The Chairman of Kasmag line, a popular interstate transport company in Ilorin, Alhaji Abdulganiy Ibrahim Omoola, was buried on Wednesday, following his death in Cairo, Egypt last Saturday at age 75. He had travelled to Egypt for treatment of a leg-related ailment before he died.

The janazah (funeral prayer) was held at 2pm in the Ilorin Central Mosque compound and was led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Dasuki accompanied by the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Sheikh Abdullahi Abdulhamid and the Imam Gambari of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulaiman AbdulAzeez.

After the prayer, the body was taken to his residence in Sakama, Ilorin, where he was laid to rest.

Dignitaries at the janazah included former Grand Khadi of Kwara state Sharia court of Appeal, Justice S. O. Mohammed, former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin and Founder and National President of Academy for Islamic Propagation, (ACADIP International) Mallam Yusuf Adepoju, among others.

Mourners at his residence spoke of a man whose generosity reached far beyond his business.

A mourner, Mr Oba AbdulRahman Alkali Sokoto, said he saw the businessman's kindness first-hand. "He is a cheerful giver, even to people he doesn't know. I saw with my own eyes when about 30 people from his neighbourhood who got police jobs visited to thank him," he said.

He also recalled a hotel dispute in which a passenger's belongings were stolen and the hotel refused a refund. "I saw Kasmag personally refund about ?250,000 to the passenger so the matter could be settled without escalating," he added.

A student of Kwara State Polytechnic, identified only as Ali, said Omoola paid for his education. "When we need money, we went to him. He is the one who sponsored my education up till now, as I am in HND at Kwara Poly," he said.

Mrs Ganiyat said he solved a water problem in her community. "He provided water for the community and solved the struggle of fetching water," she said.

A medical doctor, Dr Iyanda Nurudeen Olakunle, said the late businessman paid for patients' treatment. According to him, Omoola often referred people to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) and settled their bills. "One passenger had an accident and needed surgery. He called me and footed the bill," he said.

When doctors at UITH went on strike, the doctor said, a private hospital in Tanke was found and Omoola paid for all the scans and tests. He added that the businessman also sponsored many people on Umrah.

Peacemaker in the transport sector

Many tributes focused on his role among transporters and community groups.

One of his workers, Ibrahim Olamilekan, said he often settled disputes between union members. "He would bring them together, ask questions and settle the quarrel," he said.

Olamilekan, who has known him for about 15 years, also recalled: "He was so intelligent that he didn't save phone numbers. Even after many years, he could recall your number from memory and dial it."

The Vigilante Area Commander, Musa Ajape, said Omoola was their patron and gave support to all security agencies in Kwara. "He is impartial when it comes to giving. He gives to all the security forces in Kwara, including us in the Vigilante and the Okada riders," he said.

Ajape said he had known him for 30 years. "When any transporter have an issue, Baba would go and intervene"

A fellow transporter, Saka Alabi, who has known Omoola for 30 years, said: "If people cry to him, they return laughing."

A member of the Okaka Descendants Union, Abdullahi Abdulqadril Maja, said Omoola was the patron of the group. He said the businessman helped him when he had a problem with electricity officers. "Baba intervened and made sure I did not sleep in the police cell that day," he said.

Maja added that the union often benefited from police recruitment slots through him. "I am a witness, because I am in the union," he said.

A police officer serving in Abuja, DSP Lawal Muritala, said he had known the businessman for 21 years. "He doesn't care where you come from or what religion you practise," he said. He added that he received and hosted him whenever he visited Abuja.

A calm funeral

Alhaja Ade Yusuf, a friend of one of the late businessman's wives, said the orderly funeral reflected how he lived. People often link transporters with touts, she said, but none showed up to cause trouble.

"That is the result of the kind of life he lived," she said. "He had a positive influence on everyone around him and gave them good exposure."

She said he took young people abroad, sometimes without knowing their families. "People were persuaded to do good and to cooperate because he always set a good example," she added.

Kayode Salmon, a tailor opposite the Omoola family house, said the businessman was generous. He said both of them belong to the Alabiyamon clan. "He is a very good man to all of us," he said.

Another friend of the family, Hajia Alaya Kehinde, prayed for the family he left behind. "May God console and be with his mother and his wives, and send helpers to his children," she said.