vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has also expressed shock over the death of the National Publicity Secretary of pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin. A tweet on Saturday by the VP’s Spokesman, Mr Laolu Akande read: “VP Osinbajo is shocked at the sad news of the death of Mr Yinka Odumakin and commiserates with his wife, family and associates. He prays that the Lord will comfort the family, and bless his memory always,” Akande stated.
On his part, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, described the Late Odumakin as a nationalist who gave his all, saying that the Yoruba race has lost an enigma in pursuit of a just society.
A statement signed by the Ondo state information and Orientation Commissioner, Donald Ojogo, in Akure, reads in part,: “lt saddens us as Government and people of Ondo State to be faced with the reality of the demise of Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin.
“It is heart-aching; it’s one death with many losses to our people. “He was a true Nationalist who placed Yoruba Race on a pedestal of honour and high regards and quite fearlessly, gave all in his passion-filled struggle for a virile and peaceful Nigeria with fairness, justice, equity and freedom as his beacons…
Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, also expressed deep sadness, describing Odumakin as having an undiluted love for the Yoruba race and Nigeria in general.
“He was a man in total defence of justice and fairness for all. He had a life well spent, not how far, but how well.”
Similarly,The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has likened the death to a “political earthquake”.
In a condolence statement signed by its Executive Director, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said the death of one of the few most outspoken advocates of zoning of the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the South East of Nigeria in 2023 so as to bridge the yawning demand for national political equity, “is very traumatizing and disastrous.
“That this is happening at a time of the worst kind of dictatorship and the rise of tyranny that has no conscience or feelings for the wellbeing and welfare of the nation state and her citizens, makes his death even the more sad. The tribe of the outspoken patriots in Nigeria has shrunk with his passage. This is one death too many,
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), with whom the deceased had innumerable spats has also described Odumakin, as a person who held to his views strongly in defence of the Yoruba course.
“Today we received the sad news of the death of Yinka Odumakin, the spokesman of the Afenifere.
While he was alive, Yinka held on to his views very strongly,” ACF said.
Emmanuel Yawe, National Publicity Secretary, ACF, said on Saturday that the group often disagreed with the Late Odumakin on many issues.
“Our disagreements were however on principles and not personal…”
