Breaking: Afenifere Spokesperson Yinka Odumakin Dies of COVID-19 Complications

Breaking: Afenifere Spokesperson Yinka Odumakin Dies of COVID-19 Complications

- Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has been thrown into mourning following the death of one of its sons, Yinka Odumakin

- Odumakin, who was the national publicity secretary of the group, died after a brief illness at the age of 59

- According to the report, the Afenifere spokesman died at LASUTH where he was receiving treatment

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Yinka Odumakin, who was the spokesman of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, is dead.

Odumakin, who was a human rights activist, reportedly died after a brief illness at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

News of his death was confirmed to The Punch by his wife, Mrs Joe Okei-Odumakin, on Saturday, April 3.

Details of his death are still sketchy but a family source told Daily Trust that he died from COVID-19 complications.

Breaking: Afenifere Spokesperson Yinka Odumakin Dies at Covid Isolation Centre
Yinka Odumakin died after a brief illness at LASUTH Isolation Centre. Photo credit: @YeleSowore
Source: Twitter

According to the source, he has been at the Intensive Care Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for a week.

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He was first admitted at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos, but was moved to LASUTH when his condition deteriorated.

Before the coronavirus infection, he was said to have been battling underlying conditions such as diabetes.

Nigerians react

Reacting to his death, a tweep with the handle @SodiqTade described Odumakin as a fearless patriot who will be missed.

"Yinka Odumakin actually lived. He stood for what he believed in till the very end. Huge loss to the Yoruba, and Nigeria at large. We will miss the fearless Patriot."

Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi with the handle @BOGbadamosi reacted:

"I got the distressing news just now that my Egbon, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, a human rights advocate & a powerful Yoruba voice, passed on early this morning. My heart goes out to his humanist wife, Mrs. Joy Okei-Odumakin.
"May his soul find eternal rest in the bosom of the Lord."

A critic of the present government

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Odumakin, who was married to another activist, Dr. Joe Odumakin, has been one of the strongest critics of the Buhari-led government.

He recently warned the federal government against arresting Sunday Igboho who issued a quit notice to the Fulani herders in Ibarapa Oyo state.

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The Afenifere spokesman also supported the campaign for a boycott of beef in the southwest region in March. According to him, Yoruba leaders would not continue to watch while their people were being killed in the name of cattle rearing.

This was after the leadership of cattle and foodstuff dealers decided to lift the blockade placed on the supply of food to the southern parts of Nigeria.

In January, he condemned some All Progressives Congress governors who accompanied President Buhari to Daura to revalidate his membership of the party.

He said the governors merely displayed what it described as their idleness by embarking on the visit.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Nkem Ikeke avatar

Nkem Ikeke (Copy editor) Nkem Ikeke is currently a copy editor who also writes for the politics and current affairs desk on weekends. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2010), and has over 10 years of work experience in the media industry (Reporter, News Agency of Nigeria). Email: n.ikeke@corp.legit.ng