Families, friends, colleagues and well-wishers on Tuesday paid their tributes to late Olabode Agusto, who served as an Adviser (Budget Matters) to former President Olusegun Obasanjo during his second term in office.
Agusto, who was the founder of Nigeria’s first credit rating company, died Oct. 19 in Algarve, Portugal, at the age of 68, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
Speaking during a solemn service of tributes held in Lagos, Chairman, Coronation Group, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, reflected on the legacy of late Agusto, saying, “Olabode Agusto’s impact reverberates through our hearts and the broader community.
“His unwavering dedication to excellence and service has left an indelible mark on us all. In paying tribute, we celebrate a life well lived and honor the enduring contributions of a remarkable individual.
“The gathering of esteemed guests, including prominent personalities from various spheres, underscored the significance of Olabode Agusto’s legacy.
“The tribute service serves as a moment of collective reflection, honoring a man whose influence touched many lives.
“As we commemorate a life rich in accomplishments, let us draw inspiration from the legacy he leaves behind.”
Oluwatofarati Agusto, brother to the deceased, said that his late brother played a big part of the lives of his siblings, by just getting things done for the benefit of the family in terms of concept and execution.
“Your support for cousins, nephews, nieces, and first cousins has been exceptional. Many would credit their choice and advancement of career to you. You made yourself a central part of the lives of your in-laws.
“The most fundamental lesson of your life is the fact that you helped in building and shaping people and demonstrated that it is possible to succeed in Nigeria by following the straight and narrow path.
“You were content and lived a simple life. Even though I have known you all my life, I did not fully understand your impact on people and your reach until your passing.
Maybe I will never fully understand. You were a mentor and role model to many. What can I say? What a life, what an impact! On my part, as difficult as it is, I have to accept and continue to project your legacy.
“May the Almighty God in his infinite mercy and wisdom grant you ‘Aljana Firdaus’ and guide those of us left behind,” he said.
A legal consultant and Senior Partner, Olaniwun Ajayi -LP, Mr Muyiwa Balogun, said he had the privilege of meeting late Agusto for the first time in 2003.
“He had just been appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo as Director-General and Adviser on Budget, and I was part of a select group of young professionals who had been enlisted on second-ment from the private sector to support him in that position.
“Thus began what would come to be one of the most pivotal relationships of my life, spanning over twenty years, during which Mr Agusto played the role of boss, mentor, moral guide, older brother and friend.
“He was the epitome of dedication, expertise, integrity, and refinement. Always ideating, he drove reforms in the Budget Office to improve accountability and the budget process.
“These earned him the confidence of key figures in the government that he served, including that of the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
“Mr Agusto was a truly and uncommonly good man whose passing is a deeply personal loss for all who knew him. For me, it is the loss of a leader, teacher, mentor, older brother, and friend.
“It is also a loss for the nation, which still had much to benefit from such an intellectual and moral giant.
“I am consoled by the first-hand knowledge of the tremendous impact that he had, not only on those who had the privilege of interacting with him, but on the nation as a whole, and I pray that his soul finds eternal rest,” he said.
Segun Agbaje, Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, said Agusto’s unwavering composure was what he would be remembered for.
“In all the years we worked alongside each other, I never once saw him lose his temper, even in the most challenging situations.
“I still felt this composure and clarity of thought in our last conversation, where, like a doctor he explained his diagnosis to me and course of treatment.
“Mr Bode Agusto was indeed a consummate gentleman. In the universe of professionals, he was amongst the best of the best. He will be missed dearly and though he may no longer be with us, his legacy will live on in the lives he touched,” he said.
