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Britain and the world bid adieu to Queen Elizabeth II

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A Bearer Party of The Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards places the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard, onto the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy outside Westminster Hall, at the Palace of Westminster in London on September 19, 2022, where it has been Lying in State since September 14. AFP

Britain said farewell to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday at a state funeral attended by world leaders, before a historic last ceremonial journey through the streets of London packed with sorrowful mourners.

Huge crowds gathered in near silence to watch as the queen’s flag-draped coffin, topped with the Imperial State Crown, her orb and sceptre, was carried slowly to a gun carriage from parliament’s Westminster Hall where it had lain in state since Wednesday.

To the tune of pipes and drums, the gun carriage — used at every state funeral since Queen Victoria’s in 1901 — was then drawn by 142 junior enlisted sailors in the Royal Navy to Westminster Abbey.

The thousand-year-old church’s tenor bell tolled 96 times at one-minute intervals — one for every year of her life — stopping a minute before the service began at 11:00 am (1000 GMT).

In his funeral sermon, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby praised the queen’s life of duty and service to the UK and Commonwealth.

“People of loving service are rare in any walk of life. Leaders of loving service are still rarer,” he told the 2,000 guests, who included US President Joe Biden and Japan’s reclusive Emperor Naruhito.

“But in all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered,” the Anglican leader added, before the coffin was borne on another procession towards her final resting place in Windsor Castle, west of London.

The longest-serving monarch in British history died at Balmoral, her Scottish Highland retreat, on September 8 after a year of declining health.

Her eldest son and successor, King Charles III, dressed in ceremonial military uniform, followed the solemn processions, alongside his three siblings.

‘She was my boss’

Charles’s eldest son Prince William accompanied them alongside William’s estranged brother, Prince Harry, and other senior royals.

William’s two eldest children, George and Charlotte, who are next in line to the throne, also walked behind the coffin inside the abbey.

Late Sunday, Charles, 73, and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, said they had been “deeply touched” by the public’s flood of messages.

“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you,” he said.

Britain, a country much changed since the queen’s coronation in the same abbey in 1953, has dug deep into its centuries of tradition to honour the only monarch that most of its people have ever known.

“It’s once in a lifetime,” said student Naomi Thompson, 22, camped out in the crowds at London’s Hyde Park.

“It’s a moment of history… She’s everyone’s granny,” added engineer Alice Garret, 28.

Others unable to be in London gathered in cinemas and churches around England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to watch the service and procession on big screens.

Auto engineer Jamie Page, a 41-year-old former soldier, stood on Whitehall to observe the funeral procession, wearing his military medals from service in the Iraq war.

“Sixteen years old, I swore an oath of allegiance to the queen. She’s been my boss. She means everything, she was like a gift from God,” he said.

Two minutes of silence

But on Charles, the oldest person yet to ascend the British throne, Page added: “Who knows, time will tell.”

The funeral lasted just under an hour, brought to an end by a bugler playing “The Last Post”, before two minutes of silence and the reworded national anthem, “God Save the King”.

After an hour-long procession that was to go past Buckingham Palace, the coffin was to be taken west by road to Windsor Castle, where thousands had lined the route since early morning.

Some 6,000 military personnel have been drafted in to take part in proceedings in what Britain’s highest-ranking military officer has called “our last duty for Her Majesty the Queen”.

The queen will be buried alongside her father king George VI, her mother queen Elizabeth and sister princess Margaret, reuniting in death the family who once called themselves “us four”.

The coffin of her husband, Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99, will also be transferred to lie alongside her.

Elizabeth’s funeral could not be more different from Philip’s at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in April 2021.

Coronavirus restrictions limited mourners to just 30, led by the queen, a solitary figure in mourning black and a matching facemask.

The contrast was profound on Monday, the abbey packed with dignitaries and some ordinary Britons who were honoured for their military or community service, especially during the Covid pandemic.

Biden’s tribute

“You were fortunate to have had her for 70 years; we all were,” Biden said on Sunday after signing a book of condolence. “The world is better for her.”

In the abbey pews was Liz Truss, whom the queen appointed as the 15th British prime minister of her reign just two days before her death, in her last major ceremonial duty.

All of Truss’s living predecessors were there plus her counterparts and representatives from the 14 Commonwealth countries outside Britain where Charles is also head of state.

