Makinde, APC, Ohanaeze, OAU, others mourn Odumakin

Prominent Nigerians have continued to mourn the passage of the Spokesman of Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, who died at the weekend.

They include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, a former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and professor of Sociology Lai Olurode; Chairman, Afenifere Renewal Group, Wale Oshun and Chairman of Council of Yoruba Global Alliance, Akogun Tola Adeniyi.

Makinde described the death of Odumakin as personal loss of a good brother and a great loss to the Yoruba race.

While Oshun described Odumakin as a protector of the weak and oppressed, Adeniyi, a former Editor-in-Chief of Daily Times, said his death was shocking.

Olurode said: “The passing away of Yinka Odumakin was a great loss to this country. He was committed to a great but restructured Nigeria. He was a dogged and committed fighter for causes that he believed in.”

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has expressed sadness over the death of Odumakin.

In a statement, yesterday, NEF Spokesperson, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said Odumakin served as the spokesman of Afenifere with loyalty and commitment.

IN a related vein, Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, has described the death of Afenifere Spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, as not only tragic but a monumental loss to the country, the human rights community and OAU.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olanrewaju, yesterday, stated that the OAU community received the sudden demise of Odumakin with shock and disbelief, adding that he died when his wealth of experience was most needed to chart a new path for the overall development of Nigeria.

ALSO, the Ogun State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed grief over the death of Odumakin.

In a statement in Abeokuta, yesterday, and signed by the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Tunde Oladunjoye, the APC described Odumakin’s death as “shocking and saddening.”

BESIDES, the Centre for Truth and Liberty (CTL) has described Odumakin as a resolute, dogged and committed fighter to the cause of the masses till the last day.

In a statement jointly signed by its Executive Director, Olusesan Samaiye and Director, Communication, Research & Strategy, Francis Abayomi, the group described Odumakin as a rallying point and a dependable bridge between the young and the old, who was a committed ally of ethnic nationality leaders across Nigeria.

MEANWHILE, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed deep sadness at the death of the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Odumakin.

In a statement, yesterday, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze stated that Odumakin had left his footprints in the sands of time as an audacious, brilliant, proactive, predictive and forthright journalist, adding that above all, he was a prodigious reflective irrepressible writer with strong analytical skills who stood firmly for a course of his innermost convictions.