The Patriots, a group of elder statesmen and eminent Nigerians led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, says it will immortalise the legacies of the late leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Chief Adebanjo passed away peacefully at his Lagos residence on Friday at the age of 96.
The Patriots, in a statement on Friday evening by its Secretary-General, Olawale Okunniyi, said that it received the news of Adebanjo’s death with a heavy heart.
Okunniyi said: “Adebanjo, in the light of his illustrious life of service to Nigeria and humanity, will be greatly missed by The Patriots and the people of Nigeria that he lived and died for.
“Therefore, The Patriots as his immediate constituency shall therefore be setting up an immortalisation committee in the succeeding period, as its culture, to work out how best to immortalise the legacies of the Eminent Patriot.”
He described Adebanjo’s passing as the end of a remarkable era of a rare patriot.
According to him, the members of The Patriots are proud to be associated with the exemplary life lived by Adebanjo.
He said that the late elder statesman was also a leading light and one of the founders of The Patriots.
Okunniyi added: “The Patriots are also glad to relish with pride Chief Adebanjo’s forthrightness and consistency in speaking truth to power in his lifetime.
“He has been doing this especially since his emergence as the organising secretary of the Action Group, AG in the 40’s under the revered leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory.
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“Adebanjo, as a progressive politician in the 70s was quite outstanding, especially in the formation of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN led by the great Awo (Chief Obafemi Awolowo).”
Okunniyi said that the late leader was quite an invaluable inspiration to the formation of the Alliance for Democracy under the leadership of Chief Abraham Adesanya.
He described Adebanjo as one of the key leaders of the National Democratic Coalition, which was at the forefront of the struggle against military rule in Nigeria under the leadership of Chief Anthony Enahoro.
Okunniyi said that the late leader was quite distinguished and courageous in his contribution to the restoration of Nigeria’s current democracy, staying back in Nigeria to lead mass protest against the military.
He added: “Again, Ayo Adebanjo, as an eminent leader of thought, was very instrumental and supportive in the formation of The Patriots towards the democratic constitutional political restructuring of Nigeria.
“He was later to become one of the leading voices of the 2014 National Confab set up by the government of President Goodluck Jonathan towards setting the pace for Nigeria’s political cohesion and stability.”
Okunniyi, who commiserated with Pa Adebanjo’s wife, children and family members, prayed that God would give them the fortitude to bear “this great loss to the country and humanity in general”.
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