Whether they remain constitutional monarchies or become republics is likely to be the defining feature of Charles’s reign.

The queen’s death has prompted deep reflection about the Britain she reigned over, the legacy of its past, its present state and what the future might hold, as well as the values of lifelong service and duty she came to represent during her 70-year reign.

Hundreds of thousands of people are estimated to have queued, sometimes for up to 25 hours and overnight, to file past the queen’s coffin as it lay in state.

Chrissy Heerey, a serving member of the Royal Air Force who joined the marathon queue twice, was the last person through the doors and described the experience as “amazing”.

“When they came to me and said, ‘right, you’re the last person’, I said, really?!” she told AFP, before heading off to join the crowds for the coffin’s procession through London.

Big Ben tolls

Throughout the procession after the funeral, Big Ben, the giant bell atop the Elizabeth Tower at one end of the Houses of Parliament, tolled and military guns fired at one-minute intervals.

At Windsor, the Sebastopol Bell — captured in Crimea in 1856 — and the Curfew Tower Bell also sounded.

A vast television audience was expected to watch the funeral worldwide and live online, in a sign of the enduring fascination with the woman once described as “the last global monarch”.

Those lining the streets of London — already jammed at sunrise on Monday — said they had to bear witness.

“I will talk about this moment to my children,” said Jack Davies, 14, camped out for the procession with his parents at Hyde Park Corner, where the coffin will be transferred from the gun carriage for the drive to Windsor.

“I’ll say: ‘I was there!’”

At Windsor, the queen’s crown, orb and sceptre will be removed and placed on the altar.

The most senior officer of the royal household, the lord chamberlain, breaks his “wand of office” and places it on the coffin, symbolising the end of her reign.

The lead-lined oak casket, draped with the queen’s colours, will be lowered into the Royal Vault as a lone bagpiper plays a lament.

A private interment ceremony will take place at the adjoining King George VI Memorial Chapel at 1830 GMT.

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Oyo South: Oseni Approves N100m for Ibadan Community Road Rehabilitation

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has approved N100 million for the immediate rehabilitation of a major access road linking seven communities in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, announced the intervention on Saturday at a town hall meeting with residents and community leaders from Power Line, Awonsoso, Siba, Olupoyi, Balogun, Baba Agba and Agaloke communities.

‎The lawmaker said the decision followed a request by the community stakeholders, who identified the poor condition of the road as their most pressing need. He assured the residents that the rehabilitation would be completed within four months.

‎Oseni said the intervention was part of his commitment to people-centred representation, stressing that his legislative activities had been focused on issues capable of improving the lives of Nigerians.

He said, “Within the three years plus, I have sponsored bills and moved motions that are carefully designed to positively impact the lives and livelihoods of citizens.”

According to him, some of the legislative initiatives include moves to amend the Federal Medical Centres Act to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Ido Local Government Area, stronger sanctions for contractors who fail to execute government projects according to specifications, and measures to improve accountability in the management of public contracts.

Oseni added that he had also advocated subsidised farm machinery for farmers, measures to reduce the cost of cancer treatment, improved food storage through modern silos and processing facilities, as well as urgent action on flooding and recurring building collapses in major cities among several others.

‎The lawmaker said his engagements with communities across Oyo South should not be viewed solely through the prism of the 2027 elections, despite the commencement of political activities.

“My visit here today is not to solicit for votes, but to listen and find practical ways to attend to the requests and plights of my people,” he said.

‎Oseni also disclosed that he had facilitated the distribution of 31 transformers across Ido and Ibarapa, with about 80 per cent of the cost funded through his foundation. He added that  other interventions had included solar-powered street lights, boreholes, bridges, public toilets, educational support,  infrastructure, health care services,  youth and women empowerment, and assistance to artisans, traders and markets across the senatorial district.

The APC chieftain further noted that some youths had also received N1 million each as seed capital to start small businesses.

‎Oseni acknowledged that his primary responsibility as a federal lawmaker was to make laws and provide effective representation, but said the gap created by ineffective governance at the grassroots had made it necessary for him to support communities through interventions.

He urged youths to remain focused and resilient, recounting how he worked as a bus conductor to raise money for his secondary education before becoming an engineer, businessman and legislator.

Earlier,  Chief Muibi Adegoke, Baale of Awonsoso, and Chief Azeez Saka, Baale of Elere Apata, commended the lawmaker for what they described as his performance in legislation and community development. They pledged their support for his political aspiration ahead of the 2027 election.

