It was a sober moment as family, friends, colleagues and sympathisers
gathered in Lagos to bid the late Remilekun Toyosi Meshioye, a Nigerian
citizen, died aboard Egyptair on Sept. 4, 2023 in Cairo, bye as her
remains were finally laid to rest.
In a statement by Abdur-Rahman Balogun Head of Media, Public Relations
and Protocols of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) who
represented Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa at all the three-day burial
programmes, expressed the condolences of the Commission to the family
saying “words alone cannot erase the pain her death has brought to the
family”.
At a short service at the grave side in Matori cemetery, Lagos, the
presiding Pastor of Winners Chapel, Pastor Seyi Elliott, said though
her life was cut short, everyone should take solace in the fact that she
lived an impactful and Godly life while on the earth.
Her eldest sister, Mrs Oluwakemi Shilgba, who coordinated the burial
programmes, said Remilekun was a daughter full of faith and wisdom and
always ready to sacrifice for others even at her own expense.
Friends, colleagues and other family members also paid glowing tributes
on the personality of Remilekun, describing her as a rare gem who has a
kindest soul and a heart of gold. “Your loss, so shocking and has hit
all of us, so hard”.
The three-day programme coordinated by her elder sister, Mrs Oluwakemi
Shilgba, started with the receiving the body from Cairo at Muritala
Muhammad International Airport, Lagos.
Thereafter, a service of songs at the Winners Chapel Ogba, Lagos was
organised in her honour where family and friends paid their last respect
on the deceased.
The body was finally interred at the Matori Cemetery Ladipo near Oshodi
Bus Terminus, Lagos after a short exhortation at the grave side .
It would be recalled that the family has decided to repatriate the
body of late Remilekun back home for burial following the refusal of
Egyptair management to accept full responsibility to what happened to
its passenger.
The family, as represented by Mrs Lola Olaniyi-Alabi has written series
of petitions to Egyptair and its management but has refused to even
condole them up till this moment let alone accept the responsibility of
bringing the corpse and luggages back until the family paid for the
repatriation of the body.
Similarly, the Egyptair management has also refused to respond to letter
written to it by NIDCOM to seek for clarification on the matter and do
the needful for the family.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa Chairman/CEO, NiDCOM, has once again offered
her condolences to the family over the unfortunate incident and prayed
to God to comfort them especially her aged father and siblings and grant
the deceased eternal peaceful rest .
Remilekun, 41, tragically lost her life on the 4th of September 2023
aboard Egyptair in Cairo on her way from Lagos to London for further
studies.
She was survived by her aged father, Elder Israel Meshioye (JP) and her
siblings both in Nigeria and abroad.