The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has broken his silence on the demise of his eldest son, Jide.
Jide died of cardiac arrest on Wednesday, his grieving father reportedly disclosed
As reported by the online medium, Cable, Tinubu said no parent should experience such bereavement, adding, “I wish I could bring back my son, but I can’t.”
“My son was a highly intelligent person with a vibrant personality and a zest for life. He followed his own course and made his own way on his own terms,” Tinubu was quoted to have said.
“Those who knew him could not help but like him. Yet, he was taken away by cardiac arrest when it seemed he had so much life to still live.
“This is a reminder that we must live each day to its best, as none of us know when our last day shall be.
“Mortality comes upon us all. We have no choice in that, but we do have a choice whether we shall be good or bad, just or unjust. Let us all strive toward the best in ourselves,” the online medium reported.
Tinubu said he and his wife were currently in London to console Jide’s wife and his “three precious boys.”
“Jide lived for so long in London and there he has left behind a darling wife and three precious boys. My wife, Remi, and I have gone to London to be with them at this painful time, to support and help them,” he reportedly said.
Continuing, the medium quoted Tinubu as saying, “Please, excuse our absence from Lagos for a while; but it is essential that we are with them.
“Prayers are being offered and will continue to be offered for the repose of his soul. I have suffered a grave loss that no parent would like to bear.
“As a father, I must spend time putting my arms around the family he has left behind.”
He expressed gratitude to all those who have reached out to him during the trying period.
“We must seek a lesson in every loss. Your reaction to my son’s passing has taught me that we can be a people of profound love and humanity when we want to be,” he said.
“People of every tribe, region, faith and every political affiliation have expressed their sympathy and extended to me the embrace of a brother or sister.
“Even those who don’t agree with me politically have shown strong support and care indistinguishable from that of my associates.
“This says so much about the innate goodness in all of us. For, no matter what, we are not foes or enemies. We are all of one human stock, a single nation, one family,” Cable quoted him further.