While speaking during the Memorial service for the late Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla, Joel Rabuku Ogolla-the late general’s son, explained that he would be buried in wrapped sheets in line with his wish.
According to Rabuku, the CDF wanted to return to dust to be with Jesus, who he loved and believed in.
Joel also addressed rumors about his father wanting to be buried according to Muslim traditions, explaining that even Jesus was wrapped in sheets and placed in a tomb.
“Jesus himself was buried by being raped in a sheet and out in a tomb. Tomorrow we will be wrapping him in sheets.”
“We will extract him from the casket and burry him to the ground so that he can return to dust as quickly as possible the way that he wanted and just following the man he admired the most, Jesus Christ,” he said.
CDF Ogolla’s Son Revels Price of Casket
Additionally, he revealed that the late CDF had been placed in a casket worth Ksh6,800 for the memorial service.
He explained that his father was not interested in being laid to rest in expensive coffins as his soul would no longer be on earth.
“Today when we were picking him up from the morgue, I am happy about your direction for merging the military and our wishes, and that they have been respected. Mzee lying over here is in a simple mbao, amabayo haijapigwa randa, (casket made of wood that has not been smoothened) it is very rough, and I have been told it cost Ksh6,800,” he said.
“Buying a casket worth Ksh500,000 or Ksh1 million is too much, his essence and spirit is no longer with us. This is a body which he served the country with and now it is finished.”
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Joel Rabuku Eulogizes his Father
Joel eulogized his father as a simple man who loved God. He said that the late CDF was the poorest man in spirit adding that his most precious possession was his Bible.
He also revealed how they would read the bible together as a family and spoke about mortality and the futility of worldly possessions. Additionally, he requested that his father’s Bible be retrieved from the accident scene.
“Somewhere in that helicopter is his bible. That was his most precious possession and anyone who worked with him can attest to that. I hope that they can retrieve it from the accident.”
“I would love to keep it as a memento. We always engage in a competition for reading the bible and discuss the mortality and all these things of life. He understood that his position was temporary, and it would end,” he said.
At the same time, Joel indicated that his father knew that a time would come for him to depart, explaining that he always prepared them for his departure. He also said that his father loved his family just as much as he loved his servicemen in the KDF.
“Leading up to his death, he almost knew that his time was up. Despite having very many plans for the ministry and his family, he spoke in a tone that would suggest that ‘my son, I will not always be here, and you will have to take care of my wife and my other children which I am very willing to do and will not be a problem,” added Joel.
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Request to KDF
Joel also asked officers from the Kenya Defence Forces to ensure that they defeated bandits and all the enemies posing security threats. He addressed bandits and Al Shabab saying that they had nothing to be happy about.
According to Joel, his father valued two things, God and protecting the country and the remaining soldiers should ensure that Kenya remains secure.
“He wanted to die fighting one of these enemies. Fight and finish these enemies. If your boss was not scared, why would you be scared. His ultimate dream was to have a fully peaceful Kenya.
“This will not go in vain. He is gone but the order is still there. Finish these enemies and protect the people of Kenya,” he added.
