More tributes as Ekiti declares 7-day mourning for Olayinka

Gov. Kayode Fayemi of the western Nigerian state of Ekiti on Sunday declared a seven-day mourning for his Deputy, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, who died on Saturday. Fayemi, in a statewide broadcast to the people, also announced the immediate suspension of all government activities during the period.

The governor said that he was pained by her death.

According to him, all national and corporate flags in public establishments will be flown at half staff, while his government will liaise with her family to organise a befitting burial for her.

He said he had ordered that condolence registers be opened in his office, deputy governor’s office, Ekiti House of Assembly, the state liaison offices in Lagos and Abuja.

“The late deputy governor is my dependable partner and a virtuous woman whose ingenuity, indeed, contributes immensely to success so far recorded by the present government.

“I am particularly sad that apart from serving Ekiti meritoriously, she was also my wife’s best friend who assisted greatly and stood by me while I was in court to reclaim my mandate,” he said.

In a related development, the younger sister to Olayinka, Mrs Fehintola Tade-Adekunle, said, “ I saw her a week ago and she was still her courageous self’’.

Tade-Adekunle said that the late deputy governor remained the loving and caring sister they knew even after getting to her position.

According to her, the late Olayinka is so committed to the family that she never missed anyone’s birthday.

“We are all so close and she is the first of the six girls in the family, we all became inseparable that no one can tell we are from a polygamous home.

A former President of NAWOJ and the late deputy governor’s childhood friend, Mrs Toro Oladapo, said: “I give God the glory that I saw her 2 hours before she died.

“Her death was traumatic, I wanted her to go and rest in peace. We grew up together and remained close till the last moment. I still wonder what life will be without her,’’ Oladapo said.

Meanwhile, eminent Nigerians have continued to commiserate with the family.

Sympathisers at her residence in Lagos, include a former governor of Ogun, Chief Segun Osoba and a former chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.

Others are, Sen. Olorunimbe Mamora, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello and House of Representative member from Ekiti, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, among others.

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, in a condolence message by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello, described her death as “deeply painful’’.

Fashola said that the deceased was a thorough professional who served her people faithfully and diligently as she greatly helped to redefine good governance in the state.

He said he shared in the sorrow of Gov. Kayode Fayemi and Ekiti Action Congress of Nigeria, adding that the deceased`s loyalty and dedication would be missed by all.

“As a brother governor, I feel completely overwhelmed, just imagining the depth of your pain and anguish at the death of a most loyal, dependable and diligent deputy which you had in Olayinka,’’ he said.

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and former Ekiti governor, Chief Segun Oni, commiserated with the people of Ekiti on the death of the state’s deputy governor.

Though, Soyinka claimed to have met the late Olayinka only a few times, her unassuming grace, intelligence and political commitment was striking.

In his own comment, Oni described the death of the late deputy governor as a sad development to the political history of the state.

The people of the Sasere Compound in Ado-Ekiti, home of the late deputy governor were in a mourning mood.

When Fayemi got to the compound, the mother of the late deputy governor, Mrs Adetutu Famuagun, asked the governor if her daughter was actually dead or a rumour from political opponents.

The octogenarian mother asked repeatedly, “Kayode, where is Funmilayo, my daughter’’.

Meanwhile, Gov Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, and the state chapter of the PDP have commiserated with the government and entire people of Ekiti over the demise the state deputy governor.

Aregbesola in a statement by Mr Sefiu Okanlawon, his Media spokesman, described the death of the deputy governor as “unfortunate’’.

He said he was saddened and greatly disturbed by the news of her death, adding that the deceased was a rare gem who had proved her mettle as a banker and a politician.

Also reacting, Mr Diran Odeyemi, the PDP spokesman in Osun, expressed regrets that Olayinka died too early.

Odeyemi said the deceased would be greatly missed by all politicians irrespective of political party affiliations.