Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has formally declared that the Ekiti State Government must take full responsibility for his burial, stating that his remains should be taken over and interred by the state within four weeks of his death.
Fayose, who clocked 65 on Saturday, made the directive in a six-minute video reflecting on the inevitability of death. He urged the public to show appreciation for him during his lifetime rather than waiting until after he is gone.
“Death is inevitable,” Fayose said. “My body belongs to the Ekiti State Government. I am sending a letter to the governor. Let it be clear—whenever I die, whether in 15, 20 or 30 years, the state government should take charge of my body.”
He insisted on a four-week timeframe for the government to complete all burial preparations.
“I must be buried within four weeks,” he added. “The state might not be ready in two or three days, so we allow four weeks.”
Fayose further instructed his children to comply fully with whatever arrangements the state authorities approve and to attend the ceremony in their personal clothing.
He also disclosed that he had already chosen the site for his interment.
“I should be laid to rest in my grandmother’s home,” he said. “I have prepared the garden there. After I am buried, nobody should go there again. Allow me to go. If you want to show me love, do so now.”
Another 20-minute video posted by the same channel captured juju music icon King Sunny Ade performing for Fayose during his birthday thanksgiving celebration.
As political associates marked the occasion with him, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, described Fayose as a “valuable friend and brother.”
“Ayodele, my younger brother, may you reach the age of your elder brother in good health,” Wike said. “You are someone who never pretends about where you stand.”
Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji also conveyed his felicitations through his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, acknowledging Fayose’s longstanding influence in the state’s political evolution.
“He is a leader who connects deeply with the people, a respected grassroots mobiliser and statesman,” Oyebanji said. “His contributions to our state remain remarkable.”
