The body of the founder of DAAR Communications, owners of AIT and Raypower, Raymond Dokpesi, was laid to rest at his residence in Agenebode, Estako East local government area of Edo State, yesterday.
Dokpesi died on May 29, at the age of 71, after a fall while using a treadmill machine as part of the exercise he needed to recover from an undisclosed illness. He was buried at 4:35p.m. amid tears from family members, close associates, sympathisers and residents of Agenebode, who paid their last respects to the late media mogul.
The governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke and deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu were among prominent politicians that attended the burial.
The funeral mass was held at the open field of St. Peters Secondary School Agenebode, while the interment was later held at his residence.
In his homily, the Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Most Rev Gabriel Dunia described the late Dokpesi as humility personified. Dunia said Dokpesi was also giving to charity in his lifetime.
“As the saying goes, charity covers a multitude of sin. He represented charity, he repented and came back to represent with his creator.
“We must return to God, we must use this occasion whoever we are to return to God. We must continue his charity work because the dead can no longer do charity because he said that even in his death, he will continue to do charity through his media.”
In his remarks, Shaibu said the late Dokpesi was a fearless politician who was not afraid to “speak truth to power. Today in Nigeria and the African continent, you cannot talk of the media without mentioning Dokpesi.
Other personalities who joined to bide farewell to the media mogul include National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Bola Tinubu, Nuhu Ribadu; immediate past governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa; the Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole; former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndidi Elumelu; Francis Alimikhena; former Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mike Ogiadomhe, Senator Ben Oni, and Chief Mike Ozekhome.
On Tuesday, Dokpesi’s family organised a farewell ceremony for the late founder of DAAR Communications in Abuja.
The ceremony was attended by dignitaries, including former president Goodluck Jonathan, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori.
Jonathan said at the event that Dokpesi motivated him that ”there was life after the election when he lost the 2015 presidential election”.
Atiku also said he had been friends with the deceased for over 40 years because of his care and commitment to developing Nigeria. Dokpesi, a marine engineer, established Raypower, the first private radio station in Nigeria, in 1994, and AIT in 1996. He would have been 72 years old in October.
