Heavy Security Presence In Lagos As Former Interim Head Of State, Ernest Shonekan Is Laid To Rest
On Friday, the funeral service of former Nigerian leader Chief Ernest Shonekan was held at the Cathedral Church Of Christ, Marina in Lagos, which was heavily guarded.
The Nigerian Police Force was spotted cordoning off the area in large numbers.
The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army was also planned to give a 21-artillery cannon salute in Shonekan’s honor as part of the state funeral ritual.
Major Osoba Olaniyi, acting Deputy Director, 81 Division Army Public Relations, said in a statement on Thursday that the special honor would be held at the Ebony Vault and Garden in Ikoyi, Lagos.
It explained: “The 21 Artillery Gun Salute is scheduled for Friday, February 4, 2022. As part of activities lined up for the State Funeral there would be a 21-Artillery Gun Salute to honour the late Elder Statesman.”
Shonekan died at Evercare Hospital in Lekki, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, where he was getting treatment, at the age of 85.
Before being proclaimed dead by medical professionals in January, the deceased legal practitioner was the Abese of Egbaland.
He served as the interim President of Nigeria from August 26 to November 17, 1993, when he was deposed in a coup headed by General Sani Abacha.
He formed the Nigerian Economic Summit Organisation, an advocacy group and think-tank promoting private sector-led development of the Nigerian economy, after being deposed in a palace coup.
Before General Ibrahim Babangida named him as Interim President of Nigeria in 1993, Shonekan was a British-trained lawyer, industrialist, and former Chief Executive of the United African Company of Nigeria Plc (UAC).
He was born in Lagos on May 9, 1936, into the family of a public servant from Abeokuta. He went to CMS Grammar School and Igbobi College for his education.
The Lagos State Government had already announced that all bordering and feeder roads leading to Marina would be closed to facilitate easy access for guests attending the late Shonekan’s funeral service.
The roadways would be closed for 13 hours, according to the statement, and traffic along the Inner Marina would be routed to the outside Marina near the Oando filling station axis, where they could connect to their destinations.
According to the government, the roads will be closed starting at 5.00 a.m. on Friday, February 4, 2022, and will reopen to traffic around 6 p.m. the same day.
Motorists have been directed to take other alternate routes to save travel time inside the axis, according to a statement made on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde.
Motorists who are unable to avoid the axis should connect JK Randle Street to Force Road and then to Broad Street to continue their journey, since Inner Marina Road/Odunlami Street from Outer Marina Road would be restricted to vehicular traffic, according to Oladeinde.
In a similar vein, Oladeinde indicated that traffic descending CMS Bridge to Cathedral Church would be temporarily rerouted to the UBA roundabout and Apongbon axis for ease transit to other inner portions of Lagos Island.
To avoid any delays, the transportation commissioner told motorists that security and law enforcement services had been placed on standby for deployment to all critical junctions/intersections, as well as black spots.
