Afenifere, Osoba, Mamora, others extol Olaniwun Ajayi

Prominent Nigerians, including former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba; former Minority Leader in the Senate, Dr. Olorunnibe Mamora; the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere and Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) have eulogised the virtues of a foremost progressive and democrat in the country, Pa Olaniwun Ajayi, who died yesterday morning at the age 91.



Chief Osoba and Mamora in separate reactions described the passage of Pa Ajayi as a great loss to the country and particularly the Yoruba race.

In a statement yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin said his death was received with mixed feelings, but also expressed that in Nigeria where life expectancy is 53, “Papa made it to 91 aging graciously and in good health till the last 24 hours of life when he had to be hospitalised for some health complications.”

The group, however, expressed sadness that Ajayi’s exit has robbed it of the wealth of experience of a philosopher, prolific writer and memory bag that is irreplaceable.

According to Afenifere, “One remarkable trait of his life was his consistency in the Awolowo political family where he put almost 70 years of dedicated service as a lieutenant of the sage and one of his worthy successors after his transition.

He had a sense of history and lived his life deliberately to make impact on his environment. “Either in Afenifere, the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), The Patriots and the Methodist Church where he was a Knight, he left his indelible footprints on the sand of time.”

Afenifere also added that the last days of Pa Ajayi were spent in worries over the state of affairs in Yoruba land in particular and in Nigeria at large. He was not just lamenting but he was taking practical steps to find verb for our noun in the syntax of human experience.

Osoba on his part said there was no need to mourn because Pa Ajayi lived a fulfilled life and also made his impact.Mamora described his death as a departure of a political titan in the country, saying “he was very progressive in his thoughts and remained committed to the issues of fiscal federalism, restructuring and good governance.“We cannot forget him for his democratic contributions to the nation, he made his quota before departing.”