politicians and power brokers is your reliance and dependence on the judiciary to win your political, economic and legal battles all of which you were victorious. An amazing, as well as amusing portion of you is in the fact that despite your not being a legal practitioner, your capacity to engage even your lawyers in the technicalities of cases or lawsuits can never be matched. You have a retinue or chain of legal practitioners as if they were an army. You were brilliant, savvy and talented where legal affairs and matters are concerned. You were a defender of people's rights. You were willing and always ready to help the downtrodden get justice once you were convinced that they had a good case.
Prince Senator, you departed earth on this day, 8th August, 2020 and was buried 9th August, 2020 with your burial witnessing an unprecedented turn out of followers, supporters, political associates, business partners, friends and beneficiaries of your heroic goodness in spite of the ravaging COVID-19 which you were reported to have submitted to. People defied the COVID-19 protocols to pay their last respect to a man we can rightly call a 'god' of the people. Even in death, we will always celebrate and appreciate you for standing what you believed in and for being the defender of the people.
You came, you saw, and you conquered.
Be rest assured that we, the Ogun PDP State Executive, will continue to defend the legitimate legacy you left behind.
Adieu our Leader, Senator, Alaanu mekunu, Ibu Owo Baba Sherifatu, Ekun oko Susan. May Allah grant you Aljannah Firdaus.
Rest on Senator Buruji Kashamu!
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