February 20, earlier this year, was the last time I had a telephone conversation with him. He was his natural self. He could be vivacious when excited and could also be dead sober, if the matter requires it. I never had any premonition it would be our last conversation.
Browsing: Yinka Odumakin
The group rose from an urgent meeting on Thursday to honour the deceased, who in his life was the chairman of the strategic department of the South-West Security Stakeholders Group.
Soyinka described late Odumakin as a persistent and brave fighter.
In a statement on Wednesday, the chairman of the group, Femi Falana (SAN), said it is contradictory for the president to go abroad for medicare when billions of naira are allocated to the health sector every year, apart from the huge amount of money credited to the Presidential Clinic in Aso Rock.
This is coming on the heels of a viral statement by the leader of South West Agenda, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, purporting that his group secured the support of Afenifere for its candidate during a visit to Pa Reuben Fasoranti, erstwhile Afenifere leader, on Tuesday.
Okei-Odumakin, a rights activist, in another tribute to her late husband, said it was important to immediately put the record straight in the spirit of truth that Odumakin stood for.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Odumakin and Chukwuma, human rights activists and leaders, died within a few hours interval on Saturday.
It described Odumakin as an unrelenting progressive and activist whose commitment to human rights and social justice was without doubt.
The former Lagos State Governor visited the widow at the Odumakin’s Lagos residence on Monday.
Chukwuma, one of the leaders of the Nigerian civil society movement, died on Saturday during a brief illness, few hours after the spokesperson for Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, also passed away.
In a condolence letter he personally signed on Saturday, Otunba Daniel commiserated with Afenifere and the widow of its late spokesperson, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, saying the late Odumakin stood firmly for all that he believed in.
In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of the group, Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo, the group described the late Odumakin as a warrior who is forthright, steadfast and diligent in serving the Yorùbá interest.
Odumakin was a Yorubaman who wore his Yorubaness on his lapel without caring whose ox was gored, to the chagrin of the enemies within the race. He was an Awoist in deed and in truth who did not subscribe to the reigning fad among political octopods that you had to genuflect by the feet of cows in order to have a chunk of its meat. He was a thorn in the flesh of the Hausa/Fulani establishment and their minions who, in obeisance, gave unworthy rankadede so as to be allowed to mount the horse of power.
Atiku stated this in a statement issued by his media office on Saturday.
Makinde, who stated that the news of Odumakin’s passage came as a rude shock that has left him in a sad mood, commiserated with Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, wife of the late Afenifere chieftain, the Odumakin family, members of Afenifere and the entire Yoruba nation.
Odumakin, according to his family, passed on Saturday morning after battling with COVID-19 complications. He was aged 59.
The Speaker said Odumakin’s life and time would not be forgotten easily as he contributed immensely in promoting the ideals of the Afenifere group.
Describing it as a personal loss in view of his closeness to late Odumakin and his wife, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Obi said in a statement on Saturday evening: “Yinka was one of the most committed change agents in Nigeria.
Odumakin died on Saturday at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital of complications from Coronavirus Disease.
Odumakin was reported to have died in a Lagos hospital on Saturday morning.