‎The meeting was attended by traditional rulers, religious leaders, community elders, women and youth leaders from the affected communities.

(c) Mega Icon Magazine 

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Oyo APC Guber Candidate, Alli, Celebrates Archbishop Wale Oke at 70

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the 2027 Oyo State election, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has congratulated the Archbishop of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Francis Wale Oke, on his 70th birthday.

Alli, in a statement on Tuesday, described the cleric as one of the foremost spiritual leaders produced by Ibadan, saying his contributions to the spread of Christianity had brought honour to Oyo State and impacted lives beyond Nigeria.

The senator described Oke as a “kingdom general” whose leadership and commitment to the gospel had positively influenced communities and nations across the world.

He said, “On behalf of my family and the APC family in Oyo State, I warmly congratulate one of our state’s most illustrious figures, Archbishop Francis Wale Oke, as he marks the landmark age of 70 years today.

“I join millions of Nigerians in celebrating a generational leader, a reformer and a dependable voice for peace and national development. Your dedication over the last five decades to destiny moulding, spiritual upliftment and the expansion of the Christian faith is unparalleled.”

Alli also commended the archbishop’s leadership qualities and his achievements in various capacities, particularly as the National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

The APC candidate noted that Oke’s influence extended beyond the pulpit, describing his years of service as a testament to his commitment to spiritual development and nation-building.

He prayed for continued grace, good health and many more years of fruitful service for the celebrant.

“As you continue to expand the Kingdom and impact destinies, I pray for renewed grace, robust health and many more fruitful years. Ibadan and Oyo State are immensely proud to have you,” Alli added.

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Oyo: Oseni Donates 500KVA Transformer, N10m to Baptist Conference

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has donated a 500KVA transformer and N10 million in support of the 14th Annual Conference of the Ibadan Baptist Conference.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, made the donations on Tuesday while addressing participants at the conference, which was held under the theme, “By His Spirit.”

Speaking at the event, Oseni, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), expressed appreciation to the leadership and members of the Baptist Conference for giving him the opportunity to address the gathering. He commended the church for its contributions to the spread of the gospel and its impact on education, humanitarian services and other areas of human development.

The lawmaker said the challenges facing society could not be overcome through human efforts alone, stressing the need for divine guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Our efforts are important, but human efforts alone are not enough. We need the direction of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us in our individual lives and in the affairs of our communities,” he said.

Oseni urged the congregation to combine faith with responsible action, saying lasting transformation could only be achieved when individuals and communities sought divine direction while taking practical steps to address their challenges.

He also encouraged Christians to take greater interest in politics and governance, noting that everyone votes remained an important instrument for determining the quality of leadership in the country.

According to him, “Votes count in Nigeria. Therefore, Christians must not remain on the sidelines. We must participate in politics, contribute ideas and collectively seek solutions to the challenges confronting our society. Governance is about the people and the delivery of services that improve their lives.”

The Oyo South senatorial candidate also solicited support for President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates, saying leaders should be judged by their commitment to serving the people. He said the participation of responsible citizens in politics was necessary to promote good governance and ensure that public offices were used for the benefit of the people.

Quoting Proverbs 29:2, Oseni said, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.” He added that such rejoicing should be reflected in improved quality of representation, education, electricity, potable water, empowerment, healthcare, security, infrastructure, economic opportunities and good governance.

He said, “When the people have quality representation and can see the impact of government in their daily lives, that is when they will truly rejoice. Our people deserve access to good education, healthcare, potable water, electricity, security, infrastructure and opportunities to improve their livelihoods.”

Oseni further urged the congregation to remain united and continue to pray for the country and its leaders, particularly those entrusted with public responsibilities. He appealed to leaders at all levels to always seek wisdom and do what was right in the interest of the people, while assuring the people of his continued commitment to quality representation and service to humanity.

In his remarks, the President of the Ibadan Baptist Conference, Rev. Oyekola Bamidele, commended Oseni for his performance in office and his commitment to humanity.

Oyekola described the lawmaker as “one of our own,” acknowledging his contributions to the development and wellbeing of the people.

The Conference President subsequently invited church leaders, elders and members of the congregation to join him in prayers for Oseni, committing his leadership and future political ambition into the hands of God.

 

(C) Mega Icon Magazine 

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